Exhaustion is just the inevitable result of what happens when breathing hits its maximum rate and the body can’t get enough energy into the system. This is what physical trainers call VO2 max. When you hit this moment of peak performance it’s simply not possible for you to push any further. We’ve all been at this point some time or another. Your face is flushed red and your chest is heaving, but try as you might you know that in a second or two you’re going to crash. Peak performance at VO2 max is partly based on genetics, as everyone has a slightly different ability to metabolize oxygen.
