Measured at 69.9 VO2max today: What caused so much error? Graph included

VO2 max and VDOT are not the same thing (so your VO2 max isn't determined by the times you can run), but error comes when the test doesn't use your true max HR.

As you already stated, you performed a test which used estimations of your VO2 max rather than actually measuring it.

My guess is that you were actually much closer to your actual maxHR when you stopped than they thought, and therefore closer to your actual VO2 max, throwing off the results.

The gold standard of finding your vo2 max us obviously to actually test until you reach VO2 max, as found by an actual measurement of oxygen consumption throughout the test.

Two more quick points:

- as somebody already mentioned, Daniel's VDOT tables arent intended to give a VO2Max, rather to skip past the VO2 max and right to the idea of finding speed ranges for various percentages of VO2 max. The actual value for VO2 max isnt important in this case, because he is trying to capture running efficiency, etc into his tables.

It is entirely possible your VO2 max test is actually correct, and you just arent a highly efficient runner. This is seen in elite runners as well, with a moderate range of VO2 max for the best runners in the world. If your VO2 max test is right, though, it would be somewhat by luck, it really isnt very useful to extrapolate to an assumed max HR, your actual max HR coud be a fair bit lower or higher.

- 4% body fat at 5'8" and 155lb would be remarkeably difficult to achieve. I think you are right to doubt those results.

All this is why I don't waste my money, time and energy on testing. Better to use the stopwatch and measured distance.

The Real TOO Slim Shady? wrote:

They used the standard 220-age to predict my HRmax and based the test off of this, so my estimated HRmax was 177. Ultimately I worked up to about 85% max. From this the data was extrapolated to my predicted HRmax of 177 to get my VO2max.

Either this is a troll or they (who?) are charlatans. "220 - age" may be valid for the general population (though other similar formulas are probably more precise) but it has a standard deviation of 11 bpm, IIRC.

At 220 - age I am at around my threshold while cycling and below threshold, let's say half marathon pace, while running.

I'm fortunate enough to be in a job situation where I can simply schedule an appointment and have these tests done anytime for free. I wouldn't pay for testing either. I will schedule these tests again in about six months to see changes.

The tests are conducted by physiologists with degrees in ex phys so I'm not worried about them being incompetent in their job. I trust that they are conducting things appropriately.

As far as the results, I think you might be on track with the efficiency idea. I had not run on a treadmill in about 15 years and did not feel comfortable running on it. I think I unconsciously shortened my stride for fear of tripping on the machine and my feet felt like I was pounding into the ground harder than normal running. With the mask on I couldn't even see the belt below my feet. But I know that I don't have a 70 VO2max regardless of my economy.

EU cyclist wrote:

The Real TOO Slim Shady? wrote:

They used the standard 220-age to predict my HRmax and based the test off of this, so my estimated HRmax was 177. Ultimately I worked up to about 85% max. From this the data was extrapolated to my predicted HRmax of 177 to get my VO2max.

Either this is a troll or they (who?) are charlatans. "220 - age" may be valid for the general population (though other similar formulas are probably more precise) but it has a standard deviation of 11 bpm, IIRC.

At 220 - age I am at around my threshold while cycling and below threshold, let's say half marathon pace, while running.

The guides for doing testing on people over a certain age only allows going to "max" with a doctor present. So you have to make some concessions.

It is interesting that you have confidence in the people running the tests but do not accept the test results. Of course I am skeptical of any tests results that I have not run myself! (Okay there are people I will trust because I know them and how meticulous they are).

Extrapolating has issues and it is too bad that you (probably a very healthy person) cannot "go to max". (I understand why, but it still sucks).

Machines can get out of calibration. At one lab when we tested high performance athletes were would calibrate between each test. It was time consuming. For most labs I think a calibration at the start of the day is sufficient. Honestly I would be suspicious of a VO2max that high and look at the gas measures to see if something is off. Once we had a CO2/O2 sensor go bad on a metabolic cart and caught it because we were playing around and my VO2 max was really off.

BodPod has some error as does every method. But if you are using the same BodPod every time you will at least see how you are doing. (We gave the results with the range of the SD and cautioned people that it is an ESTIMATE even under these conditions).

If they extrapolated out to 220-age, then you could go out on your own and determine your HR max and do the same extrapolation to the actual HRmax.

As others note VDOT is NOT VO2.

When I was a freshman in college the pod measured me at 1.5% body fat. The cute grad student girl was impressed. She asked me out, we boinked, then 10 years later she accused me of sexual harassment while I was working on Hillary Clinton's campaign. Hillary caught wind of it but let it slide. Now that girl has 5 kids and is 30 lbs overweight.

irrelevant but partially true wrote:

When I was a freshman in college the pod measured me at 1.5% body fat. The cute grad student girl was impressed. She asked me out, we boinked, then 10 years later she accused me of sexual harassment while I was working on Hillary Clinton's campaign. Hillary caught wind of it but let it slide. Now that girl has 5 kids and is 30 lbs overweight.

Just 30 lbs overweight? That's not bad at that age.

Okay that's the untrue part. She's still fit as hell, but I'm trying to feel better about not boinking her more.