Walking VO2max Issue After Running Activity

I have a Vivoactive 5 watch, and my wife has a Venu 2S. For the past two months, we’ve been walking every day, and each walking activity measured our VO2max. It worked for all walks, even short ones, and even with a low heart rate.

However, after we started our first running activity, the watch stopped measuring VO2max during walks and only measures it during running activities.

My parents experienced exactly the same issue.

Is there any way to restore VO2max measurements during walks? We’re not athletes and don’t run often, but it seems that after one run, Garmin changes something and stops measuring VO2max during walks. I tried resetting the watch to factory settings, but it didn’t help. The only thing that works is creating a new Garmin Connect account—then it starts measuring during walks again, but only until the first run.

Does anyone know if this can be fixed?

0 SimGa 3 months ago

The watch only calculates vo2max when you reach a specific heart rate threshold. When you went running, you're likely hit a new max rate and the thresholds adjusted.

It's just the same for me and it is really annoying. My old vivomove HR recorded vo2max just everyday, without the need of any activities.

Solution is to adjust your max heart rate to a lower value.

0 7333528 3 months ago

I use the Walking VO2max Test app for a separate VO2max measurement for walking that can't be messed with by Garmin.

0 8532313 2 months ago

I thought Garmin only records running and bike vo2 max? And the later only with power meter. I don't have a walking vo2max in my Garmin stats. Also no intention to be mean, you need to work on your cardio fitness, a HRof over 150 for walking is a lot since you said your not overweight

0 PiotrSugar 2 months ago in reply to 8532313

I don't have a heart rate over 150 while walking. Since I bought the watch, it measured after every walk, with a heart rate around 100. After starting my first run, it stopped. So Garmin can measure VO2 max during a walk after all. If you want to see it, create a new Garmin account and go for a walk, you'll see that it measures it.

0 PiotrSugar 2 months ago in reply to SimGa

Have you tried doing that? Then other stats like intense activity minutes for the week might be shown incorrectly. So it's not an ideal solution either :(