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Should the VO2 max be calculated automatically?

I have my settings set so that my activity tracking is done automatically. It registers when I go for walks and tracks it, but I just noticed that my VO2 max hasn't been calculated during the walks.

Do I need need to start the VO2 max when I begin a walk? I thought it would be done automatically as per the manual "If you have already recorded a 15 minute brisk walk, your VO2 max. estimate appears. The device displays the date your VO2 max. estimate was last updated. The device updates your VO2 max. estimate each time you complete a timed walk or run".


  • Are your timed walks appearing on the Activities page in Garmin Connect online, and do they meet the criteria (at least fifteen minutes in duration from the automatic start, sufficiently brisk, and with wrist heart rate tracking enabled) for triggering a VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max estimate by your wearable device?

    The Move IQ feature can automatically start a timed activity for walking and running, and it appears in your activities list. You can view the full details of timed activities on your Garmin Connect account.


    The device requires wrist-based heart rate data and a timed 15 minute walk to display your VO2 max. estimate.


    I'd suggest you go for a twenty-minute run, to give your wearable device every reasonable opportunity to detect and automatically record a timed run that lasts at least fifteen minutes, and see whether your VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max gets updated and displayed automatically after the run.
  • Thanks for the help ASmugDill. The walk appears on the Activities page and was for around 45 minutes with the HR being captured. I generally don't go for runs, but will look to try to manually start the VO2 max on my next walk. Any other ideas?

    Here's a snap of what appears on my Activity.
  • I can't attest to how it works on the vivomove HR, since I don't have one, but on the Forerunner 230/235/630, the fresh VO[SUB]2[/SUB]max estimate from a timed run is not always automatically displayed when I complete and save the activity on the device; it only happens when I've achieved a new all-time high.

    Even though my VO[sub]2[/sub]max estimate went from 47 to 48 after my run on 26 March, and then from 48 to 49 after my run on 27 March (see here) – so obviously the data was considered valid and sufficient for Firstbeat's algorithm, and the calculations were made – because I had achieved 49 previously, all I saw after my runs was the Recovery Advisor, which was automatically dismissed after several seconds and then I was presented with a menu; I had to selected Achievements from the menu and then scroll through the pages to see the updated VO[sub]2[/sub]max estimate.
  • It should be calculated automatically, yes, but there are a few thresholds you need to cross.

    "If you have already recorded a 15 minute brisk walk, your VO2 max. estimate appears. The device displays the date your VO2 max. estimate was last updated. The device updates your VO2 max. estimate each time you complete a timed walk or run".

    Based on some conversations I've read on this forum from vivo series users who've been in touch with Garmin support, it's probably safe to say that 'brisk walk' is code for getting your heart rate above 70% of your maximum heart rate - which makes sense from a reliability perspective.



  • Walking does update v02 max, but I find everytime I walk even briskly it's going down, was 38 and an age of 52, now its 36, fair and an age of 62.

    I bike hard out 12.5km per day, so know it's totally off
  • I can't run. The V02 keeps talking about taking a run. If I do gym cardio will Automatically get a V02 score at some point? FitBit did it automatically for me. Didn't have to do anything. I have a Garmin Forerunner 245