Do any of you with a Garmin watch look at your VO2 Max? I know it’s not going to be really accurate but I happened to look at mine the other day. I was surprised by how much it has increased since I started C25K in mid January.
It’s another way to see how far you have come even if your times are similar as it’s measuring all the time using the data from your watch if you wear it all the time.
I find Garmin vo2max really confusing. If you record a particular run/walk/cycle it can go way up/down. Not worked out the trigger. I dropped 2 points the other day🤷♀️ when I did a cycle a couple of months ago it went up enormously. Happy running 🤗
I look more at the trend over the last 6 months as it can go up and down like you say.
Depending on the Garmin, you should be seeing only running/cycling vO2max data in the app... and it should relate to the exercise that you’re currently doing most frequently... I can see that if you do two equally it may get a little confused... but in short you do have different vO2max for each activity as part of the figure will relate to muscle conditioning, part of which is the mitochondria development which dictates how much oxygen then can use. The two are also closely related of course, so if one is rising the other should be able to. I say depending on the Garmin as there’s a hidden setting to allow different max HR for running/cycling/swimming... turning that on and having accurate Max HR in there will help the device assess workouts better.
Yay just done 5k and it's gone back up to what it had been 40 for running 41 for cycling which for my settings is top of excellent range so happy with that 😀
Top of excellent? That’s... well, excellent!!! I’m still getting out of the “good” category again!
I assume the number seen on the watch post workout is specific to the exercise, and the one in the app is what they think is the exercise you are focused on.
I dont get vo2max on watch just the app so its average - super fit hubby is up about 53 so its lovely for you to say mine is good. Thank you 🤗
Men have a higher vO2max too, so you’re not far off his level... you may even be ahead 🤣
Unfortunately no hes way up in that shiny purple segment on the app when I'm top of blue. He also has resting HR of about 45 whereas I'm about64
Ahh... yes, I forgot that it goes “superior” too... you’ll catch him!
Ah is that what the last bit is called 🤣 quite like the blue section, was in green long enough. It's the cycling I think which I ocked the legs into shape a couple of months ago when I had the sudden leap into blue.
I came back at the end of January and I’d lost quite a lot of it... as I got into the longer runs again it’s really improving run by run, and my graph has a straight line going up over the last few weeks... should be joining you in the blue zone this coming week!
Brilliant work, I look forward to reading about it
I’m now in that shiny purple zone 😬 which is why I’m convinced it’s not accurate 😂
Ah you’re right then... it’s obviously BS! Or... maybe just maybe you’re more awesome than you allow yourself to see?
I’ll have a fiver on the latter.
Of course it's accurate, well done you for reaching purple, I'm just enjoying basking in blue after months in green . I have a 20 mile cycle tomorrow, it will be interesting to see the effect on my cycle vo2max.
I’ve just been on a 10K run so thought I’d look out of interest. It’s gone down by 1 but I got a PB 🤷♀️
The overall trend definitely gives a better picture 😂
Brilliant effort on that 10k run. I generally find if I've had a fast run and raised hr vo2max goes down, today was a faster than normal 5k in the heat, it went up🤷♀️
I’ve just clicked on the help bit on the app and it explains the differences between cycling and running VO2 Max and how the temperature can also impact on it
Yep... it’s also usually impossible to max HR on the bike to the same level as running. Not sure if it’s in the app, but in the online version of connect there’s an option to use individual max HRs for each activity. Once that is done the other vO2max readings will become more accurate.
It’s not too far from accurate though... while the actual figure may be a little off, the trend is real as it’s using the same calculations to get there. During progressive training it’s more than possible to see a sustained rapid increase in v02max... and looking at the data over a long period levels that out and shows how well you’re progressing in general rather than how “race ready” you are.
Great to have a motivator. It can be mixed though as easy to start comparing and focussing on it too much.
I love my garmin and vo2max gets me really excited.
I was ill in January with severe respiratory failure and when i’d recovered a bit we started back running again, my vo2max went down and down with every run, at one point my fitness age was 79 and i laughed and laughed because that was around the time i ran my first 8k
Over the last couple of months though it’s started to go up again slowly and my fitness age is 60 which isn’t bad as i’m 64
I know it’s probably not accurate especially as in real life i don’t know any 60 year olds who can run 5k in 40 minutes but I have to look at it every so often to see if it’s moved
Is it a Garmin watch that gives a fitness age? I haven't spotted this on mine. Always fun if data pays us a compliment. 😊
Mine doesn’t show it on my watch, it’s in the app. When you click on more on the tab at the bottom, it comes under health and performance.
Yes it’s under the wheel that shows where you are, mine is 30 and underneath it says my fitness age is 59 today after my run which is in the top 40% for my age and gender
Sorry I am feeling rather thick and still can't see a notification of fitness age. My watch is a garmin Forerunner 35 and I have Garmin Connect on my computer. I am sorry I do not know what you mean by, 'under the wheel that shows where you are.' Further help would be much appreciated. Which page should I be looking at? So many options with Garmin Connect.
