Vo2 max fitness

Hi everyone, just wondered how many people use their VO2 max as an indication of their fitness? I am moderate at 30, which is pants but I am hoping to increase this in the following year with my slow running and walking x just wondered if anyone else does the same?

[Hidden]

I think you need a proper exam to get a truly accurate measure. However, a trend is a trend and I know that the further I run, the better this measurement on Garmin gets. Depressingly, it also tails off if you don't keep it up!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh I don’t fancy a proper test! Can you imagine? I can’t do max effort for that long I would die haha x yes I think it would be useful to see it go up? It even went down in July I have no idea why? Perhaps Cos I didn’t do the three runs some weeks is it? Annoying!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

as UnfitNoMore says, you need a few months data to see the line moving in the right direction. I got up to excellent during the first month of lockdown (when I had lots of time to run and got up to a couple of 18k runs. Now more like 15k a week and back down into good. But good is good I tell myself; better than dead!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Wow that’s amazing! I would need to be 37 and up to be good on my polar and stats x I’m 30 😞 but it’s a motivator and I do need lots of motivation so if I can reach the dizzy heights of Good I will be landed haha

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

I can’t avoid using vO2max as my watch tells me what it is after every single outdoor run 🤣. What I have seen is a consistent rise as I did the first 5 weeks of my HM plan... then week 6 was a recovery week, so it plateaued. In week 7 now and while it hasn’t gone up in number, it has gone up in fractions as my race predictor is now showing slightly lower times. v02max is the main input for race time prediction, and also fitness age... apparently in itself it’s also the best predictor for premature death, even more so than smoking!

Mine started as “poor” and I’m now right at the top of the “good” bit of the scale... hopefully in a week or two I’ll hit “excellent” but “superior” is gonna take a while 🤣

Don’t worry about it on a run by run basis... look at the trends over 3-6 month periods.

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes I read about the health indications that is why I pay attention to mine, and it would make me feel good if I was “good” haha x I will get there, perhaps look around xmas time and see if what I am doing is working, if it’s still the same I need to incorporate some HIIT or something to raise the score x

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Most running plans will have some HIIT element to them... you’ll be ready for the joys of speed repeats, strides and hill sprints by the end of the year!!

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Stop swearing at me! Hahahaha

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Strides are fun... I love those... don’t mind hill sprints too much... speed repeats are a mixed bag, I could do 200m ones every week... 800m ones not so much 🤣

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

800 m?! Isn’t that like twice round a running track or something? Jeez stop it now I be leaving this site hahah

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Yeah... two laps, and since I used to do middle distance it suckers me in to trying to run it like I did back then, I’m not a teenager any more, and I swear they’ve made the tracks bigger since then 🤣

Strange as I’m bigger, everything else seems smaller.

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Don’t get me started on everything getting smaller, shrinkflation is a thing! A mars bar used to fill me right up! They’re like bloody fun sized now ha

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Hidden]

They need to make them bigger if anything... yesterday’s run burned 1384 calories 🤣

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Flipping eck where did you end up? France?!

[Maz1103 Graduate]

Not sure how accurate my fitbit is, but since doing lots of lockdown walking and completing c25k mine has gone the 40-44 range to 42-46. Probably not that accurate but it's a sign of getting fitter I hope. I do look at it but don't take it as gospel.

[Hidden in reply to Maz1103]

That’s a very good level on my polar? I would be delighted to have that!

[Maz1103 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Unsure of its accuracy. It seems to be largely linked to resting heart rate. Mine has always been fairly low but has now dropped to 55 so that's probably why.

[Hidden in reply to Maz1103]

Ooh you have a lovely low resting heart rate! Mines around 64 now and used to be 70, so maybe my exercise is having a beneficial effect at last! (7 months into walking and then thec25k) I feel a lot better in my head less stressed more energetic and totally addicted to my jogs now,

Perhaps that’s the only measure of fitness I really need?

[Maz1103 Graduate in reply to Maz1103]

I get scared mine is too low. Can't win can we? 😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Maz1103]

Ha!! Well I was prescribed propranolol for anxiety and took one and went for a run, my usual heart rate is 161 odd when I am working hard and it was 124! Scared me so much I don’t take them now haha

[Maz1103 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

My working heart rate is about 160 and I worry about that... I can't win

[carolinestanford Graduate]

I’m still amazed I’m doing the runs never mind measuring yet 😂

[Hidden]

My VO2 max is totally pants and I'm in the poor range.

Hopefully as I lose weight through diet and C25K this will improve.

I do get a bit worried by my stats sometimes but am keeping a check and monitoring for improvements

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes mine is poor then moderate some days, I want it to be Good obv but i know it will take time x just another helper in my arsenal to get fitter I suppose x

[Beachcomber66 Graduate]

Basic rules; 1. If VO2 max goes up.....wonderful. 2. If it goes down, it is a very unreliable indicator and is to be ignored. That way lies sanity 🙂

[Hidden in reply to Beachcomber66]

Ahahahaha LOVE this! 😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Beachcomber66]

Yep... when it’s going up I know it’s accurate and if it trends downward I know my watch is broken!

[nowster Graduate]

My current VO₂ Max value is 39 (top end of "Fair"), and it's been stubbornly sticking there for the last couple of weeks.

My resting HR is sitting around the 57-60 range. I don't know what it was prior to C25K.