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I thought my Garmin watch already did this and I thought Apple had differentiated itself with some sort of advanced ekg analysis. I feel like I'm missing someth

I thought my Garmin watch already did this and I thought Apple had differentiated itself with some sort of advanced ekg analysis. I feel like I'm missing something with this article? Is this truly different than the competition or just Apple catching up?

boardwaalk 6y ago
The Apple Watch has estimated VO2 max for a while. I think this is just some “gamification” Apple has added.
- 8ytecoder 6y ago
  It's very inaccurate. My estimated Apple VO2Max (based on heart rate alone) is 10 points less that my estimate from Garmin (based on a power meter and heart rate calculation).
  - germinalphrase 6y ago
    How significant is this 10 point difference?
    - nradov 6y ago
      The world record is 96 and most people are around half that, so 10 points is a huge discrepancy.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
  - mikestew 6y ago
    How do you know the Garmin isn’t the inaccurate one? Because it used a power meter? Unless a tube is stuck in your mouth for you to breath through, they are all just “predicted VO2Max”, not measured. I don’t know which is more accurate, but I would hesitate to favor one over another without baseline against a real VO2Max test. However, like a weight scale, as long as it is accurate versus itself it is still a useful number. EDIT: though you might not be wrong: https://sites.udel.edu/coe-engex/2019/03/16/how-accurate-is-your-garmins-vo2max-estimate/ https://sites.udel.edu/coe-engex/2019/03/16/how-accurate-is-.... Summary: Garmin's algorithm from Firstbeat is pretty darned accurate.
    - 8ytecoder 6y ago
      I'm aware how VO2Max will be calculated in a lab. But a powermeter is a closer approximation since the effort is captured. In cycling, if you don't have a power meter the estimate would be based on distance and climb and won't factor wind or other external factors. Also, I know it's definitely greater than the Watch estimate. With a below average cardio I can't bike the distance or climb I do on average. I did 3 metric centuries last year (with climbs over 4000ft each), for example.
    - nradov 6y ago
      Even for running without a power meter a Garmin device can give you a fairly accurate VO2max estimate if you do an occasional max effort time trial. But it has to be on a flat course: the FirstBeat Analytics algorithm doesn't account for hills. I have had a real VO2max test with a breathing mask on a treadmill and the results were very close. https://www.firstbeat.com/en/science-and-physiology/fitness-level/ https://www.firstbeat.com/en/science-and-physiology/fitness-...
- calmworm 6y ago
  This never worked for me.

boardwaalk 6y ago

The Apple Watch has estimated VO2 max for a while. I think this is just some “gamification” Apple has added.

8ytecoder 6y ago
It's very inaccurate. My estimated Apple VO2Max (based on heart rate alone) is 10 points less that my estimate from Garmin (based on a power meter and heart rate calculation).
- germinalphrase 6y ago
  How significant is this 10 point difference?
  - nradov 6y ago
    The world record is 96 and most people are around half that, so 10 points is a huge discrepancy.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
- mikestew 6y ago
  How do you know the Garmin isn’t the inaccurate one? Because it used a power meter? Unless a tube is stuck in your mouth for you to breath through, they are all just “predicted VO2Max”, not measured. I don’t know which is more accurate, but I would hesitate to favor one over another without baseline against a real VO2Max test. However, like a weight scale, as long as it is accurate versus itself it is still a useful number. EDIT: though you might not be wrong: https://sites.udel.edu/coe-engex/2019/03/16/how-accurate-is-your-garmins-vo2max-estimate/ https://sites.udel.edu/coe-engex/2019/03/16/how-accurate-is-.... Summary: Garmin's algorithm from Firstbeat is pretty darned accurate.
  - 8ytecoder 6y ago
    I'm aware how VO2Max will be calculated in a lab. But a powermeter is a closer approximation since the effort is captured. In cycling, if you don't have a power meter the estimate would be based on distance and climb and won't factor wind or other external factors. Also, I know it's definitely greater than the Watch estimate. With a below average cardio I can't bike the distance or climb I do on average. I did 3 metric centuries last year (with climbs over 4000ft each), for example.
  - nradov 6y ago
    Even for running without a power meter a Garmin device can give you a fairly accurate VO2max estimate if you do an occasional max effort time trial. But it has to be on a flat course: the FirstBeat Analytics algorithm doesn't account for hills. I have had a real VO2max test with a breathing mask on a treadmill and the results were very close. https://www.firstbeat.com/en/science-and-physiology/fitness-level/ https://www.firstbeat.com/en/science-and-physiology/fitness-...
calmworm 6y ago
This never worked for me.