How VO2 Max Testing Refined the Way I Train — and How I Coach
By Michelle Amore, Co-Founder of Precision Human Performance
I’ve been an athlete my entire life. I know what effort feels like — how to dig deep, push through discomfort, and find another gear when it matters most. That drive has always been part of me. But over time, my goals have evolved. While I’ll always identify as an athlete, life is my sport now — and I want to perform well in it for as long as possible.
When I took my own VO₂ max test in the BioPhys Lab with Dan it wasn’t about discovering something new. I’ve worked with training zones for years and understand how they influence adaptation. But seeing my own data — my exact thresholds, oxygen uptake, recovery rates, and energy efficiency — gave me something more valuable: structure.
It helped me refine how I train to maintain muscle, keep body fat low, support hormonal balance through perimenopause, and build resilience for the long game. And it deepened how I use these tools to help my clients do the same.
What My Test Revealed
My aerobic threshold began around 122 beats per minute, and my anaerobic threshold occurred at 161 bpm. My VO₂ max came in at 43.0 ml/kg/min — a strong result that now serves as my baseline for progress.
Like many people, I realized I’d been training too often in the “gray zone” — working hard, but not strategically. Now, I train (and program) across five zones with intention, using each one to drive specific adaptations for strength, endurance, recovery, and body composition.
Zone 1: Recovery (<137 bpm)
This is where regeneration happens. For me, it’s light movement, mobility, or walking to promote circulation and recovery. For my clients, I emphasize this as the most overlooked performance zone — essential for nervous system balance and adaptation.
Zone 2: Aerobic Base (137–151 bpm)
This is the foundation of health and longevity - I call it the magic zone. At 140–145 bpm, I’m improving my aerobic efficiency, training my body to use fat as fuel, and keeping stress hormones in check. For clients, Zone 2 is where we build durability — improving heart health, endurance, and metabolic flexibility. It’s also where sustainable body composition change happens.
Zone 3: Tempo (151–164 bpm)
This zone bridges comfort and challenge. It’s where I work on stamina and aerobic power without overreaching. For clients, I use Zone 3 sessions to build steady-state endurance and mental resilience, especially for those balancing busy lives and high stress.
Zone 4: Threshold (164–170 bpm)
My anaerobic threshold sits around 161 bpm, and training just above it helps me sustain intensity longer. I use this zone to sharpen performance — and I apply the same principle when designing interval work for clients who need to improve lactate tolerance, speed, or competitive output.
Zone 5: Max Effort (>170 bpm)
At 174 bpm, I hit my VO₂ max — my upper limit for oxygen use. These short, high-intensity efforts help me preserve power and lean muscle. For clients, I introduce Zone 5 selectively — small doses that make a big impact on cardiovascular ceiling and overall performance.
What It’s Given Me — and My Clients
VO₂ max testing hasn’t changed what I know about effort — it’s enhanced how I apply it. It gave me a data-driven way to structure my training around where I am now, not where I used to be. And it gave me an even stronger foundation for guiding clients to train smarter, recover faster, and see measurable results. Because when we know exactly where the body transitions between zones, we can target specific adaptations — whether that’s burning fat, building strength, or improving endurance — with zero wasted effort.
For me and my clients alike, it’s not about chasing exhaustion anymore. It’s about precision, balance, and longevity — using effort intelligently to stay strong and capable for life. Effort without precision is just motion. Effort with data creates progress!
I encourage everyone to discover your training zones …Schedule Your VO₂ Max Test
Train smarter. Recover better. Perform longer.