Is VO2 Max Accurate on Smartwatches? LAB Tested!

How accurate are smart watch VO2 max metrics? Today we find out!

I have a COROS Apex 2 Pro and it currently says my VO2 Max is 57.

And thank you to @drewbdarby for coming to film!

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:52 What is VO2 Max
03:43 RMR Test
04:50 VO2 Max Test
08:20 VO2 Max Results
09:10 Other Test Results & Data
10:18 Conclusion

[thestringwizard]

This video should have so many more views! Two professionals discussing exercise science in such detail is so incredibly valuable. I have been strength training on/off for years now and I am trying to finally dial in my cardio and improve my running fitness and V02 max always seemed to be on of the those "hocus pocus" metrics that didn't have real meaning to me. Great stuff!

[zackbelcher]

Similiar result for me. COROS says 50 and I tested in the lab at 58. I will give COROS credit for the threshold hr being perfect for me! Right at LT2 at 173 bpm.

[ShervinShares]

"all wearables are wrong, but some are helpful" - philosophy i live by

[stevez]

Very cool video, geez i thought it was a workout when i went on the treadmill for the stress test

[JackTaylor]

incredibly helpful im a xc and track athlete and was really interested on how accurate my VO2max was on my garmin watch it being 63, thanks so much!

[marathoner]

Great content Jeremy. Thank you for helping the running community. What is your max heart rate? Thanks again.

[Magnulus]

I did a cycle ergometer submaximal VO2Max test, and the results were nearly identical to my Garmin. But there's a big difference between a submaximal VO2 test, which is just an estimate, and actually measuring the volume of oxygen you are breathing in and out.

[stephanimiller]

Freakin loved watching this! Such amazing information. Nice work kiddo 💯🔥💪🏻

[Not_So_Common_Sense]

Excellent result! Curious if your Coros watch re-adjust your VO2max estimate higher after the lab test (being a max effort and all-so more accurate data for the algorithm near "redline").

[AdhesionExotics]

Thanks for the video! I was wondering how different your zone 2 range is between your coros and your vo2 max test? Are they both similar (135 ‐153 bpm)? Thanks again, and Happy New Year!

[Irishirich]

In all the other videos I've seen by creators who compare their watch calculated V0² max score against their lab test, this is by far the biggest variance I've seen. Most of the other videos usually have the scores within 1 or 2 and the predicted watch is very close to the actual lab number.

That leads me to think that the watch might not be getting accurate HR data or it's not taking into account heat, elevation factors which could impact HR on runs. That, or Coros' algorithm is just plain terrible and much worse than Garmin's.

[Ozzy_]

69 is insane. My VO2 max, also on a coros pace 2 watch, is also 57. I wonder what mine would be in the lab. I'll never know, but your half marathon time is quicker than mine, so my VO2 max might be quite accurate.

[tadeo.pogacar]

69 is great. Based on your 5k PR, and some of the tables/apps found online, your VO2max should be around 66. The Cooper test (12 min run test) should be a good approximation to VO2max.

[Demiduivenvoorden]

damn that incline looked challenging !!!

[xyzct]

May I suggest doing a very short follow-up after you've checked your VO2max with the Coros a number of times, and then take the average (and to be be sure you check right when you wake up before even getting out of bed, and after 1 and preferably 2 rest days). My Polar H10 has about a 10 point swing that is highly influenced by how hard I worked out the day before, being _lower_ the morning after hard workouts!

[nobodydobon]

I would love to know my actual vo2max! But I dont wanna turture myself, so I guess I‘ll just stick with the number of my watch😆

[arnovereecken]

Vo2 max is also calculated by weight, and i feel like a lot of people that have a wrong estimate forget to update their weight after they first set up the watch

[andrewthompson]

Nice work! I was the opposite unfortunately, lol. My garmin says 57 and I came out at 41.3 on my test about a month ago. It felt extremely hard to breathe with the face mask but maybe I'm just a little B 😂

[thedavidgzz]

you should do the fitness test from coros, to see if it adjusts

[peterubishfitness]

Holy smokes, that was a much bigger difference than I would have thought! This definitely makes me want to go give this a shot at some point coming up here. I think 69 makes a lot more sense for you though given your marathon time!