The Simplest Way to Improve Your VO2 Max (for runners)
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Top Comments (10)
55 years old, vo2 max of 56 which I’m super proud of.
Two years ago, my VO2max was 64 (age 61). Now 18 month in to my battle against cancer, it has dropped to 38, And it's bloody hard trying to improve it again.
Whenever I follow a training plan, I always get a very low score. It’s only after actually competing in a race that my Garmin suddenly "wakes up" and bumps my VO2 max up by 4–7 points in one go. Then, over long weeks of hard training, it drops again. It’s ridiculous. Don't pay attention to those VO2 max readings on your watches.
I went from 43-46 in 4 months🎉
jumping ropes helped me a lot.
Just remember the watch uses an algorithm. It doesn't know where you are in your training or the time of year. Your V02 Max will go down if you are increasing your mileage but not not running as many speed sessions early in your marathon. It also can't always detect "heat training", so it will see you are running slower with a higher heart rate during the summer and decrease your number. I hit my peak number when I ran my half marathon in May and the number has slowly decreased as I recovered and started my marathon build for the fall and am now running in high heat.
Not to get off topic but, that mountain view you were running in is beautiful.
Garmin vo2 max hates fell running, 6 hours runs in the mountains, garmin says I’m getting less fit and lowers it, a chilled 5k on the road, garmin sticks my vo2 up
I love it when my watch still hits me with a VO2 max of 20 after my runs start improving
Nice and simple, no science bollocks! Love this! Thanks Ben!
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Top Comments (10)
55 years old, vo2 max of 56 which I’m super proud of.
Two years ago, my VO2max was 64 (age 61). Now 18 month in to my battle against cancer, it has dropped to 38, And it's bloody hard trying to improve it again.
Whenever I follow a training plan, I always get a very low score. It’s only after actually competing in a race that my Garmin suddenly "wakes up" and bumps my VO2 max up by 4–7 points in one go. Then, over long weeks of hard training, it drops again. It’s ridiculous. Don't pay attention to those VO2 max readings on your watches.
I went from 43-46 in 4 months🎉
jumping ropes helped me a lot.
Just remember the watch uses an algorithm. It doesn't know where you are in your training or the time of year. Your V02 Max will go down if you are increasing your mileage but not not running as many speed sessions early in your marathon. It also can't always detect "heat training", so it will see you are running slower with a higher heart rate during the summer and decrease your number. I hit my peak number when I ran my half marathon in May and the number has slowly decreased as I recovered and started my marathon build for the fall and am now running in high heat.
Not to get off topic but, that mountain view you were running in is beautiful.
Garmin vo2 max hates fell running, 6 hours runs in the mountains, garmin says I’m getting less fit and lowers it, a chilled 5k on the road, garmin sticks my vo2 up
I love it when my watch still hits me with a VO2 max of 20 after my runs start improving
Nice and simple, no science bollocks! Love this! Thanks Ben!