Oura VO2max: how it works.
A first estimate uses age, sex, height and weight (population averages). A guided 6-minute walking test then uses distance from phone GPS and ring heart rate to estimate VO2 max.
What counts towards your VO2max
Estimated from: Walk. Not used: Treadmill.
What you need to do
Gen3 or later ring with an active membership. Brisk 6-minute walk on a straight, level route, location services on, phone carried, phone battery above 20%. Not possible on a treadmill. Oura suggests a test about once a month.
How it is shown
Age-adjusted VO2 max number placed in one of four levels within your age group: Peak, High, Fair, Low. Found in the Heart Health section.
Related features
- Fitness age: not confirmed
- Race predictor: not confirmed
- Cardiovascular Age (from pulse wave velocity, separate from Cardio Capacity)
- Readiness
- Activity
- Sleep
Models
Oura Ring 4 · Oura Ring 4 Ceramic · Oura Ring Gen3
How accurate is it?
We found no published, peer-reviewed validation of this estimate. Watch estimates in general are reasonable for groups but can be several points off for individuals — see how accurate watch VO2max is.
Requires Oura Membership. Not available on Gen2 or older. You can also enter a VO2 max value (1-100) from a lab test or another device. Cardio Capacity and Cardiovascular Age are both part of Heart Health but are calculated independently.
Frequently asked questions
How does Oura calculate VO2max?
A first estimate uses age, sex, height and weight (population averages). A guided 6-minute walking test then uses distance from phone GPS and ring heart rate to estimate VO2 max. Gen3 or later ring with an active membership. Brisk 6-minute walk on a straight, level route, location services on, phone carried, phone battery above 20%. Not possible on a treadmill. Oura suggests a test about once a month.
How accurate is Oura VO2max?
We found no published, peer-reviewed validation study of the Oura estimate. Treat it as a trend tracker rather than a lab value.
Which Oura devices show VO2max?
Examples: Oura Ring 4, Oura Ring 4 Ceramic, Oura Ring Gen3. Support depends on model and firmware.
Check your number against the norms for your age, estimate it with the VO2max calculator, or turn it into race times and paces.
Sources
- Oura Support: Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max)
- Oura blog: Cardio Capacity (VO2 Max)
- Oura Support: Cardiovascular Age
- Oura Store: Oura Ring 4 Ceramic
Oura is a trademark of its owner. VO2max Health is independent and not affiliated with Oura. Features vary by model and firmware.