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Journal article
Lessons from history for VO2 max and the VO2 plateau, part 1, 1920 – 1961: original concepts were based on discontinuous exercise protocols
Frontiers in Physiology, Vol.16, pp.1-16
2025
PMID: 41425163
Abstract
Purpose: The maximal rate of oxygen uptake (VO2max) has an early history (1920–1961) based on discontinuous incremental exercise protocols. Regardless, debate continues on many sub-topics and methodologies involved in this measure. There could be lessons to learn about the relevance, or not, of content within the accumulating knowledge of this topic if there is a detailed account of the research of this time-period.
Methods: Manuscript references were retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar for the targeted topics and time-period.
Results: In 1923 and 1924, Hill proposed that during discontinuous incremental exercise bouts, there is eventually a levelling in VO2 despite increasing exercise intensity or sustained effort. Subsequent researchers in the 1950’s described this ‘levelling in ‘VO2’ observation as a plateau, which functioned to verify VO2max. However, when critiquing the data from studies with valid methodology, evidence of a VO2 plateau at or near VO2max was only seen in a subset of participants in 1924 (2 of 7), with added evidence in 1959 (2 of 4) and 1961 (4 of 5). Collectively, 50% of the subjects were unable to attain a VO2 plateau response at VO2max.
Conclusion: Despite major limitations to the published research and data interpretations prior to 1961, such work led to the incorrect (not evidence-based) expectation that all participants should demonstrate a VO2 plateau at or near VO2max. The inter-connectedness of VO2max and the VO2 plateau concepts thereby became engrained into the pre-1970s, and perhaps later, epistemology of exercise physiology.
Details
- Title
- Lessons from history for VO2 max and the VO2 plateau, part 1, 1920 – 1961: original concepts were based on discontinuous exercise protocols
- Authors
- Robert A Robergs (Corresponding Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyBridgette O'Malley - Queensland University of TechnologySam Torrens - Queensland University of TechnologyCraig McNulty - Queensland University of TechnologyPraneel Titheradge - Charles Sturt UniversityJulien S. Baker - Hong Kong Baptist UniversityTodd A. Astorino - California State University, San MarcosSimon Green - Western Sydney UniversityMarek Nalos - Charles University
- Publication details
- Frontiers in Physiology, Vol.16, pp.1-16
- Publisher
- Frontiers Research Foundation
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3389/fphys.2025.1688750
- ISSN
- 1664-042X
- PMID
- 41425163
- Copyright note
- © 2025 Robergs, O’Malley, Torrens, McNulty, Titheradge, Baker, Astorino, Green and Nalos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Sports & Exercise Science
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991207981002621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Physiology