The graph below describes the
training effect on Aerobic Capacity (e.g., your VO2Max score).
Notice that this young de-conditioned individual
shows a significant
VO2Max increase in only a few months
of regular exercise. With highly trained athletes we might not see as great an increase in
their VO2Max score
because the aerobic capacity will tend to plateau within a short period of
training time ( ~ a few months). You
will observe in
this illustration below that as VO2Max increases on the y-axis there is a similar
increase in the work rate (e.g., the speed & grade or power output) along the x-axis.
This relationship of work rate increase with VO2Max increases is not
the same with more highly trained endurance athletes where we can continue to
see impressive
work rate improvements from the training effect but VO2Max scores may
only increase slightly. With the appropriate training highly trained athletes
will improve their endurance performance through other training effects like
metabolic efficiency and
metabolic fitness.