estimating VO2 max

yirara
yirara Posts: 10,684 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Is there a reliable way of estimating the VO2 max other than taking a sports test? I tried the Uth–Sørensen–Overgaard–Pedersen estimation equation, but that would get me into the elite athlete range for my age with a resting HR of around 50, and a max of around 205. Well actually, there is no number for any woman that goes to 62 :smiley: . I'm currently not fit enough to do a cooper test or actually test for HRmax. The number above is about 2 years old.

Replies

  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
    Why do you want to know it? Incidentally, my RHR is lower than yours and my max is higher, so I get an even stupider number from that estimation. There are calculators online that estimate it from race times if you are a runner, which seems the most potentially useful way to do it if you want to use it for training. But it depends what you want it for really.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,684 Member
    Well, just playing around with numbers really. My running app has a setting for it, not that it will make any difference to my running training.
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
    It's just a measure of fitness, so if you already know you're not fit enough to do the Cooper test (is that where you run as fast as you can for 12 minutes?) you probably also know you want to improve your fitness. Just keep up the training and enjoy yourself. :)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 10,684 Member
    litsy3 wrote: »
    It's just a measure of fitness, so if you already know you're not fit enough to do the Cooper test (is that where you run as fast as you can for 12 minutes?) you probably also know you want to improve your fitness. Just keep up the training and enjoy yourself. :)

    Jep. Well.. I could do a Cooper test and see what's possible and see if there's some improvement one day. But not now as I have two races coming up, 10k and 10miles :smiley:
  • G8rRay
    G8rRay Posts: 89 Member
    If you do have a recent race, you can calculate online your VDOT (a pseudo v-dot-O2 max) which will provide training paces (easy pace, marathon pace, 10k pace, 5k pace, mile pace, etc.) based upon your current fitness. One such web site is www.attackpoint.org/trainingpaces.jsp?dist=5000&units=meters&time=26%3A40. Note: VDOT is a system for estimating fitness; it was developed by legendary coach Jack Daniels, et al.

    However, you have to furnish your own training plan in which to use those training paces.
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