biostudies-literatureWu ZNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada70https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12922157biostudies-literatureUnknown11(1)Maximal aerobic capacity (VO_2max) is a well-established predictor of cardiovascular health, morbidity, and all-cause mortality. While many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have characterized the effects of aerobic exercise training on VO_2max, they fail to capture the state of the literature as a whole. This scoping review aims to summarize the populations and training protocols used in the current literature and highlight gaps in our current understanding of the VO_2max response to aerobic training. A total of 617 studies were selected and analyzed in this review. The majority of exercise protocols used were moderate intensity continuous training (MICT; n = 363). Few studies employed high-intensity interval training (HIIT; n = 102), sprint interval trainJournal of functional morphology and kinesiologyAerobic Exercise Training and VO<sub>2max</sub>: A Scoping Review of Study Populations and Protocols.PMC12922157402635Mudwi ARoss BWu ZBeaupre LPRSimpson-Stairs NRenwick JRMKhansari ALeBouedec MAPreobrazenski NNuttall JMGGurd BJSwinton PAfalseAerobic Exercise Training and VO<sub>2max</sub>: A Scoping Review of Study Populations and Protocols.Maximal aerobic capacity (VO_2max) is a well-established predictor of cardiovascular health, morbidity, and all-cause mortality. While many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have characterized the effects of aerobic exercise training on VO_2max, they fail to capture the state of the literature as a whole. This scoping review aims to summarize the populations and training protocols used in the current literature and highlight gaps in our current understanding of the VO_2max response to aerobic training. A total of 617 studies were selected and analyzed in this review. The majority of exercise protocols used were moderate intensity continuous training (MICT; n = 363). Few studies employed high-intensity interval training (HIIT; n = 102), sprint interval train2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Feb2026-07-09T11:40:18.894Z2026-07-09T10:54:37.67ZS-EPMC129221574171819810.3390/jfmk11010070