VO2Max: Cycle Ergometer (YMCA)
Quickly measure and calculate your VO2Max and cardiovascular capacity
VO2Max is a measurement of your body’s ability to process a volume of oxygen and is indexed to your body mass. Achieving and maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system is one of the most important aspects of fitness. Because it measures your body’s capacity to process oxygen, it serves as a good indicator of how much you can safely exert yourself during exercise.
Cycle Ergometer (YMCA) Protocol
Purpose
Estimate the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to determine cardiovascular fitness level.
Equipment
Cycle ergometer, heart rate monitor, and blood pressure monitor
Procedure
The goal of assessment is for the subject to achieve two consecutive workloads where the heart rate is between 110 bpm and 85% of age-predicted max heart rate. The minimum time for the test is 6 minutes and the maximum is 12 minutes.
Allow the subject to warm‐up on the cycle ergometer for 2 to 3 minutes with a resistance of 0 kg and an RPM of 50.
Start the first workload (3 min @ 150 kgm/min, 0.5 kg, 50 RPM):
- Record HR at 2:00 min
- Measure BP from 2:00 to 3:00 min
- Record RPE at 2:45 min
- Record HR at 3:00 min
- If the 2:00 and 3:00 HR’s are not within 5 bpm, add a 4th minute to this stage and record HR at 4:00 min
- Based on the HR at 3:00 min (or 4:00 min if you had to extend the stage), adjust the workload appropriately and follow these same instructions for the next stages.
After the test is finished, record:
- After the test is finished, record:
- Record heart rate and blood pressure at the end of the 3 minutes
- 2 to 3 minute seated Passive Recovery
- Record heart rate and blood pressure at end of passive recovery
Cycle Ergometer (YMCA) Calculation
Calculation Result
| DATE | - |
| VO2Max (mL/kg · min) | - |
| VO2Max Classification | - |
Cycle Ergometer (YMCA) Classification Chart
Male: 18-25 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 60 | > 60.0 |
| Excellent | 52 | 59.9 |
| Above Average | 47 | 51.9 |
| Average | 42 | 46.9 |
| Below Average | 37 | 41.9 |
| Poor | 30 | 36.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 29.9 |
Male: 26-35 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 56 | > 56.0 |
| Excellent | 49 | 55.9 |
| Above Average | 43 | 48.9 |
| Average | 40 | 42.9 |
| Below Average | 35 | 39.9 |
| Poor | 30 | 34.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 29.9 |
Male: 36-45 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 51 | > 51.0 |
| Excellent | 43 | 50.9 |
| Above Average | 39 | 42.9 |
| Average | 35 | 38.9 |
| Below Average | 31 | 34.9 |
| Poor | 26 | 30.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 25.9 |
Male: 46-55 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 45 | > 45.0 |
| Excellent | 39 | 44.9 |
| Above Average | 36 | 38.9 |
| Average | 32 | 35.9 |
| Below Average | 29 | 31.9 |
| Poor | 25 | 28.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 24.9 |
Male: 56-65 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 41 | > 41.0 |
| Excellent | 36 | 40.9 |
| Above Average | 32 | 35.9 |
| Average | 30 | 31.9 |
| Below Average | 26 | 29.9 |
| Poor | 22 | 25.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 21.9 |
Male: 66-100 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 37 | > 37.0 |
| Excellent | 33 | 36.9 |
| Above Average | 29 | 32.9 |
| Average | 26 | 28.9 |
| Below Average | 22 | 25.9 |
| Poor | 20 | 21.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 19.9 |
Female: 18-25 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 56 | > 56.0 |
| Excellent | 47 | 55.9 |
| Above Average | 42 | 46.9 |
| Average | 38 | 41.9 |
| Below Average | 33 | 37.9 |
| Poor | 28 | 32.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 27.9 |
Female: 26-35 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 52 | > 52.0 |
| Excellent | 45 | 51.9 |
| Above Average | 39 | 44.9 |
| Average | 35 | 38.9 |
| Below Average | 31 | 34.9 |
| Poor | 26 | 30.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 25.9 |
Female: 36-45 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 45 | > 45.0 |
| Excellent | 38 | 44.9 |
| Above Average | 34 | 37.9 |
| Average | 31 | 33.9 |
| Below Average | 27 | 30.9 |
| Poor | 22 | 26.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 21.9 |
Female: 46-55 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 40 | > 40.0 |
| Excellent | 34 | 39.9 |
| Above Average | 31 | 33.9 |
| Average | 28 | 30.9 |
| Below Average | 25 | 27.9 |
| Poor | 20 | 24.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 19.9 |
Female: 56-65 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 37 | > 37.0 |
| Excellent | 32 | 36.9 |
| Above Average | 28 | 31.9 |
| Average | 25 | 27.9 |
| Below Average | 22 | 24.9 |
| Poor | 18 | 21.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 17.9 |
Female: 66-100 y/o
| CLASSIFICATION | FROM (mL/(kg · min)) | TO (mL/(kg · min)) |
|---|---|---|
| Superior | 32 | > 32.0 |
| Excellent | 28 | 31.9 |
| Above Average | 25 | 27.9 |
| Average | 22 | 24.9 |
| Below Average | 19 | 21.9 |
| Poor | 17 | 18.9 |
| Very Poor | 0 | 16.9 |