Apple Watch and VO2Max

[tcuprof]

A common tool for measuring cardio fitness is VO2Max. Many who regularly do cardio exercise (run/bike/row/etc,), track their VO2Max. If you wear your Apple Watch when you work out, it estimates VO2Max (go to Health>Heart>Cardio Fitness).

I have always wondered how accurate the Apple Watch estimate is. What started me thinking about this is that my Apple Watch measures my VO2Max as 37.2, which most sources (more on that later) rate as the 90th percentile or good. Don't get me wrong, 90th percentile is good, I just don't think it is accurate. I've rarely run with anyone my age who matches my cardio fitness, and that's in a sample of runners. I know it's asking for anecdotal evidence, but how many old men do you know who run 1200+ miles a year?

AFAIK, the only "certified" VO2Max measurement involves a lab, a treadmill, a breathing mask, and lots of money. Everything else, is just an estimate. However, the Rockport Walk test seems to be accepted as a fairly reliable proxy. So, I did the Rockport Walk test and it shows my VO2Max is 39.2. Most sources rate that as 95th percentile or excellent. For now, I'm going to assume the Apple Watch estimate is conservative.

BTW, a search for VO2Max percentiles by age reveals bewildering disparity. A check of 8 different websites ranked my cardio fitness from 82nd percentile (U. of Kansas Med Center) to >95th percentile (Statistics Canada). Either belief in the validity of the Rockport test varies wildly or Canadians are less fit.

 

[doogald]

FWIW, currently my Apple Watch is measuring mine as 47.9; I've been as high as 54.2 when I was running regularly a few years ago (my last half was about 4 years ago), but, still, not bad for a guy my age (62) I think.

My graph looks reasonable when I consider the times I was injured, when I was forced only to walk slowly because of a serious ankle injury. etc. (It was high last summer I think because I was exclusively doing Apple Fitness+ cycling workouts as my ankle healed. When I switched to walking more, then started running in January, slowly adding miles, it dropped off a bit.)

 

[tcuprof]

1. Thanks for the reply! Between this and my Ultra-Diving thread, I was beginning to think I was just talking to myself.
2. 47.9?!?!?!? Wow!!! That's top 1%. Seriously, your cardio fitness is "professional athlete" level. Needless to say, there's no one in my neighborhood that can approach that.

Since about June 1, it's been so hot here in TX, that I'm running almost exclusively on my treadmill. Since conditions are controlled, I've started a new routine. I run an easy 5k+, either lift or do core work for 15ish minutes, and then do another 2 miles with a sort of HIIT rhythm (run 1/2 mile, cool down, run faster half mile, cool down, etc.). I'm hoping that will affect my VO2Max.

To what do you attribute your cardio fitness? And do you have any suggestions for what I could work on?

BTW, I understand the injury problem. Last year was the first in a long time without an injury and I improved my personal best annual miles by almost 150 miles!

 

[doogald]

To what do you attribute your cardio fitness? And do you have any suggestions for what I could work on?

Probably from about 40 years of an average of over an hour per day of aerobic workouts for about 38 of the 40 years. Boy I wish had this watch back when I started, and all along, to see what my numbers would've been!

 

[doogald]

I just hit 50 again today after climbing below oct 28 last year.

 

[tcuprof]

I just hit 50 again today after climbing below oct 28 last year.View attachment 133194

That is truly awesome! Congrats.

Since it has finally cooled off outside, my current routine is 3.5 mile run outside, 30 minutes rest, then lifting weights (MWF) or core work (T,T,S), followed by another 2-3 miles on the treadmill with a sort of HIIT rhythm (run 1/2 mile, cool down, run faster half mile, cool down, etc.). That has pushed my VO2Max from 37.2 to 40.9.

 

[EdwinG]

I just hit 50 again today after climbing below oct 28 last year.View attachment 133194

That's amazing! Great job.

Mine's progressively coming back up.