Why VO2 Max Might Save Your Life

Welcome to The Movement

This week’s read: ~4 minutes

I’m Ryan, founder of Valvo Health. I challenge outdated thinking around pain, performance, and recovery.

Each week, I break down what I’m learning, building, and teaching, so you can train harder, recover smarter, and stay in control of your health for the long haul.

Let’s get into it.

Forget your birthday. Your real age? It’s in your VO₂ max.

VO₂ max = the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise.

Measured in milliliters per kilogram per minute. It’s your body’s horsepower. The size of your engine.

You can’t fake it. You can’t cram for it. And you definitely can’t ignore it.

Because...

Each 1 mL/kg/min increase in VO₂ max adds ~45 days to your life.

Not only that. Moving from “low” to just “below average” fitness slashes your mortality risk by 50%.

“Above average”? You cut that risk by up to 70%.

That’s not theory. That’s data.

VO₂ max really is the king of all biomarkers.

It beats cholesterol. Blood pressure. BMI. Muscle strength. Even muscle mass.

It’s your body’s rate limiter. How fast can you pull oxygen from the air and push it to the tissues that keep you alive?

VO₂ max is the best biological integrator of fitness. Strength is #2.

The probability that having high VO₂ max, high strength, and high muscle mass extends life? So high that ignoring it is basically irresponsible.

That’s what we mean by proven.

But for most people, it changes with age.

By 30, VO₂ max starts dropping ~10% per decade.

By 75? Sedentary people lose half their peak capacity. Average VO₂ max: 21 mL/kg/min.

There’s a danger zone.

Below ~17-18 mL/kg/min, you hit the aerobic frailty threshold—independent living gets hard. You need help to function.

But here’s the kicker: lifelong athletes maintain 35–40 well into their 70s.

That’s not just a longer life. It’s a better one. A buffer against frailty. Their bodies act decades younger.

So, how do you actually measure it?

The gold standard is a CPET test, which is done in a lab, mask on, treadmill or bike, push to failure. Super accurate, but not exactly casual.

Luckily, most modern wearables can estimate your VO₂ max automatically.

Devices like the Apple Watch, Garmin, WHOOP, or Fitbit use heart rate data during walks, runs, or bike rides to calculate your VO₂ max over time.

To get the most accurate estimate:

• Do at least one outdoor workout (like a 20+ min run or brisk walk) per week

• Use GPS and heart rate tracking together

• Stick to steady-state cardio sessions (not intervals)

Your watch will do the rest.
Check your health dashboard, and look for “Cardio Fitness” or “VO₂ Max” — it’ll show your number and how it compares to others your age.

It’s not perfect, but for most people? It’s plenty accurate to track progress.

How to Train For a Higher VO₂ Max

Dr. Peter Attia breaks it into two gears:

• Zone 2 (~80%):
  The base. Long, slow sessions where you can hold a conversation. Builds mitochondrial density.

• Zone 5 (~20%):
  The peak. Brutal intervals. Pushes your engine’s top-end capacity.

Zone 2 builds the pyramid. Zone 5 sharpens the tip.

Most people? They’re stuck in the middle. Training too hard to build the base, not hard enough to build the peak.

That’s a problem.

Fun classes won’t get you there. Neither will random HIIT.

Your VO₂ Max Blueprint

Here’s how to build it:

Zone 2 (Foundation)

• 3–4x per week

• 45+ minutes

• 70–80% of max HR

• Should feel like work, but not suffer fest.

• You can talk, but don’t want to.

Zone 5 (Peak)

• 1–2x per week

• Try the 4x4 Protocol:

  • 4 minutes at 90%+ effort

  • 4 minutes easy

  • Repeat 4–6 rounds

• Everything should burn, especially your lungs. If it’s easy, it’s not working.

How to Start (Month by Month)

• Month 1: Two 30-minute Zone 2 sessions/week

• Month 2: Add 1-min sprints every 10 mins in Zone 2

• Month 3: Introduce one weekly Zone 5 day (4x4 intervals)

Key: Progress slowly. Build gradually. Don’t skip steps.

Bonus Benefits (Beyond Just Not Dying)

• Boosts brain function—studies show fit adults have brains ~20 years younger on MRI

• Improves metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity

• Strengthens immune system

• Reduces inflammation

• Makes daily life feel effortless

Just in case you needed a little extra motivation and “why” to get yah going.

Next Steps

1. Check your VO₂ max on your wearable

2. Commit to 3–4 Zone 2 sessions/week

3. Add 1–2 hard interval days

4. Retest every 3 months

This isn’t guesswork. It’s whole-body optimization.

Get moving.

-Ryan

Until next time

That’s all for today. Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help.

• 🤝 Want to work with me 1:1? Book a Discovery Call to see if you’re a good fit.

• 💊 Looking for top supplements? Access my recommended selections through Fullscript, my online dispensary.

• 📕 Curious about managing pain? Download my “Pain Guide” here.

Need something else? Just reply to this email - read every response.

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See yah out there,

Ryan

DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.