Subscribe
Sign in
Movitalis
p/movitalisTrain smarter, live longer - with a science-backed tracker
Start new thread
David Manda

Why you should be tracking your VO2 max - and how to do it better

by•

Hi all! Movitalis is launching soon and I want to talk about one of the most important but under appreciated fitness indicators: VO2 max.


While it did become more popular lately it is still not widely known that VO2 max is an amazing indicator of overall health and predictor of longevity. In this study of over 1 million participants, a low VO2 max was linked with a 3-5x increase in overall mortality. This is an amazing finding as VO2 max is something we can increase through regular exercise, especially if done correctly.


Movitalis is a fitness app that helps you train optimally for increasing your VO2 max and is tailored towards longevity, not performance! I feel like regular people for whom training is not their only focus should get the attention they deserve.


I now want to hear your thoughts:

  • Are you familiar with what VO2 max is?

  • Are you tracking it?

  • Would you consider Movitalis to help you on your fitness journey?

Thanks!

Add a comment

Replies

Best
Matt Carroll

what are the standard ways for tracking vo2? I used to use the "nose breathing threshold" to partition my workouts into aerobic capacity (which i learned in Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete), but i'm not really sure if thats the same metric.

maybe a better question is, how does VO2 info inform your workouts beyond a tautology of "you should be working out more"

David Manda
Launching soon!
@catt_marroll the most handy way to track VO2 max is with a smartwatch such as Apple Watch or Garmin. It is not 100% accurate (like a treadmill test in a lab is) but it’s close. Besides volume (training more) you can also train smarter, by adjusting your intensity. It seems that splitting your workouts between easy and intense leads to better results. Most people usually train at the same intensity which is typically not optimal. Adding some variety helps limit injury risk, is more scalable and leads to more adaptation. The Movitalis app helps you do this by recommending a target heart rate interval for you easy and intense workouts. It then analyses your data and gives you feedback. Hope it helps!
Matt Carroll

@movitalis_david_manda makes sense wrt changing up the intensity of the workouts. didnt realize the watches were able to track this (non-smart watch user), but that is an interesting feature.

is there a way to pair with healthcare providers to get them to shill your app for you with a rebate to the users? some of the insurance providers in the past have had various "todo"s that got you giftcards and such (get a yearly check up, run a 5k, etc). it would be cool if you could become a partner to boost your distribution.

David Manda
Launching soon!
@catt_marroll that is a great idea, Matt! Thanks. I will actually try to do this, there are some healthcare providers I could approach
Matt Carroll

@movitalis_david_manda Hype, ya no prob! i think those companies are often perceived as tricky to interact with so i feel like getting an in there would be really high leverage.

David Manda
Launching soon!
@catt_marroll yes. I will try. I do have a problem however, currently my app keeps all the data on-device and does not require the user to create an account. It just reads all the data from Apple Health. I don’t see how I could link with their service without changing this and storing user data. I can do that but will take some time to change. Do you have any idea how it could work using the current model?
Yan Bingbing

Wow, didn’t realize VO2 max was this important! I knew it tied to fitness, but had no idea it could predict lifespan. Love that this app focuses on boosting VO2 max for average people, not just for athletes. If it uses simple methods like walking or cycling plans, I’d give it a shot.

David Manda
Launching soon!

@onbing I was shocked too! The app does use simple methods, such as running, walking or cycling and it helps you train at the right intensity, meeting you where you are. If it sounds good, please make sure you follow my launch as the training plan is the main feature I will be launching. It's currently scheduled to launch on 8th of April!

David Manda
Launching soon!
@movitalis_david_manda I would add that the app allows for any type of activity you want to use. It will simply analyse it and help you follow a more efficient training structure
steve beyatte

How can I track my VO2 max without leaving my house?

David Manda
Launching soon!
@steveb you could get a treadmill that syncs to your smartwatch. There are also tests you can do which allow you to estimate vo2 max based on your speed over a certain distance. A quick google search should return a few options here
Ruth Funmilayo

Fitness tracking can be overwhelming with all the metrics available, but this makes a strong case for why VO2 max matters.

David Manda
Launching soon!
@ruth_funmilayo I completely agree! This is why I built Movitalis to track only a few metrics which are actually important. We tend to conflate complicated with smart, leading to over complicated apps and confused users. I am really trying to keep Movitalis as simple as possible, you should really check it out! It’s available on App Store already and will soon get a major update which I will launch here. Thanks for your comment!