Arnold Schwarzenegger Shares How Improved VO2 Max Can Reduce Risk of Death by 17% and Heart Disease By 18%

Lifelong fitness and health are exactly what bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking for at age 77 following a decorated career in the sport. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter released on August 13, 2024, Schwarzenegger shared how improving VO2 max could reduce your risk of death by a staggering 17 percent and heart disease by 18 percent. 

After leading the charge as a bodybuilding great, Schwarzenegger resides in retirement with a mantle full of accomplishments. He won the Mr. Olympia show seven times (1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1980). He was known for his monstrous proportions and charisma, which carried him to success as a thriving Men’s Open athlete. 

Now that he’s set his bodybuilding trunks aside, Schwarzenegger is still tasked with taking care of his health and longevity. This has led him down a rabbit hole of studies and scientific research pertaining to fitness, health, and nutrition.

VO2 max is a measure of the total amount of oxygen used during exercise and is considered one of the leading markers for long-lasting health and longevity. While testing VO2 max without equipment might seem impossible, Schwarzenegger has a ‘mortality test’ that you can try just about anywhere. Best of all, if you manage to improve your VO2 max, Schwarzenegger says there’s a treasure trove of health benefits waiting for you at the finish line. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals How Improved VO2 Max Can Reduce the Risk of Death by 17% and Heart Disease by 18% 

According to ‘The Austrian Oak,’ measuring how much oxygen your body uses during exercise might be one of the best ‘predictors of mortality and disease.’ 

“The Mortality Test
Can your fitness level predict how long you’ll live? Research suggests that V02 max — or how much oxygen your body uses during exercise — might be one of the best predictors of mortality and disease.”

He argued that VO2 max could be a better indicator of mortality than measuring cholesterol, BMI, or blood glucose levels. 

“In fact, your VO2 max might be a better indicator of mortality than your cholesterol, BMI, or blood glucose. One study found that people with a stronger VO2 max (the top one-third) had a 45 percent reduced risk for all-cause mortality compared to those with worse scores (the bottom one-third).”

“That’s because VO2 max is possibly the best way to assess cardiovascular health and strength. It measures how efficiently your body delivers oxygen throughout your body and to your muscles.

Schwarzenegger contends that small differences in your VO2 max can lead to significant changes in lifespan. 

“But it goes deeper than that. Your VO2 max lives on a continuum, meaning that even small improvement can make a big difference in lifespan. Research found that improving from a low VO2 max to just below average could lead to a 50 percent reduction in mortality over a decade.”

Normally, discovering your VO2 max requires equipment and a lab, but Schwarzenegger has a more simple method for getting the answer you’re looking for. What’s his solution? Run for 12 minutes and track how far you go; this can help you approximate your VO2 max. 

“A VO2 max test typically requires a lab, expensive equipment, and a willingness to push through an intense workout that feels like hell. While it might seem like punishment (and feel like it, too), it’s a good test of overall health.

But there’s a simpler way that requires no equipment. If you run for 12 minutes and track how far you go, you can measure your VO2 max.”

After running for 12 minutes, measure each lap, multiply the distance you ran in miles by 35.97, and subtract 11.29; voilà, you have your VO2 max estimation. 

“The easiest way is to find a track to measure how far you go (each lap is .25 miles). Once you run for 12 minutes, measure your distance, multiply the distance you ran (in miles) by 35.97, and then subtract 11.29, and you have your estimated V02 max. Or, you can use this VO2 max calculator.”

Using a calculator, you’ll also be provided with a MET score (Metabolic Equivalent of Task). Schwarzenegger says for every 1-MET increase in your cardiorespiratory fitness, you reduce the risk of death by 17 percent and heart disease by 18 percent. 

“If you use the calculator, you’ll also see a MET score, which estimates the amount of energy you use when sitting and doing nothing.

One study found that for every 1-MET increase in cardiorespiratory fitness, you can reduce your risk of death by up to 17 percent and your risk of heart disease by 18 percent.”

“In both groups [of the study], there was about a 13% improvement in Vo2 max, a 34% improvement in maximal workload, so that’s basically how many watts could you hit, and then a 2.4-fold improvement in endurance capacity.” 

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