Lung Capacity - Results of Spirometry Test

[OhBeWan]

To deal with some other issue, Doctor had me get a Spirometry test. You just blow into a tube a few times. I was fine. They gave me the results so I have been looking them up. The most important measure is FVC which measure how much air I breathe out. My FVC was 6.198 liters. They measure FEV1 which is the amount that I can blow out in 1 second. Mine was 4.503 liters per second. Both of these are up there with elite athletes, as far as I can tell. Anyone else have any of these measurements? What they gave me only compares me with other 60 year old, 6 foot tall males.

[MPx]

Well I'm another 60 year old 6 foot male....but I only have the data from a test I did when I was 44. FVC 5.13 FEV 4.15. Basically I was told I had relatively smaller lungs compared to my overall size. The psychological damage that did me in giving me an excuse for being crap at the aerobic side over the strength side of erging has haunted me ever since. I wish I didn't know!

[Gammmmo]

Well I'm another 60 year old 6 foot male....but I only have the data from a test I did when I was 44. FVC 5.13 FEV 4.15. Basically I was told I had relatively smaller lungs compared to my overall size. The psychological damage that did me in giving me an excuse for being crap at the aerobic side over the strength side of erging has haunted me ever since. I wish I didn't know!

Hi Mike. Lots of factors given my experience. I'm asthmatic and use a peak flow meter sometimes (not quite the same thing I think as what the OP was doing) and I've always been below average with it. My best ever reading is 550L/min (units? think that's right) but more often I get 500. It's been even lower when my asthma wasn't as well controlled. FWIW a runner friend of mine who is about 9.5 stone reckons he can blow the meter off the scale, so 850L/min+, although I've never *seen* him do that.

The point being I'm actually aerobically biased and struggle with stroke power to get decent marks at 2K and definitely 1K and below, and have to rely on half-sliding etc BUT I suspect I'm aerobically strong from years and years of bike training so OTHER FACTOS can make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS. I strongly suspect I've trained some muscle fibre conversion too i.e. when I was in my 20s I was a good sprinter on the bike but couldn't sprint for toffee in my 40s (OK - some of that is age but my point about fibre conversion still stands IMO). Simialry, your mind is such an important thing - again you make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS by just "wanting it more" and being willing to go deep into the hurt locker.

[smeeagain]

Well I'm another 60 year old 6 foot male....but I only have the data from a test I did when I was 44. FVC 5.13 FEV 4.15. Basically I was told I had relatively smaller lungs compared to my overall size. The psychological damage that did me in giving me an excuse for being crap at the aerobic side over the strength side of erging has haunted me ever since. I wish I didn't know!

Hi Mike. Lots of factors given my experience. I'm asthmatic and use a peak flow meter sometimes (not quite the same thing I think as what the OP was doing) and I've always been below average with it. My best ever reading is 550L/min (units? think that's right) but more often I get 500. It's been even lower when my asthma wasn't as well controlled. FWIW a runner friend of mine who is about 9.5 stone reckons he can blow the meter off the scale, so 850L/min+, although I've never *seen* him do that.

The point being I'm actually aerobically biased and struggle with stroke power to get decent marks at 2K and definitely 1K and below, and have to rely on half-sliding etc BUT I suspect I'm aerobically strong from years and years of bike training so OTHER FACTOS can make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS. I strongly suspect I've trained some muscle fibre conversion too i.e. when I was in my 20s I was a good sprinter on the bike but couldn't sprint for toffee in my 40s (OK - some of that is age but my point about fibre conversion still stands IMO). Simialry, your mind is such an important thing - again you make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS by just "wanting it more" and being willing to go deep into the hurt locker.

I use a peak flowmeter too. Scores are somewhat dependant also on age, weight, gender, height in addition to the natural function fo the lung itself. It is however entirely different to a spirometry test which the OP refers to. Peak flow is a single exhale as hard and as fast as possible, if done correctly. It may be repeated 2 or 3 times to give an average reading. However a spirometry test is physically much harder in that they get you to exhale in a tube and keep going and keep goings and keep going and keep going and keep going .....until either the machine gets the dat it needs and tells you to stop.Either that or you pass out (and some folk do occasionally when doing the test) A long continuous slow exhale may take as much as almost 25-30 seconds on a spirometry test and a single second on a peak flowmeter. Try sitting comfortably take a deep breath and exhale slowly and until you think there is simply nothing left in your lungs.
However Im not qualified or expeirenced enough to tell you what the differnece is scientlifically between the two tests adn what the data means

[MPx]

Similarly, your mind is such an important thing - again you make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS by just "wanting it more" and being willing to go deep into the hurt locker.

That was really my point Paul. I find my performance varies significantly in ways I can't predict despite my erging on and off for more than 20 years. Its that that makes me think my performance is more in the mind than the physique. Obviously whatever level of training I'm prepared to do puts an overall limit on outcome (as do my physical attributes), but I find I go through good and poor periods not linked to training amounts/styles. On a good run I get more confident, believe I can, and actually deliver towards an achievable target. Once that run comes to an end for whatever reason (an enforced break, blood doning, even just a one off appalling performance) - the doubts creep in and I get less than half way onto a piece before the demons start and all too often I allow myself to back off (my mind has all the excuses at the ready...but I'm pretty sure its just weak will).

That's why I love the online community in indoor rowing. Its inspiring to see what you all do and gives me an expectation about "me too" that I just wouldn't get without. That positive mindset can sub in for a great deal of training!

[Dangerscouse]

Similarly, your mind is such an important thing - again you make up for, to a large extent, OTHER PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS by just "wanting it more" and being willing to go deep into the hurt locker.

That was really my point Paul. I find my performance varies significantly in ways I can't predict despite my erging on and off for more than 20 years. Its that that makes me think my performance is more in the mind than the physique. Obviously whatever level of training I'm prepared to do puts an overall limit on outcome (as do my physical attributes), but I find I go through good and poor periods not linked to training amounts/styles. On a good run I get more confident, believe I can, and actually deliver towards an achievable target. Once that run comes to an end for whatever reason (an enforced break, blood doning, even just a one off appalling performance) - the doubts creep in and I get less than half way onto a piece before the demons start and all too often I allow myself to back off (my mind has all the excuses at the ready...but I'm pretty sure its just weak will).

That's why I love the online community in indoor rowing. Its inspiring to see what you all do and gives me an expectation about "me too" that I just wouldn't get without. That positive mindset can sub in for a great deal of training!

Totally agree. Your mind can be your worst enemy and best friend all in the same session. Mental toughness is a really fluid concept and if you don't work to keep your 'good' voice dominant it can be far too easy to let it slip.

If you read The Inner Chimp by Dr Steve Peters he advocates a very simple exercise of naming, and talking to, your inner chimp i.e. your bad inner voice. This essentially wrestles control away from it and keeps you focused.