Can I get VO2max on treadmill?

It has gotten hot here in Bahrain and I have had to move my training indoors to the dreadmill. I am using a Fenix 5 and a garmin footpod that have been paired and used for at least 20 outdoor runs and gave a fairly constant VO2max of 56. When it started getting hot and humid, my VO2max dropped to 50 on my outdoor runs. I suspect this is due to the slower pace that I had to run based on the weather conditions.

For 2 weeks now I have been on the mill, running at my usual cool weather pace and heart rate, which I would expect to give a VO2max of around 56 based on my previous results. However, it has stayed parked at 50.

I understand that the owners manual indicates that outdoor runs are required to get VO2max, but I have also seen posts in the forums that would seem to indicate that it is possible to get VO2max when using a footpod on the treadmill. I know the "Treadmill" app will not provide VO2max calculations, so I have been using the "Run" app with a footpod (speed-always) while on the treadmill.

Does anyone have definitive experience one way or the other? If I can get VO2max on the treadmill, what settings do I need to use for the data from the footpad.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 8 years ago
    GOOD QUESTION!
    running is running
    VO²max should be recorded as well

    Maybe Garmin can fix this in a future Update?
  • While I haven't read the manual in detail everything I have read in the forums would indicate that you can't get VO2max numbers from treadmill running activity but at the end of the second last treadmill run I did using the treadmill profile my F5 gave me the message that a VO2Max improvement had been detected and advised me of the new value. This was also using the OHRM and not a chest strap so for me at least it has shown me that it does / can happen.
  • While I haven't read the manual in detail everything I have read in the forums would indicate that you can't get VO2max numbers from treadmill running activity but at the end of the second last treadmill run I did using the treadmill profile my F5 gave me the message that a VO2Max improvement had been detected and advised me of the new value. This was also using the OHRM and not a chest strap so for me at least it has shown me that it does / can happen.


    Were you using a footpod or just the F5 by itself?
  • The new Vivosmart 3 which can get a VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max estimate without GPS which suggests it might be theoretically possible on a treadmill. It depends on whether the motion sensing algorithm reacts the same way to treadmill running vs normal running. Then you just need Garmin to implement it on the fenix 5.