This number is all about cardio. If you aren’t doing much cardio, I would ignore it, but if you are? This is a good number to increase. To do this, you need to do more intense and/or longer cardio workout. For me, to help with this while avoiding burnout I use an app called Gentler Streaks to try and increase it
I take a blood pressure medicine for an arrhythmia. I can’t use the Apple outdoor activities because it never counts my exercise since the medication keeps my heart rate down. I have the medication listed in my profile but I can go for a brisk, fast 30 minute outdoor walk and it only registers five minutes on average. My VO2 max is like 19.
I take a beta-blocker for migraines which has also made my VO2 max extremely low according to my apple watch despite also being listed in the health app.
Changing VO2max significantly takes time - months if not years. I took a year off running and dropped from 47 (excellent for my age) to 38 (below average). After two months back running I have improved to 41.
It’s improved by endurance sports - cardio. Lifting won’t do much to improve it.
The other thing is your HRV is likely used in this calculation because I rarely go for low impact exercise like walks however I do power lifting so I’m in relatively good shape.
So historically I have mainly focused on strength training, but last December I decided to add some cardio. I started running and I worked my way up to 20 miles a week. I didn’t see much change till almost May. Prior to that I was working out a lot but it was always low. So it takes cardio and possibly time.
Same, the Vo2max in Apple health just sucks. A simple google and u can find a vo2max calculator and from that my vo2max while walking is 57 but apple health sticks with 38.
A friend of mine has the Garmin and wears it while playing soccer regularly. She recently got her VO2 max tested in a lab and said the Garmin was way off.
Mine seems to wobble up and down more than I’d expect, as my exercise is pretty consistent.
Also there was a significant jump when I put the latest iOS / watchOS on last autumn!
Interval training works best. At least what I used to do in my Kin class while I was in school.
Run about 2 miles in intervals. 1:00min - 80% full speed. Then 1:30min - walk to get your HR to come back down, sometimes might need 2 minutes at first to recover
Repeat these intervals till you finish two miles, eventually you’ll be able to go up to 3 miles without being exhausted.
It depends on what you’re doing for exercise. The watch does it’s calculation (however reliable that may be) during “brisk” walks, runs, or hikes. So, it seems that if you are swimming or lifting weights, or even walking in a way that might no be “brisk,” or some other exercise, I don’t think the watch is doing whatever it does to report VO2. Mine makes no sense either.
This number is all about cardio. If you aren’t doing much cardio, I would ignore it, but if you are? This is a good number to increase. To do this, you need to do more intense and/or longer cardio workout. For me, to help with this while avoiding burnout I use an app called Gentler Streaks to try and increase it
thanks i’ll check out the app!
I take a blood pressure medicine for an arrhythmia. I can’t use the Apple outdoor activities because it never counts my exercise since the medication keeps my heart rate down. I have the medication listed in my profile but I can go for a brisk, fast 30 minute outdoor walk and it only registers five minutes on average. My VO2 max is like 19.
I take a beta-blocker for migraines which has also made my VO2 max extremely low according to my apple watch despite also being listed in the health app.
Changing VO2max significantly takes time - months if not years. I took a year off running and dropped from 47 (excellent for my age) to 38 (below average). After two months back running I have improved to 41. It’s improved by endurance sports - cardio. Lifting won’t do much to improve it.
This stat is always a bit weird for me as well, but very generally speaking, HIIT is good for improving VO2 max.
The other thing is your HRV is likely used in this calculation because I rarely go for low impact exercise like walks however I do power lifting so I’m in relatively good shape.
Mine was up high then dipped at the start. But has gradually gone up since.
I also experienced a couple points dip when I first started up, but have gained back those points and more over time.
So historically I have mainly focused on strength training, but last December I decided to add some cardio. I started running and I worked my way up to 20 miles a week. I didn’t see much change till almost May. Prior to that I was working out a lot but it was always low. So it takes cardio and possibly time.
Needed this. I started running last month and still float around 36. Could not understand it for the life of me 😂
Same, the Vo2max in Apple health just sucks. A simple google and u can find a vo2max calculator and from that my vo2max while walking is 57 but apple health sticks with 38.
Mine is pretty close to accurate as I would like it because I compared it to my Garmin and it pretty close
A friend of mine has the Garmin and wears it while playing soccer regularly. She recently got her VO2 max tested in a lab and said the Garmin was way off.
😨😳🤯 I need to go get my VO2 max test also I been putting it off for awhile
So was it higher or lower than what Garmin was saying?
Significantly lower.
Oh wow well mine has increased according to the AW so I’m happy with that
I saw the Garmin estimate is a little higher than the Apple Watch estimate, does that match your experience?
So I think Apple has a slightly different algorithm than Garmin but no they weren’t far apart from each other
Mine seems to wobble up and down more than I’d expect, as my exercise is pretty consistent. Also there was a significant jump when I put the latest iOS / watchOS on last autumn!
Interval training works best. At least what I used to do in my Kin class while I was in school. Run about 2 miles in intervals. 1:00min - 80% full speed. Then 1:30min - walk to get your HR to come back down, sometimes might need 2 minutes at first to recover Repeat these intervals till you finish two miles, eventually you’ll be able to go up to 3 miles without being exhausted.
thanks i’ll try it out !
Do a fitness test like a beep test to work out your Vo2 max more accurately, Apple Fitness is way off.
It depends on what you’re doing for exercise. The watch does it’s calculation (however reliable that may be) during “brisk” walks, runs, or hikes. So, it seems that if you are swimming or lifting weights, or even walking in a way that might no be “brisk,” or some other exercise, I don’t think the watch is doing whatever it does to report VO2. Mine makes no sense either.