I only use the app but just had a quick look on the computer to see where it was and it’s not on there 🤷♀️ It would come under health stats as that’s the equivalent of where it is on the app.
You’re not thick - it just isn’t there on the computer!
I am sure that I began replying to your reply at breakfast time, but that beginning must be lost in the ether. I'll begin again. Thank you for your reply it is certainly an encouragement that I wasn't actually missing something that I should be seeing. So is it a Garmin App that you are describing and is that a free app? I am still several years behind in my techy skills, but what fun to have a reading of fitness age. Must be something worth investigating.
Yes the app is free, Garmin connect and you will use the same user name and password as you do on the computer. You would probably need to sync your watch but it has on screen instructions for that.
Thank you I will, in time, take a look.
With my husband's help we have installed the app, but we can not find anything about fitness age. under health and performance the list displayed shows: sleep, weight, calories, calories in/out, heart rate, VO2max, hydration, mentrusal cycle. Am I missing something?
If you go on VO2 Max is on there. It tells you what your VO2 Max is and underneath it tells you your fitness age and what percentage you are in for your age and gender.
At the top you can change VO2 Max to a graph that shows 4 weeks, 12 weeks or 6 months.
It's me again. Thank you for your further help. On my phone I only see, on VO2 Max, the 5 coloured sections around the circumference of a circle and my 39 and superior inside the circle with a dot in the magenta section. Then options of current, 4weeks, 12weeks and 6months along the top. Three lines of explanation about VO2 Max, underneath the pretty circle, but nothing about fitness age. Perhaps your watch is a different to may Garmin Forerunner 35.
On my computer the text kindly declares:
Your VO₂ Max is 39 which is superior for women ages 60-69. You are in the top 5% for your age and gender. So actually an extra piece of information on my computer compared to my phone.
So I still haven't found the fitness age figure.
I have always done some exercise even before I started running, but it was a pleasant surprise when I first came across VO2Max. I still feel I have a long way to go fitness wise, presumably many 63 year olds take part in very little exercise so compared to them us runners are way on!
Any ideas left? Thank you for taking the time to help me.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure where else it might tell you. Mine tells you with the blurb underneath. Being in the shiny purple zone of superior is some going.
Just had a quick google to see what I could find. On the computer you can click on reports ,then VO2 Max, it may be there, if it’s not where you are looking already. Also fitness age might not be on all watches and to check owners manual. A quick look at forerunner 35 and I can’t find any mention of it in the manual.
Your fitness age must be well below your actual age. I’m 42 and 46 is superior for me and gets me into the top 5% with a fitness age of 20!
Hello Lizzibeth78,
Thank you for taking the time to look for me. I find it hard to quite comprehend that my level of fitness comes out as superior. I feel I have such a long way to go. Probably comparing myself to a friend who came second in the Norfolk Grand Prix of events. I think your best 8 events count. Some one like her deserves to be in the top 5% not me! Ah well!
My VO2 max has been higher and as far as what I am doing fitness wise there doesn't seem to be a correlation that I understand as to when it goes up or down. I am not sure whether the formula used takes hills into consideration. It gives me a higher score if I chose a rare flatter route. I'm in hilly Derbyshire.
In the only race ( other than 2 parkruns) that I entered, one in our area during last year's carnival week, I was the only lady in the super vet category. I'm 63 and I suppose many of my age don't keep fit.
Happy injury free running to you. I see that you recently beat the 30 minutes barrier for 5k. Well done to you! 👏🎉 And you hadn't been running long at all. I expect that you have set yourself a new target, all the best with it what ever it is. 😊🏃🏻♀️🌸
That’s what I do, just look every so often. So got a bit of a shock when it had gone up into the purple zone. My resting heart rate is quite low according to my Garmin so I think that might be why. It’s anything but low when I’m running 😂
Well done though on getting back running after being ill. It’s so easy to get out of the habit. This is my third attempt at making it a habit and also the longest I’ve kept it up.
As i sat in the ambulance breathing oxygen i did wonder if i would ever run again
Wow what a recovery you have made! Well done to you! 🎉 Do you have ongoing respiratory problems or was the episode that took you to hospital a one off?
The only thing that’s changed is i’ve never smoked again, no ongoing respiratory issues and have gradually got faster and run longer, in hospital they kept saying copd but no sign of that now it was just as off my lungs tried to pack up one day and then decided to start healing the next
All sounds very good. 😊
Obsessively so 😶🤣 Finally got into superior last week! 💪🏽🤣
Crikey Tasha99 I’m happy to be in fair, i better work harder
My new Garmin Vivoactive 3 in gun metal 
NEW GARMIN!!!!!!!
Halfway there! And Vo2 max improved :) 
Charmin Garmin....
V02 Max seems stuck (Garmin)
