How to IMPROVE Your VO2 Max AT HOME | 4 Key Workouts To Increase Cardiovascular Fitness - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of How to IMPROVE Your VO2 Max AT HOME | 4 Key Workouts To Increase Cardiovascular Fitness from The Running Channel. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

VO2 max is the amount of oxygen your body can use per minute; raising it improves speed and endurance.
High‑intensity interval training (HIIT) and plyometric work can hit 90‑100 % of VO2 max without any equipment.
Aim for sessions longer than 15 min, 2–4 weeks minimum, with intervals >2 min for maximal gains.
Mix body‑weight circuits, burpee bursts, and jump‑rope to keep the heart rate high and avoid plateaus.

Workout Example (choose one or combine):

Squat‑Jump Circuit – 30 s each of squat jumps, mountain climbers, skater jumps, squat thrusts; 15 s rest. Complete 2 sets (6 min total) and repeat 2–4 times with 2 min between sets.
10 Burpees per Minute – Perform 10 burpees on the minute, rest the remainder of the minute; continue for 20 min total. Adjust burpee count if recovery takes too long.
20‑Second HIIT – 20 s of burpees, mountain climbers, squats, overhead‑press thrusts (3 kg dumbbells), jumping jacks; 10 s rest. Do 10–16 back‑to‑back sets with no extra rest.
Jump‑Rope Warm‑up – Add 5 min of rope skipping 2–4 times per week to boost foot‑strike efficiency and support VO2‑max gains.

Practical Tips:

Warm up with a 5‑minute dynamic routine before each session.
Keep intensity at a level you can sustain for the whole workout (≈90‑100 % VO2 max) rather than a short all‑out sprint.
Progress by increasing interval length, reducing rest, or adding extra sets.
Listen to your body; if plyometric jumps feel too hard, stick to the body‑weight circuits first.

Closing Note: Try one of these workouts today and feel the boost in your cardio capacity. Remember, you can always tailor the intervals and durations in the Pacing app to match your own paces and goals. For full explanations, video cues, and more variations, watch the original video on The Running Channel – you’ll get all the details you need to keep improving!