Define Work Capacity that is relevant to sports nutrition?
There are generally two areas of work capacity that is relevant to sports nutrition one is aerobic capacity and the other is endurance capacity. Now first let us understand what is aerobic capacity? The capacity to work at maximum exertion levels is known as the aerobic capacity and is usually measured by oxygen uptake at a point at which the subject has achieved a level of maximum exertion or is completely exhausted. Thus, aerobic capacity is the ability to perform maximal physical work or to work up to one's maximal potential. Each individual has many different capacities such as aerobic and anaerobic, neuromuscular and functional capacity. In practice, aerobic work capacity (VO2 max) is the capacity most often considered. It is basically a measure of the individual's capacity for work at maximum exertion levels. The most commonly used equipment to measure this capacity is the tread mill.
The other capacity of relevance is the endurance capacity which means maximum length of time for which a sub maximal work load can be sustuined. Let us understand the meaning of ‘Endurance', the word which will be referred to frequently in the discussion ahead. 'Endurance' can be defined as the maximum lime an individual can carry on a particular sub maximal work loud or in other terms, it is usually defined as percentage of his/her maximum oxygen consumption (% V02 max) or in simpler words, it is the stamina.
You might know that during most of the exercises, the body is dependent upon oxygen to provide energy. Oxygen is extracted from inhaled air by the lungs, and is transported via blood to working muscles. As the level of exercise increases, there is a corresponding increase in the demand for oxygen by the muscles. An individual's maximal aerobic capacity or V02 max is the maximum amount of oxygen that can be extracted from the air breathed in, and transported to the working muscles. It is usually measured in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min).