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VO2 Max in Watch OS4

T

TRICKorDEVICE

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 20, 2014
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I've seen multiple reports and threads that WatchOS 4 with iOS 11 includes VO2 max monitoring (look in the Health App) for current hardware.

Have you gotten this to work? Did they turn on previously dormant hardware?

What have been your results? Any additional throughts? Please share screenshots if you can.
 
From WWDC session it looks like it's just calculations from your workout.
 
With beta 2 I get VO2 max estimation after a walk of 20 mins.
Its not listed in the activity app, its in the Health application.
 
Curious too. With Garmin you can see it on the watch, the app and the web app.

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TRICKorDEVICE said:
I've seen multiple reports and threads that WatchOS 4 with iOS 11 includes VO2 max monitoring (look in the Health App) for current hardware.

Have you gotten this to work? Did they turn on previously dormant hardware?

What have been your results? Any additional throughts? Please share screenshots if you can.
Click to expand...

Yes, the VO2 max is automatically calculated for outdoor walking and running workouts and it's stored in the Health app. It may also work for outdoor biking, I'm not sure, I don't bike. But it seems like it's only limited to outdoor workouts for now. I tried it on a treadmill and it didn't calculate the VO2 max from that workout.

Note: I have a series 0 (the original day one) Apple Watch, with no external accessories. It was just me, my watch and my phone on the run, and I was using the default Workout app in watchOS 4. I've been getting pretty consistent VO2 max results during my runs)

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Watabou said:
Yes, the VO2 max is automatically calculated for outdoor walking and running workouts and it's stored in the Health app. It may also work for outdoor biking, I'm not sure, I don't bike. But it seems like it's only limited to outdoor workouts for now. I tried it on a treadmill and it didn't calculate the VO2 max from that workout.

Note: I have a series 0 (the original day one) Apple Watch, with no external accessories. It was just me, my watch and my phone on the run, and I was using the default Workout app in watchOS 4. I've been getting pretty consistent VO2 max results during my runs)

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You're getting them for outdoor walks? How far are you walking and at what pace? I'm only seeing them for runs.
 
dgdosen said:
You're getting them for outdoor walks? How far are you walking and at what pace? I'm only seeing them for runs.
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I would guess that if you are a conditioned runner that unless you are walking "more" than "brisk walk" effort your HR elevation won't be enough to make a good VO2 Max estimate. So you just can't reach the minimum threshold required to trigger a VO 2 Max reading. Or maybe it defaults to only estimating running since adding a walking estimate would probably skew the average.

Really anxious to try out and see how it compares to my Garmin estimate.
 
Last edited:
I have a series 0 and have done many types of exercises over 20 mins but nothing.

How to add the Apple Watch as a source for V02? or does it just pick it up?

Thanks :)
 
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honglong1976 said:
I have a series 0 and have done many types of exercises over 20 mins but nothing.

How to add the Apple Watch as a source for V02? or does it just pick it up?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...
It is only Outdoor Running or Walking and no other types. Have you did one of them? Also do you see VO2 Max in Health?
 
Julien said:
It is only Outdoor Running or Walking and no other types. Have you did one of them? Also do you see VO2 Max in Health?
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Hi, yes, I have tried outdoor running and walking both about 40 mins.

I can see V02max in heath but Apple Watch is not shown as a source with no way to add it (that I can see).
 
honglong1976 said:
Hi, yes, I have tried outdoor running and walking both about 40 mins.

I can see V02max in heath but Apple Watch is not shown as a source with no way to add it (that I can see).
Click to expand...

They'll just show up if a run or walk meets some threshold. Here's the text from the watch os 4 health app:

vo2.jpg

The don't show up for any of my walks, but just runs where I run at a consistent pace.
 
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Just so you all know there is only one real way to determine VO2 Max and that's by being hooked up to a device which measures actual O2 in and outduring an exercise test. One can make an estimate by increasing work and observing heart rate rise. Back in the day we would consider the point where the HR began to flatten (as it rises) as that point where a person would transition from aerobic to an anaerobic state and above that a personal VO2 max is somewhere near the failure point of effort.

Any estimate of VO 2 max without considering real time air consumption, temperatures, air pressure, and humidity really is just for show. Plotting your HR while increasing your work levels will be a far better estimate of performance and improvement in your performance as you train. Essentially your work levels should increase relative to when your HR begins to flatten out.

What's the point of knowing actual VO2 max? Really nothing because it only shows the potential ability to function at higher levels (or even lower) of performance than others in your class of competition.

Of course I'm writing about sports performance and not the value of know lung efficiency for health diagnostics, but again the watch estimate is basically frosting on a cake even for that.
 
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I'm curious to see what the Apple calculations look like. When I was in peak shape 2-3 years ago, Garmin's software estimated upper 50's.

Not coincidentally, the number was very close to what the running coach Jack Daniels's charts show for what he calls VDOT, essentially a normalized fitness indicator highly correlated with VO2max, but not breaking out separate performance-determinative characteristics like efficiency. Based on my race times then, Daniels charts showed a VDOT of 57-59. (He prescribes training paces and predicts race results based on VDOT.)

What was interesting to me was that Garmin's software came up with a similar number based solely off my entering my resting HR and max HR and going on a few sub-maximal runs with a HR monitor, whereas Daniels's formula used maximal efforts (race results).

I've never had a real VO2max test.

(I spent all last year dealing with a foot injury, and I'm still getting back in shape now. I wouldn't be anywhere near the upper 50's right now.)
 
bjet767 said:
Just so you all know there is only one real way to determine VO2 Max and that's by being hooked up to a device which measures actual O2 in and outduring an exercise test....

What's the point of knowing actual VO2 max?...
...again the watch estimate is basically frosting on a cake even for that.
Click to expand...
Captain obvious and next::D
Just so you all know there is only one real way to determine actual HR and that's by being hooked up to EKG during exercise.....
What's the point of knowing actual HR?....
Again the Watch HR estimate is basically frosting on a cake even for that....
 
Julien said:
Just so you all know there is only one real way to determine actual HR and that's by being hooked up to EKG during exercise.....
What's the point of knowing actual HR?....
Again the Watch HR estimate is basically frosting on a cake even for that....
Click to expand...

Not really. The watch HR is really pretty accurate and updates approximately every five seconds while a HR chest strap does the same about every second. Most serious endurance athletes use a HR chest strap to record and monitor their performances. It will provide valuable data when matched with other performance metrics and help them get their best performance for both competition and PR. And it is ACTUAL measured heart rate data while VO2 on the watch is just an estimate.

Now an EKG is a totally different bird (I get one every 12 months), shows far more than a simple HR and helps medical professionals diagnose various heart symptoms and issues.

Maybe you aren't so captain obvious.
 
TRICKorDEVICE said:
I've seen multiple reports and threads that WatchOS 4 with iOS 11 includes VO2 max monitoring (look in the Health App) for current hardware.

Have you gotten this to work? Did they turn on previously dormant hardware?

What have been your results? Any additional throughts? Please share screenshots if you can.
Click to expand...
I'd love to have that option
[doublepost=1499483402][/doublepost]I'd love to have that option
 
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