About VO2 Max. Estimates

VO2 max. is the maximum volume of oxygen (in milliliters) you can consume per minute per kilogram of body weight at your maximum performance. In simple terms, VO2 max. is an indication of athletic performance and should increase as your level of fitness improves. The Venu® Sq 2 device requires wrist-based heart rate or a compatible chest heart rate monitor to display your VO2 max. estimate.

On the device, your VO2 max. estimate appears as a number, description, and position on the color gauge. On your Garmin Connect™ account, you can view additional details about your VO2 max. estimate, such as where it ranks for your age and sex.


VO2 max. data

Purple Purple

Superior

Blue Blue

Excellent

Green Green

Good

Orange Orange

Fair

Red Red

Poor

VO2 max. data is provided by Firstbeat Analytics™. VO2 max. analysis is provided with permission from The Cooper Institute®. For more information, see the appendix (VO2 Max. Standard Ratings), and go to www.CooperInstitute.org.

Getting Your VO2 Max. Estimate

This feature requires wrist-based heart rate or a compatible chest heart rate monitor. If you are using a chest heart rate monitor, you must put it on and pair it with your watch (Pairing Your Wireless Sensors).

For the most accurate estimate, complete the user profile setup (Setting Up Your User Profile), and set your maximum heart rate (Setting Your Heart Rate Zones). The estimate may seem inaccurate at first. The watch requires a few runs to learn about your running performance.

  1. Hold Letter B symbol.
  2. Select Settings symbol > User Profile > VO2 Max.

    If you have already recorded a brisk walk or run outdoors, your VO2 max. estimate may appear. The watch displays the date your VO2 max. estimate was last updated. The watch updates your VO2 max. estimate each time you complete an outdoor walk or run of 15 minutes or longer. You can manually start a VO2 max. test to get an updated estimate.

  3. To start a VO2 max. test, tap the screen.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to get your VO2 max. estimate.

    A message appears when the test is complete.

Getting Your VO2 Max. Estimate for Cycling

This feature requires a power meter and wrist-based heart rate or a compatible chest heart rate monitor. The power meter must be paired with your watch (Pairing Your Wireless Sensors). If you are using a chest heart rate monitor, you must put it on and pair it with your watch.

For the most accurate estimate, complete the user profile setup (Setting Up Your User Profile) and set your maximum heart rate (Setting Your Heart Rate Zones). The estimate may seem inaccurate at first. The watch requires a few rides to learn about your cycling performance.

  1. Start a cycling activity.
  2. Ride at a steady, high intensity for at least 20 minutes.
  3. After your ride, select Checkmark symbol.
  4. Press or to scroll through the performance measurements.
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September 2023