What is VO2 Max and how can you use it?

Wearable tech, a phrase that was not very popular a few years ago, has now witnessed exponential growth thanks to the rapid digitization. Consumers now use fitness wearables to proactively monitor their health and fitness activities that help them stay fit. And if you have used a wearable device, you must have encountered term – VO2 Max. While many consumers are aware of the term, however, for the uninitiated, VO2 Max is the maximum rate at which oxygen is consumed during training or workout sessions of increasing intensity.

In the term VO2 Max, "V" stands for volume, "O2" for oxygen, and "max" for maximum. Athletes majorly use VO2 Max to measure maximum oxygen consumption and endurance capacity in exercise performance and in aerobic endurance before and at the end of a training cycle. It is measured in milliliters of oxygen consumed per one minute, per kilogram of body weight (mL/kg/min).

Also, the higher your VO2 Max is the more fit you are. However, results can vary depending on the fitness level, age, and genetics. The older you are the lower your VO2 Max is estimated to be. This count is higher in men as compared to women.

How do you measure VO2 Max?

If you want to measure VO2 max, you are required to wear a mask and a heart rate monitor which is attached to a treadmill or a stationary bike. The mask is then connected to a machine that gathers and measures the volume of oxygen intake along with the amount of air you exhale. You are then required to slowly increase exercise intensity on the treadmill or bike till the oxygen consumption becomes steady despite the regular increase in intensity.

And if you can’t work the setup described above, there are now plenty of fitness trackers that allow you to track your VO2 Max. And the more you will use your wearable, the more trustworthy your VO2Max measurements will become.

Some of the watches that allow VO2 measurements are Garmin’s Vivosmart 3, Vivosmart 4, Vívoactive 3, Vivomove HR, Vivosport. Huawei Fit, Band 2 Pro, Band 3, Band 3 Pro, Honor Dream, Honor Magic, Watch GT, Talkband B5, Watch 2. TomTom Runner 3, TomTom Spark 3, TomTom Adventure, etc.