Boost Your VO₂ Max for Better Longevity and Health

Your VO₂ Max might be the single best predictor of how long — and how well — you’ll live.

Here’s how I’m boosting mine without long runs or hours of cardio:

💡 VO₂ Max = the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. And it’s not just for elite athletes.

According to a major study in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association — one of the most respected peer-reviewed medical journals in the world), VO₂ Max outperforms cholesterol, BMI, and even smoking history as a predictor of mortality.

That’s why I now track and optimize it the same way I track sleep or glucose.

Here’s what’s working for me:

1. 🏋️‍♂️ Kettlebell swing ladder protocol

I do a “breath-paced ladder” a few times per week: • 1 swing → rest for 1 breath • 2 swings → rest for 2 breaths • …up to 20 swings → 20-breath rest • Then work back down to 1

It spikes heart rate, improves oxygen utilization, and acts as a fast VO₂ Max builder — especially for people easing back into training or avoiding injury.

2. 🫁 Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

I also stack this with hyperbaric sessions, which have been shown to: • Boost mitochondrial biogenesis • Improve oxygen delivery at the cellular level • Mimic the effects of altitude training (without leaving the ground)

According to Dr. Gregory Alfred (got the chance to attend a presentation in FL earlier this year), just 12 days of HBOT increased VO₂ Max by 6% in one case — without any exercise.

For me, the combo of breath-regulated training + oxygen saturation = more energy, faster recovery, and higher baseline resilience.

Are you tracking your VO₂ Max yet? What’s helped you improve it — training, tech, or recovery?

👇 Drop your go-to protocol or device.

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