WHAT ABOUT VO2 MAX ON WEARABLES?
Not everyone can afford to spend their time and a few hundred dollars on a lab-based test. As a result, dozens of wearables have recently entered the market claiming to measure VO2 max with algorithms that use heart rate and GPS data to extrapolate the value.
Some worry that those estimates may not be accurate, but it’s difficult to assess their accuracy because the algorithms are not published, according to Dimitris Spathis, a researcher at the University of Cambridge.
In 2022, Dr Spathis coauthored a study in which researchers developed a model to better predict VO2 max using data from 11,000 participants. He’s hopeful that most athletes will someday be able rely on wearables instead of paying for tests.
If you don’t have the time or interest to take a lab test or use a wearable device, Baird advises finding other ways of setting goals to increase your fitness. There’s a good chance that a VO2 max test would tell you information that you already know.
“The best predictor of performance is your performance,” she said. If you enjoy running, set a time or distance goal. If you are more sedentary and aiming to exercise more, start moving in a way that feels tolerable and safe, starting with a walk of as little as 10 to 15 minutes.
And above all, be patient.
“Every single person is going to respond differently to training based on their genes and other lifestyle factors,” Baird said. “It can take years to move your body in the direction you want to go.”
By Talya Minsberg © The New York Times Company
The article originally appeared in The New York Times.