The reasoning: Fick's principle in motion
VO₂ = CO × (CaO₂ − CvO₂) — oxygen uptake rises ~12–15‑fold from ~3.5 mL/kg/min (1 MET) to VO₂max (~35–50 mL/kg/min in untrained adults; > 70 in elite endurance athletes), by ↑ cardiac output (~4–5×) and ↑ extraction (a–v O₂ difference ~5 → ~15 mL/dL).