ventilatory threshold

Ventilatory threshold is the point during exercise where your breathing rate increases more rapidly than your pace or effort. It indicates a shift in how your body produces energy, moving from primarily using oxygen to produce energy to relying more on anaerobic processes, which generate additional carbon dioxide. Recognizing this threshold helps gauge your cardiovascular fitness and determine sustainable exercise intensity. Essentially, it marks the transition between a manageable level of effort and a harder effort where your body starts to work less efficiently.