I dunno, if the Apple Watch said he had a vo2max of 30, that probably means he can’t run a mile in less than 12 minutes or so. He’s probably not at all healthy…
That said if it's showing someone as having 30 I don't imagine they're going to be in spectacular condition
Now, 2 years later, I don’t run due to injury and a kid, and it’s resting at 34. For reference, when I went to the gym almost everyday and ran once or twice a week, the value was 32.
I don’t get much utility out of it, even looking at the trends. Not sure what Apple is doing behind the scenes to get the score.
I'm not that bothered of course. For me it's just a fun metric I can attempt to optimise when training.
Health and fitness correlate but are different things. VO2max is more about fitness than about health.
Also, looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VO2_max#Reference_values, 30 is about average for men in their 40s/50s, which, form a quick google, I estimate is the author’s age range.
And the average man is his 40s or 50s is in...not especially good aerobic shape.
My hypothesis is that the apple watch estimates higher if you are running rather than pedaling. I definitely don't think my cardio vascular went from poor to great over a month. It seems more likely that it was maybe underestimating, and perhaps now is overestimating.
Incidentally I got rid of mine recently. It is bliss not having one.
Also VO2 max is a crappy measure of fitness. I apparently had "average" VO2 max after a treadmill test. I can hike 50km with a 2km elevation gain in one go and not die. People with higher VO2 max I know, dropped out.
And thru-hikers can do this for days. It’s more related to fatigue resistance, mitochondrial density, and walking efficiency. But VO2 max still matters in high-intensity sports, you can’t ignore it when you’re pedaling a bike at high Zone 4 in a race.
I’ll quote:
“This is a measurement of your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. Also called cardiorespiratory fitness, this is a useful measurement for everyone from the very fit to those managing illness.
A higher VO, max indicates a higher level of cardio fitness and endurance.
Measuring VO2 max requires a physical test and special equipment. You can also get an estimated VO, max with heart rate and motion data from a fitness tracker. Apple Watch can record an estimated VO max when you do a brisk walk, hike, or run outdoors.
VO, max is classified for users 20 and older. Most people can improve their VO, max with more intense and more frequent cardiovascular exercise. Certain conditions or medications that limit your heart rate may cause an overestimation of your VO, max. VOz max is not validated for pregnant users. You can indicate you're taking certain medications or add a current pregnancy in Health Details.”