How I boosted my VO2 Max fitness to ‘excellent’ on my Garmin watch

VO2 Max, or the utmost quantity of oxygen that your physique can inhale and convert into vitality throughout an intense exercise, is the primary metric most smartwatches use to guage your athleticism. Brands like Samsung, Apple, and Fitbit determine how profitable a exercise relies in your VO2 Max rating. In the case of Garmin watches, your predicted race instances and really helpful day by day exercise tempo stem straight from this stat. Technically, you may solely get a correct VO2 Max studying in a lab, sprinting on a treadmill whereas carrying a face masks that measures your air consumption and exhalation. But in lieu of that, Garmin’s Firstbeat Analytics algorithm might be the perfect simulated various for shoppers. Sunday Runday(Image credit score: Android Central)In his weekly column, Android Central Fitness Editor Michael Hicks talks concerning the world of wearables, apps, and health tech associated to working and well being, in his quest to get quicker and healthier.Different research fluctuate on what makes a VO2 Max rating “good” or “excellent.” I selected to guage by Garmin’s VO2 requirements, which counsel you might have a wonderful VO2 Max (measured in milliliters of oxygen) for those who’re within the prime 20% in your age group and gender. For me — a person in his early 30s — that is 48.3, which Firstbeat Analytics individually claims is simply “Good.”But let’s not get caught up in labels. The level is I’ve had a gentle VO2 Max rating of 46 or decrease since I first began monitoring the stat in 2021. As I raised my mileage, ran half marathons, jogged and walked to complete marathons, overcame a foot harm, and did my utmost greatest to enhance as a runner, it remained principally static regardless of the ups and downs.Then, in simply the previous couple of months, I’ve jumped from 46 to 48.6 into that “excellent” VO2 Max zone. I discovered what I have to do to enhance, and I’m assured my rating will maintain climbing within the ensuing weeks. I’m no working coach by any means, and nothing I clarify beneath will probably be groundbreaking to long-time runners. But for fellow “casual” runners who need to step up their health, this is the place you must begin.Pay consideration to your coaching load focus(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Most fashionable working watches have a coaching load function that tells you the way laborious your run was by way of each cardio and anaerobic effort. Striking the suitable stability between them is one thing that appears apparent however is tough to tug off in follow.Aerobic efforts run the gamut from simple jogs to tempo or threshold runs and are judged primarily based in your whole oxygen consumption. You get a coaching impact (TE) rating from 0 to 5 after your run ends; whereas increased is clearly higher, focusing solely on quick cardio actions would not depart a lot room for enchancment.Anaerobic positive factors come while you run laborious sufficient to wish extra vitality than your inhaled oxygen can ship; in different phrases, you push previous your VO2 Max capability. It’s a key solution to power your physique previous its present limits as an alternative of working inside them, with a 5.0 TE as your goal. Yet, discovering an applicable time and place to hit your limits might be difficult while you’re not a part of a working membership or a professional athlete.There’s additionally a 3rd metric that the majority non-Garmin watches ignore: Low Aerobic. To hit this, you particularly want to finish actions that fall inside Zone 1 or Zone 2 of your coronary heart fee zones, or about 50–70% of your most coronary heart fee. High cardio load comes from Zone 3 and up, which is the place your coronary heart fee naturally climbs the longer and tougher you run.I spent most of my working life unwittingly centered on excessive cardio, working at no matter tempo felt decently difficult however hardly ever pushing past my limits or slowing down beneath them. Shifting to deal with anaerobic and low cardio was a serious adjustment, and it would not all the time really feel pure. But that is precisely what I wanted to enhance my VO2 Max rating.So, to that finish, my first suggestion is just to purchase and depend on a watch that provides you coaching load focus information. With Garmin watches, take a look at latest Forerunners just like the Forerunner 265, Instinct fashions just like the 2X Solar, or any of the top-tier fashions like Fenix 7 or Epix Gen 2.What is low cardio, and why does it matter?(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)You can see Garmin’s coaching load focus display screen above, with a message that loads of Garmin watch homeowners see: “low aerobic shortage.” Until you hit the stability coaching load that Garmin calls for, your watch will maintain recommending runs at a boringly gradual tempo.Why does low cardio matter? Garmin would not clarify it nicely, merely saying it builds your “foundation” and asking you to belief its algorithm. But from what I perceive, runners hit a plateau when all they do is run at or round their lactate threshold (the purpose the place lactic acid builds up in your blood on account of excessive exertion). Moving beneath your lactate threshold coronary heart fee (LTHR) is the one solution to enhance how briskly you may run earlier than hitting LTHR. For instance, for those who hit Zone 3 at a 10-minute tempo, all of the quick working on the earth will not change that; you will simply get extra endurance at working with extra lactate build-up. But for those who proceed to run at a 10:00 tempo, your physique will finally change into accustomed to that tempo as a low-aerobic exercise, and then you definately’ll discover you