VO2 Max & Fitness Age.

[NDT1962]

I am trying to get my garmin connect app to show me my VO2Max data and Fitness age.
It’s says “We need a little more data for your most current fitness age”.

I’m using Garmin Edge 1050, with synced Garmin HRM, Garmin crank sensor and Garmin wheel sensor. I’ve put in all my personal stats in, age, weight, height etc and cannot get it to show. My cycle rides are average 22 miles and around 1 hour 20 minutes. I’m using an E mountain bike.

 

[ColinJ]

I can't see how it can calculate your fitness unless you turn the motor off for a test ride.

 

[si_c]

Pretty sure you'll need a power meter to calculate the VO2Max, you won't be able to do it based off HRM or on an eBike.

 

[NDT1962]

Pretty sure you'll need a power meter to calculate the VO2Max, you won't be able to do it based off HRM or on an eBike.

Thanks for your kind reply.
Would a power meter be a Garmin watch or pedals?

 

[presta]

Dunno anything about Garmin HRMs, but my Polar M52 HRM calculates an estimate of your VO2max using resting heart rate variability, based on the fact that it correlates with VO2max. The fitter you are, the more your resting heart rate fluctuates. The point is that it's resting heart rate variability, so you do the test laid on the bed as still as possible, not exercising.

That's all fine and dandy, but if like me, you're well on the road to developing AF, then your RHR is varying for all the wrong reasons and it'll tell you that you're a super fit athlete when you're the exact opposite.

 

[richardfm]

Garmin Connect calculates my VO2 max and fitness age. All I have is a Garmin smart watch that I use to record parkrun, my weekly one hour swim and the occasional cycle ride (I cycle most days but don't record most rides).
I'm 65, it says my VO2 max is 36 and my fitness age is 56. It's probably rubbish, but I'll take it.

 

[Jameshow]

Thanks for your kind reply.
Would a power meter be a Garmin watch or pedals?

A pedal power meter would show you your power or lack of it irrespective of your ebike format.

 

[OldShep]

My VO2max is 34.2 aged 74 which I’m happy with but my HRV is always poor all according to Apple.
Wondering about what @presta said I asked AI

Search Assist says

Apple Watch calculates VO2 max by using heart rate and GPS data during outdoor workouts like walking, running, or hiking. It estimates your cardio fitness level based on how hard your heart is working, achieving an accuracy within 4% of the true value.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Here you go, read this support article on VO2 Max requirements.

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=lWqSVlq3w76z5WoihLy5f8

 

[Buck]

You’ll need to do a VO2 effort for at least 15 mins to get a baseline rating - I think you may need to do a brisk walk to get it to trigger as well as your bike ride. I seem to remember I needed to do this but that was a few years ago so things may have changed.

Your fitness age as shown by Garmin needs to build over a few weeks as it uses your personal data to build a “score” that then determines your age. If you don’t have a watch that is constantly recording your HR, steps, effort etc then it may well take longer.

Even with a watch, mine took a while to appear and even then it will fluctuate based on actual activity, weight and lifestyle.

Don’t fixate on the fitness age thing as its just a number created by Garmin. Focus more on the metrics that will improve your health.

 

[presta]

My VO2max is 34.2 aged 74 which I’m happy with but my HRV is always poor all according to Apple.
Wondering about what @presta said I asked AI

Search Assist says

Apple Watch calculates VO2 max by using heart rate and GPS data during outdoor workouts like walking, running, or hiking. It estimates your cardio fitness level based on how hard your heart is working, achieving an accuracy within 4% of the true value.

That's a different method to my M52:

Mine was telling me that my VO2max was about 60 at age 44, which was ridiculous given my state of fitness.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

https://intervals.icu/ is my only known site I use that estimates VO2 from my turbo and bike power meter data since 2022 because I'm not currently donating.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

because I'm not currently donating.

Donating to what?

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Donating to what?

It's a donate-ware operated site, if you're donating you can trawl back through historic bike data imported from the likes of Strava, as a freeloader you can only trawl back ~3 months before your Intervals join date.

It's very good and IMO a great replacement for my old paid "analysis" ~£20/year Strava sub, when I refused to pay ~£55/year for a load of features I had no interest in.