Self Test VO2max - 2 easy methods

Two easy ways to test your VO2max

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[alwaysanotheradventure]

Can we be clear that this is part of a series aimed at the older athlete, not someone with underlying conditions or medications which can cause bradycardia (low heart rate).

[PuddledPete]

Thanks as always Simon. 

Interesting and informative content but there's still 50% of me that watches your videos purely out of love of Scottish landscape and being active in it.


My Garmin Vo2 Max numbers are exactly the same as yours but I'm 72 with serious health problems that have only kicked in since 2016 and, although I've been active and fit all of my adult life, I've always doubted the accuracy of what Garmin tells me and consider it a touch on the "over enthusiastic" side.


There's something in what Mike has commented on I think but please don't let this undermine your confidence in your trajectory with this "older athlete" series as it's been a very useful reminder to many of how important it is to keep going.


I look forward to your next piece in this series, especially if you're cycling, running, swimming, walking with Liz, walking your dog, kayaking, feeding chickens, testing kit, maintaining bikes etc., etc., in such lovely landscapes.

[seanfrench]

Thanks Simon. I did a lab test last year and got 42. Then a month later, when my new Garmin Forerunner 265 settled in with my biometrics after two weeks, it started with 1 higher at 43. Since then it's improved with balanced training and consistency to 50 - one yr later. (I'm 60 now)

[rodc]

Hi Simon! Thanks for the memory. I was in high school, or maybe college, when my dad gave up smoking and brought home Dr Cooper's book. I used that book for some years after as well! I still have a log book around here somewhere, and I am now 67. 😀

As you note the actual accurate and precise VO2 max number does not matter much, the key being to improve. If you have a track nearby, likely 400 meters (or here in the US you might find a 1/4 mile track) it is super easy to either just run 1.6 km (four laps) or mile (again four laps) so you don't have to estimate or measure distance. Just look to keep improving your time, at our age under 10 minutes is "good" (see link). Of course now days almost all of us have some sort of GPS tracking device even if just our phone so distance is easier than when I was a lad doing this.

I can't quickly find a table of poor, good, excellent for us older folks, everything seems to stop at 50 or be labeled as 50+, but if you can do well compared to 50 year olds, good enough!

I will have to look, I imagine you have one, but a video on how older folks can safely and efficiently improve VO2 max would be interesting.

Love your videos.

[tawanga]

My 20 year old Polar A5 HRM has the walk test built into it, with prompts and direct readout of VO2max. I never investigated or used it, but now that I've seen this video, I'll have to try it out. Thank you!

[f.k.]

Fantastic! FINALLY someone giving us a good picture of VO2 Max. It isn’t absolute, but the difference is a good measure of the improvement.

[barryward]

I have always ignored these tests - because I have short legs. Most people of my exact same age and fitness level is going to walk further than me in a fixed period of time as per the Rockport test. BUT- your video has now made me aware that it is not the absolute Vo2Max number that counts, but whether I can improve it or not. I dont care anymore ( at age 77) about my slowing pace (well, not too much anyway) and I really am now running for fitness reasons only - but these tests can become a kind of purpose/goal for me

[rodc]

One thing I like to do like the rucksack idea, is I have a pretty well rucksack shaped water jug that holds 10 liters of water. It slides right into my pack. I can put in any amount of water to get the weight I want. Very steep full of water builds leg strength. Less steep but fast can be Max VO2. Slower and long is zone 2 and builds shoulder, back, hip endurance. You can hike a mountain then dump the water to save knees on the descent.

[leftverture]

This is a great video series - I appreciate the practical info. I recently got back on a bike after a loooong time away and have been watching my VO2max numbers (at least, according to my Apple Watch). I’m not and have never been a “serious athlete” and have no interest in competing against anybody but myself. It is helpful to see a gradual increase in my number… it motivates me to get out early before it gets hot and put a few miles on my bike. Thank you so much for creating these videos for people like me - “older athletes”. 👍

[lkingwell]

I regularly use a sub-maximal fitness test to obtain a comparative measure of how i'm doing. I simply cycle for 45 mins at fixed, but not max power (turbo trainer best but any consistent and repeatable acivivity will wotk) until my heart rate settles out and use that heart rate as a fitness measure. Works reliably for me when trying to judge fitness for an event etc. The number will clearly be different for others but if rqd can be converted to an appx VO2 max using an Astrand-Rhyming scoring chart.

[chrisduffill]

Wholly agree it’s about ensuring you are as healthy as can be, so measuring the Vo2 max is a good thing to do. Over the winter I always drop the Vo2 too many colds, virus’s going around. The spring is when I try to “recover the lost ground” this year I have a way to go….. life has been busy with lots of outside influences stopping me getting on with the recovery. And I was not allowed to run for a year, so just went on road bike exercises …. When the weather is particularly bad this makes it harder…. Now 69 I am well aware the decline is a measure of the inevitable…. Good video … always try to improve ……is the motto

[VickiKech]

Very helpful video. Thank you, Simon!

[TornadoAlley]

I have started doing the Rockport walk test. What an easy, great way to test and compare over time. Thanks!

[seanfrench]

Such a cute WHT doggy. I had 6 in my lifetime. They are great running buddies with good endurance. 😊

[Chrisovideos]

I agree the number is less important than to be able chart improvenent. As a 55 year old I do two VO2 max workouts per week. 4min on 4min off x 4. All done on a concept 2 rowing machine. I record my average pace and distance provided by the monitor (PM5). Since It's in my house, the conditions are virtually identical for each session. As a result i can track quite accurately my tiny improvements over weeks and months. Improving VO2 max is a very slow process.

[robertrjm]

Thanks for these two exercise / VO2max tips.
I am and have been using a power meter on my bike and a chest HER strap over the past 5 1/2 years and my Garmin reports a VO2max of 38. I will see how your tests correspond to this number. However, I am similar to you, not really interested in the absolut number but how it changes and goes down 😧over winter and how it (very) slowly creeps up again in spring / summer. But it seems clear that this recovery becomes ever more difficult as I am entering my 70th decade. My highest VO2max was 44 around 4 years ago. Thanks for your excellent and very helpful series for older athletes!.
BTW, I have booked an exercise ECG/VO2max test at the Hampden Soprts clinic to ensure that I don't overdo it following my CABG 8 years ago..

[gergelyjarai]

Good content thank you!
There might be a weather factor in winter vo2max decline. A fenomen I experience too. My theory is, when the surface is muddy, snowy or wet we all run slower with the same puls. This thing can no smartwatch measure. Some work - in the physics meaning- is lost. Work means oxidation which is o2 usage. We put out a work against the ground which is lost when we measure speed and distance. Hence the decline.

[searchingforthgear]

Thank you for this series! Four months ago I had a genetic defect with my mitral valve repaired. Now I'm trying to build strength and endurance. I'll be 64 soon but don't see that number as a limitation. Your series is helping me to get a vision of what is possible. Cheers!

[scottg]

OURA ring just added a VO2 max test to their line up. It consists of a 6 minute walk outside and tracks your distance then gives you your result. I have no idea how accurate it is...but was pretty pleased with my first attempt. Plan to do it weekly for a while.

[JetLagRecords]

Always Another Adventure, This is perfect! I subscribed right away!