Mountain Bike Vo2
Most Aerobically Demanding Sport Choices
For those of you who don’t know CV (cardio vascular) fitness refers to the ability of the heart and lungs to provide the body with enough nutrients (mainly oxygen) for it to function during activity and remove waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid also. A CV system that is in good shape will allow an athlete to work harder and for longer periods of time. Some sports such as weight lifting don’t develop the CV system very well as very little oxygen is required by the muscles. Some sports however do ask a lot of the CV system. Here are 3 of the top sports for this type of fitness.
Skiing. It has been proven that cross-country skiing demands more of the cardio vascular system than any other sport. This is because competitive events usually take place over very long distances and skiers encounter lots of different inclines to conquer. Also, cross country skiing uses nearly every single muscle in the body which means energy demands on the heart and lungs is very high. So if you’re looking to build your CV system, switch your snowboards for skis next time you’re on the slopes.
Cycling. Riding a bike, especially in competitive road racing, can cause the heart and lungs to work overtime as they attempt to feed the large leg muscles. The 7 time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong is testament to that, having one of the highest VO2 max scores of any athlete. This refers to the amount of 02 that the body can take in and the muscles can use in 1 minute. Based on that evidence, if you’re thinking about getting rid of your old cycling machine or second hand bikes, you might want to think again.
Kayaking. This is a sport that demands an incredible amount from the heart and lungs, despite there being comparatively little movement of the lower body taking place. This is largely down to the fact that kayakers use their upper-bodies a vast amount and there are hundreds of smaller muscles here demanding the large supply of oxygen and removal of lots of carbon dioxide. For second hand kayaks and surfboards check out EST.
VO2 Max Testing Bike
