[ChaseRoy]

Perhaps someone can help me out with this. i recently read about VO2 Max. they say that the best way of burning fat is to go about 50% of VO2 Max. i am wondering how this corelates with heart rate? How does an average joe like me not go to fast when preparing for a contest and burn up precious energy for muscles? Basically, how do I know what speed to go? I want to go 50% of my VO2 max...but I don't know what that is. it would be nice to know if there is a heart rate that corresponds with VO2Max. i.e. 70% target heart rate=50% VO2 Max. Thanks in advance for your help.


-I originally posted this on bb.com when this forum was down...so far i have not gotten too much help. I am wondering if there is any direct correlation between VO2 Max and heart rate and what that is.

[Matthew D]

Okay I found this in an old M&F. It is the rockport mile fitness test.
>>>As long as you don’t have any major health or physical problems,
this one’s a breeze — walk as fast as you possibly can for 1 mile, on either a
track or flat surface. This test can be performed using a treadmill, just don’t use
the handrails or elevation. Immediately upon completion of the mile, take a 15-
second pulse count and note both your completion time and heart rate (HR).
Use the following equation to get an estimate of your VO2 max (the maximal
amount of oxygen your body utilizes).

Time: _______ minutes
15-second HR:
_______ x 4 = _______ beats/minute
VO2 max equation:
132.853 - (0.0769 x bodyweight) __________
- (0.3877 x your age) __________
+ (6.315 x gender*) __________
- (3.2649 x time) __________
- (0.1565 x HR in beats/minute) __________
* gender: 0 = female; 1 = male
VO2 max (in ml/kg/min)
Male Female
Excellent > 51.3 > 45.7
Very Good 45.0–51.3 38.3–45.7
Good 37.7–45.0 35.3–38.3
Fair 33.0–37.7 26.7–35.3
Poor < 33.0 < 26.7
<<<<
Hope that helped