Metrics That Matter Update: VO2 Max

I recently noticed that my fitness wearable (Whoop) started automatically estimating V02 Max and in talking with clients this week I learned Apple, Garmin and many other popular wearables do the same. I wrote about this health and fitness metric back in 2019. 

Simply put, the higher your VO2 Max, the more oxygen your body can utilize, and the better your cardiovascular fitness. Knowing your VO2 Max can help you understand your fitness level and guide you toward recommendations if you’d like to raise it to improve your performance and longevity. There are various norm ranges by gender and age to see how you stack up. 

I’d say the results given by wearables are “cool” and “interesting”. If you want to get more precise, you can perform a more robust and more accurate test wearing a mask while performing strenuous cardio (usually on a treadmill but also possible on a bike or rower). 

My go-to spot in San Francisco to get V02 Max (and various other diagnostic tests like RMR and Dexa) is Custom Fit. Contact my colleague Evan Mather (evan@customfitsf.com) to schedule.