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Vo2 Max accuracy?
- Thread starter UBS28
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Not really addressing your initial question, but I have always seen values like this more as an indicator and to show changes over time than looking at the absolute value.
I had WHOOP before getting an apple watch and it to gave a bunch of estimates that I really didn't take the presented value as a "truth" but rather as an indicator and also could give fairly accurate picture of your relative improvement (or worsening) over time no matter of what the absolute was.
I had WHOOP before getting an apple watch and it to gave a bunch of estimates that I really didn't take the presented value as a "truth" but rather as an indicator and also could give fairly accurate picture of your relative improvement (or worsening) over time no matter of what the absolute was.
All watch based VO2 max calculations are nonsense in my opinion. Doing a Cooper test will get you a far more accurate value but will still likely be inaccurate. My vo2 max appeared to be decreasing as my half marathon training ramped up and I was running greater distances, quicker with a lower average heart rate.
Yeah, that's how I view it as well... and in that respect it does seem to be reasonably useful. I started taking brisk walks on most mornings about three weeks ago, and my "Cardio Fitness" number has been slowly but steadily improving.
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I think the watch V02 is useful. But I view it similar to my scale which gives me my body fat estimate. It‘s ball park, but useful in gauging a trend.
It's a trampoline. It can go up or down 3 or 4 points after a single run or walk.
Yeah it's all over the place in my case... also, my S4 writes completely different values than my S6. Pretty strange behavior overall.
Having both AW and a Garmin, there's plenty of people who are skeptical about it in the Garmin chats as well.
My Garmin was always 42 and when I started with the AW, it was in the low 30's (on the AW). The more I wear the AW while exercising, it's now in the 40's on there, inching it's way to match the Garmin. One advantage to the Garmin is you can include cycling, hiking, trail running, etc. AW seems to limit more of the exercises that contribute to it.
My take is it's an "estimate" and as long as I am putting in the work, it should trend upwards. If I stop exercising, it should trend downwards. I've also seen it takes a while to increment. Dont expect a daily change.
My Garmin was always 42 and when I started with the AW, it was in the low 30's (on the AW). The more I wear the AW while exercising, it's now in the 40's on there, inching it's way to match the Garmin. One advantage to the Garmin is you can include cycling, hiking, trail running, etc. AW seems to limit more of the exercises that contribute to it.
My take is it's an "estimate" and as long as I am putting in the work, it should trend upwards. If I stop exercising, it should trend downwards. I've also seen it takes a while to increment. Dont expect a daily change.
Doesn't work. Mine goes up or down 10 points in a week and mostly scores me as below average when I should be above average for my age. I'm cycling and swimming, which apparently the Apple Watch just doens't score.
SpO2 is even worse. Goes up or down 4% fairly randomly. Check out the careful measurements vs finger test of The Quantified Scientist on YouTube. VO2 is nonsense on all write-worn devices. Here's the latest wonder watch, the Apple Ultra failing the SpO2 test.
Heart rate works a charm on Apple watches, from the SE through the 7/8 and the Ultra. Great health tools within their limitations.
SpO2 is even worse. Goes up or down 4% fairly randomly. Check out the careful measurements vs finger test of The Quantified Scientist on YouTube. VO2 is nonsense on all write-worn devices. Here's the latest wonder watch, the Apple Ultra failing the SpO2 test.
Heart rate works a charm on Apple watches, from the SE through the 7/8 and the Ultra. Great health tools within their limitations.
‘Mine seems to go down as my exercise increases. I both hike and run and see my HR decrease over months of getting in better shape. All the time my resting HR keeps going down as it should But my VO2 keeps dropping about a 10th (.1) once a week.
If you have been at it for months I suggest tapering for a couple weeks. You should see overall improvement in your performance and better VO2.
To taper you just reduce your exercise levels by 50-75%. That isn't the amount of time you put into it, it's the amount of effort.
Neither! It would be better just to time a common route you do and measure progress against that fixed benchmark.
(Some) watches can successfully track heart rate, GPS and sleeping but V02 and SpO2 they cannot do accurately for now.
