Whoop releases new VO₂ Max tracking feature for wearables

Whoop has released a new VO₂ Max tracking feature for its fitness wearables. VO₂ Max measures the maximum amount of oxygen that you use when you exercise, indicating your cardiovascular fitness. The company describes it as “the ultimate metric for long-term health and performance”.

The Whoop VO₂ Max algorithm is said to use thousands of data points across metrics like respiration rate, recovery, HR training zone time and GPS data collected while running. The combination of health and activity information, alongside demographic data, is used to update your VO₂ Max each week. According to Whoop, the mean absolute percentage error of its VO₂ Max calculation is less than 8% when compared to gold standard testing.

You can add your weekly VO₂ Max score to your home screen in the Whoop app by going to My Dashboard > Customize. Users can also track how the metric changes over the course of one-month and six-month periods. Plus, if you have a VO₂ Max score from a lab test, you can enter this manually on the Trends screen. It is worth noting that the VO₂ Max estimate is only calculated when you have 14 sleeps in the last 21 days. Plus, the measurement can be made more accurate when users log a GPS-tracked run lasting over 15 minutes and enter their weight.

Whoop suggests that users should aim for a VO₂ Max between 35 and 40 ml/kg/min, noting that it typically declines with age, reducing your general fitness level. To increase your VO₂ Max, the company recommends regular cardio exercise, a balanced diet, restful sleep and reduced stress. This Whoop VO₂ Max feature is now rolling out to users of wearables like the Whoop 4.0 (curr. $239 at Amazon).