Shakira's fitness secret: How to use 'VO2 max intervals' to boost your cardio
Fitness routines often focus heavily on strength training. While building muscle mass remains important for calorie burn and overall health, new insights from trainer Anna Kaiser suggest that aerobic capacity is equally critical for high performance. Kaiser works with Shakira and points to VO2 max intervals as a necessary addition to any standard workout plan.
VO2 max measures the maximum oxygen your body transports and consumes during intense exercise. It acts as a metric for your aerobic engine. A higher number allows for longer periods of intense physical output and faster recovery between sets. Ramon Ghosh, a breathing and running coach, notes that this capacity is essentially what determines how efficiently your body functions under pressure.
There are several ways to track this metric. Most modern smartwatches provide an estimate based on heart rate data and training history. Alternatively, athletes use timed tests like the 12-minute Cooper test or a standard 5k run to calculate a baseline. Understanding these numbers helps individuals see where their cardiovascular limits currently reside.
To improve these levels, Kaiser recommends adding short, high-intensity intervals into the weekly schedule. A simple method involves choosing a challenging movement like burpees or sprinting for 30 seconds at maximum effort. After the sprint, allow 90 seconds for heart rate recovery before starting the next round. Repeating this for five rounds provides a significant training stimulus without requiring hours of extra gym time.
Age introduces specific challenges to cardiovascular conditioning. As maximum heart rate naturally declines over time, the focus for older adults often shifts toward maintaining current aerobic levels rather than chasing new peaks. Consistent training combined with proper recovery and nutrition remains the standard for long-term health. Integrating these short bursts of effort offers a practical way to keep the aerobic engine running at full capacity regardless of age.