Garmin used to overstate by 2 or 3 points, or at least it seemed so. I think it might be better now.
I found the AW kind of useless. It didn't trendline, so it could spike up and down depending on your last workout. Go for a casual run or walk and it would drop, do a hard workout and it would jump.
Of the two, my preference was for the Garmin.
I found the AW kind of useless. It didn't trendline, so it could spike up and down depending on your last workout. Go for a casual run or walk and it would drop, do a hard workout and it would jump.
Of the two, my preference was for the Garmin.
When I switched from Garmin to Apple Watch I think the AW VO2 was initially lower, was soon at roughly similar point.
My VO2 goes through cycles of a slight variance up then a slight variance down. But in both cases I was in the above average range.
I run on average three times a week for at least 2 miles, do Fitness+ workouts three days a week and walk the dog at least once a day for between 2-5 miles each time.
The walking doesn’t seem to affect my VO2 and I have just assumed the ups and downs of the reading are my bodies natural cycle.
To be fair I treat VO2 like my weight, I don’t get hung up on a single reading but use the trend over time to see how I’m doing.
My VO2 goes through cycles of a slight variance up then a slight variance down. But in both cases I was in the above average range.
I run on average three times a week for at least 2 miles, do Fitness+ workouts three days a week and walk the dog at least once a day for between 2-5 miles each time.
The walking doesn’t seem to affect my VO2 and I have just assumed the ups and downs of the reading are my bodies natural cycle.
To be fair I treat VO2 like my weight, I don’t get hung up on a single reading but use the trend over time to see how I’m doing.
I believe its only during three specific exercises. Outdoor running, outdoor hiking and outdoor walking. They all must be at least 20 minutes long.
Here are the four things the watch doesn't take into account when calculating your vo2 max that I think would effect the number: terrain, outdoor air temperature, humidity and wind.
When you do your vo2 max indoors its a controlled environment.
When I run outdoors, sometimes its a beach run on sand and sometimes its a boardwalk or concrete. A beach run, even on hard packed sand is harder than concrete and always results in about 1.5 minutes slower per mile. Apple will calculate this as my fitness going down when its not.
Sometimes I will run into a 20-30 mile per hour wind, this drastically effects my pace and time and apple will calculate this as a lower vo2 max too.
And finally air temperature and humidity. At least for me, a warm and slightly humid air is easier to run in than a 35 degree dry air.
I just got the watch and was a bit surprised at the below average vo2 max number. Im willing to be this will increase in the summer not only due to better fitness but also better environmental conditions. I guess we will see.
I don’t think outdoor walking does enough to capture it… I have been walking five days a week for the past 3+ years, with watch, at 4 mph pace and I don’t see much if any input into VO2 max rating.
It’s never going to match the lab. I look at trends but even that’s dodgy. I can run a fast 5k and get a high VO2 reading then switch to a 10k which for me is slower and of course increases heart rate and the VO2 drops about 0.2. If I run the same 10k but take it easy this slower my heart rate and W are lower but the VO2 higher.
For me it’s the most important exercise factor to keep an eye on but it can also be the most depressing and demotivating one.
For me it’s the most important exercise factor to keep an eye on but it can also be the most depressing and demotivating one.
It should. Althought I've heard others complain that they don't get a reading. I guess make sure youve chosen outdoor walk and not indoor walk. I may test it out on a recovery day.
This was pulled directly from Apple's website:
"Your Apple Watch gives you a cardio fitness estimate by measuring how hard your heart is working during an outdoor walk, run, or hike. ...
Most people can improve their VO2 max by increasing the intensity and frequency of their cardiovascular exercise."
I agree and will be looking at trends.
If I see my heart rate lower while my pace and speed increase I will be happy.
I do wish apple let you out notes in the individual workout like nike run club does. I would definitely like to note the wind speed and direction of my runs. The map is enough for me to know if I did a beach or hard surface run.
Ive heard that too but I also think Garmins scale is bigger, meaning its high and low. Apple says its vo2 max ranges from 14-65. Ive seen people post their Garmin vo2 max on reddit with readings over 70.