Polar VO2 - 34 mL/Kg-Min

Actual Vo2 max tested in a lab - 60.

My opinion, the test is crap.

Polar vo2max: 56mlO2/min/kg

Real Vo2max: 81mlO2/min/kg also tested in lab
on the bike. ranges betwee 79-81 depending on the labs.

The same can be said about calories with polar...
on the flat cal exp. on the run = dist in km X weight in kg

each time I put the polar in cal mode, I burn like 900 for 10km on the flat...which would be fine if my weight was 90kg...but I am under 64 :-)

same comment on the bike: comparing cal on the computrainer and on the polar is useless..

so, just use polar for what they do best: measure your HR...(can't tell about watts though..never used it)

Agree with both kevin and Francois, both the Vo2 and calorie counter functions are worthless,particularly on the high end models where the target users tend to be fairly fit and therefore facotrs such as Vo2 and calorie intake/output stray considerably from the norm. Did the V02 test lab and polar and the difference was big.

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Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??

Is it safe, at least, to generalize that that the Polar VO2max will be consistently understated compared to lab VO2max, and that the calorie counter will consistently overstate calorie expenditure? Based on Kevin's and Francois' comments the Polar VO2max was lower than the lab VO2max.

interestingly, I emailed polar to ask them what algorithm they were using to get Vo2 and cal exp.
they didn't want to answer.
just argued that different algo. will lead to different results...
to which I answered, ok, but why not using a model that works? instead of something way off...

It was on their website at one time. Deep in the uncharted bowels. They may have rearranged the site. It was in a section called ppolar research or something.

They had published a paper that said the vo2max was correlated witht eh standard deviation of the time differences between heartbeats at rest. Did you get that?

Write down the time between each eartbeat for 70 beats, take the standard deviation of that data set. Now take that number and multiply by some number they determined emprically; bamm you got a vo2max number.

That's how they do it.

Gee Francois, I have never had my VO2 Max tested. I am guessing it would be high 40s or so.

Do you think the fact that your VO2 Max is about twice mine might have something to do with the fact that you ride about 6 mph faster than me?

Ouch.

MOP for a reason in Florida,

to be honest the Vo2 itself is not relevant...what is important are the watts sustained at Vo2 and how long you can sustain them.
the first time I reached 80, I did it in the same lab as Laurent Brochard and except max lactates, I was higher, yet, in ANY bike race, TT, whatever he would kick my butt big time..
there is more than just numbers in a lab...to paraphrase a rowing coach (forgot the name)
"put a rowing machine on a lake and it sinks"...

that said, it is relatively more common for "small dudes" to have higher Vo2 (as it is divided by your weight).

eventually, you just can't guess your vo2 :-)

Problem is your results depend on when you take it, so when are you at rest. I would guess best time is right upon awakening, before you take a leak! This variable also affects lab testing to some extent.

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Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??

Accepting that the value given may be off. Do you think that changes in the Polar VO2Max represent changes in actual VO2Max? In other words, is it a good indicator of the effects your training is having?

assuming you have been training for several years, your Vo2max is something that is very stable. you can see changes in speed, or watts at Vo2max, you can see different lactate values at Vo2max, but significant changes of vo2 for a well trained athlete is very unlikely...

Then what is the advatage of testing and knowing your 'real' VO2Max?

the testing is interesting to know power output (or speed on the run) at Vo2max. you get both at the same time...
the problem is that the test is called a Vo2max test, but what is really interesting is power and speed...not
O2 consumption.

I've never had my V02max tested in a lab, so I can't make any meaningful comparison with what's shown on my Polar S710. But, the calories expended number seems pretty accurate when I compare it with what I would theoretically expend in a six-mile run. On the bike, there are just too many variables that factor into the equation (head winds, hills, etc.), but here again the numbers "feel" about right. (They're close enough for this guy.)

Even if Polar's approximated V02max numbers aren't laboratory accurate, they're still useful to me. I can compare my pre-season results with my results along the way, and see if I'm improving at all. I've seen my Polar numbers increase (slightly) after, say, three weeks of speed work, then decrease again (slightly) over time as I concentrated on endurance for a very long mountain bike race (or as I got closer to being "overtrained"). In this way, I find the Polar numbers to be very helpful.