for an ad-free Fetcheveryone experience!

How does Garmin Connect calculate VO2 Max?

17 watchers

1
2
3
4
Next
Last

larkim Feb 2016 4:22pm, 26 Feb 2016 457 posts	Quote Pin larkim Just curious really. Only had a garmin device since Christmas, and am using a HRM with it. Was poking around in the Garmin Connect app on the phone and saw the Performance Stats page which estimates (and I know it is just an estimate, not precise in any way shape or form) VO2 Max. According to that I have a VO2 Max of 53, which it describes as "Superior" for a 40-49 year old. But it seems to have bumped itself into those ranges recently during which I've actually done (for me) reasonably slow running (8min/mile stuff etc) whilst wearing the HRM and showing heart rates in the range of 150+ (I seem to have a reasonably high natural heart rate, with a decent resting rate of 60). Does anyone know how VO2 Max estimates are made based on these sorts of inputs?
The_Saint Feb 2016 5:15pm, 26 Feb 2016 5,811 posts	Quote Pin The_Saint firstbeat.com
Chrisull Feb 2016 5:55pm, 26 Feb 2016 8,521 posts	Quote Pin Chrisull I was about to ask the same question - or more pertinently, how accurate is it? I'm 52 VO2 max in 40-49.
GlennR Feb 2016 6:02pm, 26 Feb 2016 17,596 posts	Quote Pin GlennR Gobi wrote - on Smell I think - that his Garmin derived VO2Max was pretty close to the number he got from 'proper' testing. No doubt there's a certain amount of witchcraft however it's done.
puzzler Feb 2016 9:28am, 29 Feb 2016 578 posts	Quote Pin puzzler I was amazed when after a first gentle 5 mile run at low HR my FR 235 identified my Vo2max at 52. It has since revised it up a notch but with apprently very little data it seemed to get reasonably close to where I should be based on the tables in the Daniels book. No idea what my score would be on a proper test.
Fitz Feb 2016 10:43am, 29 Feb 2016 1,438 posts	Quote Pin Fitz Coincidentally, I looked at the vo2 max score on my garmin today for the first time in ages - it was 47 and hasn't changed in ages (although, probably my own fault as I have been using my hrm on fewer runs recently). More interesting to me was the bit about race predictions: 5k 22:11, my PB is 21:30 (Dec 2015) 10k 46:01, PB 44:00 (Jan 2016) Half 1:41:57, PB 1:42:28 (ages ago, don't do many HM races) Mara 3:31:54. Have never got anywhere near it! PB 3:51:40, 2013. Ran 3:56:25 (trail) in December 2015 and hoping for a PB this spring but more like 3:50 than 3:30. In summary, my Garmin is telling me I'm not trying hard enough in marathons!
larkim Mar 2016 10:20am, 11 Mar 2016 509 posts	Quote Pin larkim Has anyone else had the "Performance stats" menu disappear from Garmin Connect on their smartphone? Can't see it any more, had been quite interested in this for a few weeks.
Oranj Mar 2016 10:31am, 11 Mar 2016 199 posts	Quote Pin Oranj Larkim, it's still available AFAIK, from the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) top left of the screen.
larkim Mar 2016 11:04am, 11 Mar 2016 510 posts	Quote Pin larkim On the website or on the app (iPhone in this case?) - not there for me that I can see (there isn't a hamburger menu on the iPhone app).
ndellar Mar 2016 11:12am, 11 Mar 2016 3,247 posts	Quote Pin ndellar On My Garmin Connect iPhone app, along the bottom go to "more" (3 dots) > Performance stats > VO2 max. I also added it on to the web page of Garmin Connect as a "report" I do find it interesting to see my VO2 max go up and down according to what training I'm doing. Seems to go up very quickly when I get in to the mid phase of marathon training when I do longer speed work reps and longer faster runs.