VO2Max, what’s it all about?

[HeavyFoot]

I’ve posted a couple of bemused comments on this before, but now it’s getting weird.

How is VO2Max measured on Garmin?

I’ve been running a regular hilly 10km route with finishing times within 2 minutes of each other. And yet my VO2Max has gradually dropped from Good to Fair and from the top 40% my age population to the bottom 50%.

In tandem, my Fitness Age has gradually increased over the year from 57 to 69 this morning. I’m 65!! I’m half expecting an advert for Simplicity Funerals to pop up.

The thing is, is Garmin aware of an oxygen intake problem that I don’t know of? Please don’t advise seeing a GP. More chance of seeing a unicorn 🦄

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

Run a fast two miles, and it’ll go up. It’s stupid.

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

I’ll give it a go!

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

I wouldn't pretend to fully understand it but it's basically how efficient your body is at using oxygen !Mr Garmin likes short quick runs like Fartleks or intervals and will reward you by increasing your Vo2Max, it tends to go down following the longer slower runs.

End of knowledge ! 🤣

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

I’ve promised Tasha99 to try a 2 mile “sprint”. 🌪

[Instructor57 Graduate10 in reply to HeavyFoot]

I noticed 😬

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

Indeed, I fear my romance with Mr Garmin will soon be over for that very reason. We've only been out together about ten times. He apparently thinks I'm a third of my real age (flattering but dodgy) but having been complimentary about my VO2 Max in the early days of our relationship, he doesn't seem to want to touch it any more (oooh Matron.)

[Instructor57 Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

He's a fickle character thats for sure !

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

Hmm. My Garmin is Mrs 🤔

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

So is mine. Every two hours: Move!

[PandaCory Graduate10 in reply to HeavyFoot]

Ha! I switched that function off tout de suite! 😁 . I'm slightly bamboozled by my VO2MAX as well, so am watching with interest.

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to PandaCory]

Roseabi’s post below is very worthwhile.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Mr Garmin loves it when I go out on a bike and makes me 30/40 years younger for combined cycle/run. If I keep my HR low for me he likes it even better so long slow runs he approves of. As my HR goes up when it’s hot I’m leaving running for the moment to keep garmin my heart happy🤣 happy running 🤗

[Lizcanrun Graduate10]

I have nothing intelligent to add, but your comment about the funeral ad made me laugh!

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to Lizcanrun]

Too much daytime TV!!

[Reggit Graduate10]

Ahh, Garmin VO2max 😂 mines stuck at 37 (on the graph) my age is currently 55, I peaked at 67 - I’m actually 52.

If I do a really slow run to keep heart rate down it improves, the other day I did a fast 5k (knocking a minute off my PB) and it told my I was getting older.

Evidently an average 56 year old can beat me on a 5k. Bring it on!

[Kat332zz Graduate10]

Mr Garmin thinks I’m a spring chicken, when actually I’m an old hen. He also thinks I should be able to do a 5k in 25:24, dream on! (I won’t even repeat my marathon prediction) He also keeps telling me that I need over 24 hours recovery after any run, but the training plans do not agree with that. I’m just using the general gist of the information and listening to my body too. Sleep information is so wrong with my watch too, but it does give me a laugh each morning 😂

[Beatlesforever Graduate10]

Short interval runs also make it go up. Mine's gone down two points since I started doing longer runs again 😅

[Birdlady64 Graduate10]

Guess what?...

I saw a unicorn on my run through the woods this morning! 🌳🌳🦄 🌳🌳

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Ridden by a GP? 😂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to HeavyFoot]

No - The unicorn was riding on the back of a GP 😁

[roseabi]

Garmin estimates your VO2max using your personal and heart rate data.

Here's a post from Garmin explaining how you can improve your score: garmin.com/en-US/blog/fitne...

And here's a video by Firstbeat, who designed the VO2max technology used by Garmin. It explains VO2max rather well!:

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youtu.be/MVvWduHwun4(Not working as expected?)

[HeavyFoot Graduate10 in reply to roseabi]

Really interesting, Roseabi. I will try a 3 km faster run on the flat and a jog-run longer run. Although I push the best I can, my average HR is about 133 and rarely exceeds 140.

[Kat332zz Graduate10 in reply to HeavyFoot]

Wow HeavyFoot, my heart rate hits 140 easily and maxes out at about 185 on my faster 5k runs.

[Run46 Graduate10 in reply to Kat332zz]

Mine too Kat, I've even spiked at 200 a couple of times 😬

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10]

Just checked my VO2 and it's now knocked 12 years off my age! Must be from redoing c25k, a lot easier second time 😂. In the words of the old Fast Show sketch, ' that VO2, it's all b******s' (apologies for any offence!)