Maximal oxygen uptake (
V
O
2
·
max), the highest rate at which an individual can consume O2
during exercise, is widely recognized as the best single measure of adults’ aerobic
fitness.1,2 Maximal
V
O
2
·
ultimately limits an individual’s capacity to perform aerobic exercise but
it does not describe fully all aspects of aerobic fitness. The transient kinetics of
V
O
2
·
best reflect the integrated response of the O2 delivery system
and the metabolic requirements of the exercising muscle to rapid changes in exercise
intensity. Furthermore,
V
O
2
·
max is not the best index of an individual’s ability to sustain submaximal
aerobic exercise and despite its derivation from anaerobic metabolism, measures of
blood lactate accumulation during submaximal exercise provide useful indicators of
aerobic fitness.
As the assessment of
V
O
2
·
kinetics is addressed in Chapter 22, in this chapter, we will focus on the
assessment of
V
O
2
·
max and blood lactate accumulation.