may deal with 9:50-pace runs earlier than crossing into high-aerobic ranges. Then, 9:40, and so forth.Here’s why so many Garmin watch homeowners wrestle with this: working at a gradual tempo whereas consistently glancing at your watch to ensure your coronary heart fee hasn’t climbed too excessive is irritating! It retains your mind centered on trivialities as an alternative of letting you fall right into a relaxed zone. And the actual fact is, even for runners with an “excellent” VO2 Max rating, staying in Zone 2 throughout a run is a problem, particularly after a few miles.You can attempt strolling, after all, however a match athlete will barely hit Zone 1 with a quick stroll, and it would not generate very a lot load until you stroll for hours. So, in essence, for the sake of your VO2 Max enchancment, you must settle for that you will have to begin and cease regularly to remain within the goal zone as an alternative of simply having fun with your runs. Meanwhile, your mates will see your post-run summaries on Strava or your favourite working app of selection and assume you are slacking or backsliding. But if you will get previous your pleasure and eat your metaphorical greens, it’s going to repay with a stronger tempo basis in the long term. Anaerobic: change into the ‘native legend’ at your native monitor(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)It’s laborious to maintain an anaerobic run when you must reduce your sprints quick at intersections or really feel self-conscious as you sprint down public paths and startle your neighbors. Equally essential, you want to know your precise tempo and interval so you are not simply sprinting aimlessly and unsustainably — with out consistently glancing at your wrist.The apparent answer is to search out your nearest monitor that is open to the general public. Typically, as long as it is not throughout college hours, you may run freely on tracks at close by public excessive colleges and faculties. This website, RunTrack, permits you to seek for tracks which are “open to the public” in your space for those who’re not sure. In my case, Strava tells me that I’m the “local legend” on the school monitor close to my home, that means I’ve run that loop greater than anybody else on the app in the previous few months. And that is what I like to recommend you attempt for for those who’re attempting to boost your VO2 Max rating.Once you have discovered a monitor, you want to choose a pace exercise that is best for you. One possibility is to run at a tempo tempo — barely slower than your typical 5K race tempo — for a set interval however slowly enhance your tempo from one mile to the subsequent till you are nicely previous your lactate threshold. Interval runs are in all probability one of the simplest ways to make the most of a monitor. You merely alternate between a tough tempo and a restoration interval for a sure variety of units, relying in your health stage. Technically, you may arrange exercises in your Garmin watch to maintain you inside a sure tempo threshold and time how lengthy you might have till the subsequent interval.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Personally, I take a less complicated and extra versatile strategy: I run both 400m or 800m at a tough tempo — both my Zone 4 or Zone 5 coronary heart fee — utilizing the lap button on my Forerunner 965 so I can look again on every phase. Once my quick interval is finished, I pause my exercise, give myself a breather, after which run one other laborious lap or two. And then one other, and so forth, till I do know I’ve hit the restrict of what my muscle groups can deal with that day. Either that or I jog across the monitor curves after which dash at most tempo for each straightaways, taking a break after a set distance (like a mile). The purpose why I like this informal strategy is that I can push myself to my restrict with out getting hung up on hitting a particular distance or variety of intervals. Instead, if I ran 4 laborious laps throughout my final exercise, I attempt to run an additional 400 or merge two laps into one laborious 800. Or, if I’m feeling too worn down for an extended exercise, I deal with my lap PR and attempt to decrease it by a number of seconds. With this methodology, I’ve already upped what number of laps I can comfortably run, and my prime lap tempo has fallen by about 15 seconds. Garmin additionally appears to love this methodology. If I begin with a two-mile jog to the monitor, then run a tough couple of miles on the monitor, I sometimes find yourself hitting about 4 out of 5 for each cardio and anaerobic TE.Then, if I begin a strolling exercise instantly after I end my sprints, my coronary heart fee sometimes stays pretty elevated on the journey residence, giving me a low cardio load on prime of the remainder!Running a monitor loop time and again can really feel boring for those who’re not cautious. But for those who discover some good music to take heed to over your exercise earbuds and deal with it like a race or problem, it may be enjoyable. I prefer to suppose again to my highschool days after I may run a sub-60 second lap, take a look at my present instances, and attempt to slowly progress again towards that quantity. It retains me motivated.Skip ‘meaningless’ miles, for now(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Raising my VO2 Max rating by following my Garmin coaching load recommendations feels very mechanical, and it is shifted how I practice. I used to sit up for lengthy, meandering weekend runs. The drawback with these is that my excessive cardio coaching impact rating cannot climb any increased than 5 out of 5; at a sure level, all that coaching load at a gentle tempo is not going to do you a lot good. It provides to my restoration time, which