In June our company was asked to assess the fitness level of the 2015 Pro Hockey recruits at their national Combine. The VO₂ Max test has the reputation of being nothing short of torture. I watched these young boys as they gasped and staggered off the ice, having given every ounce of effort to impress. “What was your time?” was the inevitable question they asked each other.
I found this question odd since time is irrelevant to their results. This lack of understanding was disconcerting – these young athletes obviously didn’t understand a VO₂ Max score because what they should have been asking was, “What was your max?” So what constitutes a “good” VO₂ Max score?

Heart rate monitoring has always been an accepted tool used by trainers. With the exploding market of heart rate monitors, should we consider how and why trainers ought to consider incorporating heart rate based training zones into routine workouts? Here are some ways this type of training could help you.