Wearable Tech with VO2 Max

How in-shape are you? Use VO2 max to find out.

VO2 max is a great way to measure cardio endurance. The better your aerobic fitness, the more oxygen you can pass into your body during cardio exercise. As the exercise gets harder, your body needs more oxygen to maintain its performance. At some point, your body stops taking in more oxygen: this is your VO2 max.

Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers with VO2 Max Testing

When you embark on a long-term fitness program, you’re going to need to constantly push yourself to progress. That’s why so many people choose smartwatches or fitness trackers that offer advanced tracking options like VO2 Max testing.

What is VO2 max testing?

VO2 Max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can intake during exercise, pushing it through your lungs, into your bloodstream, and out to your muscles. The better your aerobic fitness level, the more oxygen you can pass into your body while you’re exercising.

When you test your VO2 Max, you’ll see how long you can sustain an exercise like running or biking, and the test may even give you insight into what your future fitness level will be like.

Normally, when you want to measure VO2 Max, you’ll need to visit a training facility where you will wear a mask and heart rate monitor while running for a period of time on a treadmill or riding on a stationary bike. Now that there are smartwatches and fitness trackers that can measure VO2 Max, you can skip the visit and see this important fitness marker as easily as looking at your wrist.

How does a smartwatch or fitness tracker measure your VO2 Max?

When you wear smartwatch or fitness tracker that measures VO2 Max, the tracker will create a baseline using your age, gender, weight, and resting heart rate. Once you begin using the tracker on a regular basis, the device will then establish what your pace and heart rate are during your workouts. You’ll need to run on a flat surface for a set period of time, and it’s more precise if your smartwatch or fitness tracker has built-in GPS to monitor your pace.

How accurate is a smartwatch or fitness tracker VO2 Max test? While exact numbers will depend on which tracker you choose, you should get a result that’s approximately 95% accurate.

When should I consider getting a smartwatch or fitness tracker with VO2 Max testing capabilities?

With a VO2 Max wearable, you have a metric that can help you improve your fitness level. With a higher VO2 Max, sports like running or cycling become easier for you. If your goal is to steadily improve your fitness over a period of time, choosing a smartwatch or fitness tracker with VO2 Max testing is a good idea.

Having a higher VO2 Max can also improve your overall health. As your VO2 Max goes up, your risk of cardiovascular disease goes down. It can also improve your daily life by helping you sleep better, decreasing stress, and making the usual, everyday tasks much easier.

Choose a VO2 Max wearable right now by shopping Best Buy.