subtracts time I can spend pushing tougher on the monitor.In the previous, I escalated my mileage to attempt to put together for a marathon I wasn’t match sufficient for, and ended up injuring my foot, setting again my health targets by months. I ended up working far much less within the ensuing months till my foot had the power to run greater than a few miles earlier than going numb.Before I attempt to get again into lengthy race type and up my mileage, I’m focusing completely on quick (3- to 6-mile) focused exercises at a better frequency. Eventually, the hope will probably be that I can do correct lengthy runs that begin at low cardio ranges for a number of miles earlier than progressing towards increased HR zones. And my anaerobic efforts may transfer towards extra structured, longer intervals.If you are the place I used to be, within the “average” or “good” VO2 Max vary, lengthy runs have their place as a lot as quick runs. But finally, you will plateau on what mileage alone can ship. Once you hit that ceiling, that is when you must hone in in your coaching load ratio.During runs, do not stroll. Stop!When you are first doing couch-to-5K coaching, you are suggested to alternate between working and strolling, which is sensible for somebody simply beginning out. It stands to purpose that for those who’re working tougher and longer however nonetheless haven’t got fairly the health stage for a sustained effort, you must give your self moments to stroll. So, I’m certain my recommendation could sound counterintuitive.I used to stroll throughout my lengthy runs, and I discovered that it was usually tough to cease strolling. I’d discover myself tempted to only cease my tracked run completely, even when I used to be miles away from residence on my deliberate loop, as a result of I could not discover the motivation to begin working once more. Instead, throughout my latest shift towards each anaerobic and low cardio coaching, I discovered that strolling is only a counter-productive bandaid. In each instances, to begin my subsequent laborious lap or get my coronary heart fee again right down to Zone 1/2 ranges, I needn’t maintain stepping alongside; I have to swallow my pleasure, stand or sit in place, and simply let my coronary heart totally get better. It means a few minutes of “wasted time” when I’m not getting steps or burning energy, however it helps me bounce again way more ably than I’d if I saved dragging my drained physique ahead. In the long term, for a runner who’s slowly however certainly enhancing, give your self these moments of reprieve and do not feel dangerous about it.Outside of runs, stroll quite a bit!(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Last week, I wrote about how I walked 10,000 steps a day for a month. This helped me lose a number of kilos and enhance in different areas, like resting coronary heart fee. Also, purely by coincidence, this was the month when my VO2 Max climbed from 47 on its solution to 49. Okay, so it wasn’t a coincidence in any respect. As I wrote in that article, strolling day-after-day helped me stretch and get better extra shortly from runs and made it simpler to know if I had the vitality for a brief run the day after a tough exercise. I’d exit for a stroll and understand, hey, I’d moderately simply jog for 45 minutes than stroll for 90! Getting these steps is a simple, low-impact solution to keep your health and keep energized after actually robust anaerobic runs. Of course, when you’ve got one other cross-training methodology apart from strolling, comparable to some mild biking or precise mountain climbing in hills, that will in all probability work simply as nicely, if not higher — I’ve heard from some Reddit runners that it is simpler to hit and keep Zone 2 ranges on a motorcycle. I’m merely going off of my very own expertise till I can take a look at that for myself. I grew up with fairly dangerous bronchial asthma and used an inhaler for years. It was becoming a member of my college’s cross-country staff in highschool that put these respiration issues within the rearview mirror. So after I first discovered what VO2 Max was, I instantly felt the must be “excellent” to assist my lungs transcend my physique’s limitations.Not everybody ought to take the identical strategy I’ve outlined above, centered so closely on metrics that it interferes with simply taking an easy run within the zone. The NYC working membership I joined years in the past even instructed me to tape over my working watch throughout coaching. Though, after all, I had precise coaches guiding me by means of assorted exercises then.In the top, my really helpful path ahead for enhancing your VO2 Max is easy: Find a dependable working watch that highlights your coaching load focus.Try to search out as a lot pleasure in fast-paced sprints on the monitor as you do in lengthy, quiet runs on the path.Suck it up and run these annoyingly gradual start-and-stop low cardio runs till you are match sufficient for a sustained low-effort run. Or discover cross-training that hits that very same lengthy, gradual exercise area of interest.I’ve nailed the primary two factors; the third one continues to be a problem for me.In phrases of choosing a working watch, my first suggestion is a dependable Garmin watch like a brand new Forerunner, since that is led me personally to success. Otherwise, if you would like one thing extra reasonably priced, you may take a look at the COROS PACE 3, which does not have instructed exercises however does have EvoLab to guage your working load in numerous zones. Or, you may take a look at the Amazfit Cheetah Pro, which does not make your working information that accessible however does supply exercise suggestions with particular cardio or anaerobic focuses by way of Zepp Coach.