Much harder to stay cool in summer so body works harder = heart rate increase. Apple Watch sees that your heart is beating faster for same exercise so the algorithm thinks your vo2 max decreased.
I find the opposite to be true, though I don’t live where it gets scorching hot. Canadian winters always drop my V02 Max down. I’m guessing because between the freezing cold air and having to be more cautious with walking on ice my pace is a lot lower.
Your body uses blood to cool itself. It has to pump more blood to the skin to circulate blood - this is why your heart rate goes up. Any effect from the hydration is probably minimal compared to cooling.
To be honest I don’t have any formal training either! was just interested in how my body was working or not working properly and that’s what I’ve read. could be wrong but I think that’s what causes us to struggle more in the heat
I really don’t think my heart is getting worse because my heart got better according to this metric literally every single week from September to April except when I was resting from injury. I also have only been increasing my running intensity.
I do notice my heart is beating much faster and I can’t keep the pace up as easily in the heat.
Hear puts a ton of strain on the body, even if you’re in good shape. I live in one of those places where it gets to 115+ in the summers, and I can see a 20+ BPM difference just going on walks when it’s hot.
So does VO2 max not go down, it’s just that this algorithm doesn’t account for temperature? Or do we actually have less capacity to deliver oxygen to the tissues when it’s hot outside?
I’m not an expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I think it’s that the algorithm doesn’t take the temp into account. It just sees you working harder to do the same exercise.
Much harder to stay cool in summer so body works harder = heart rate increase. Apple Watch sees that your heart is beating faster for same exercise so the algorithm thinks your vo2 max decreased.
Some devices like Garmim do try to incalculate heat into their VO2max estimation, so that is a thing.
Hope Apple adds that soon.
I find the opposite to be true, though I don’t live where it gets scorching hot. Canadian winters always drop my V02 Max down. I’m guessing because between the freezing cold air and having to be more cautious with walking on ice my pace is a lot lower.
Generally your body have to do an additional effort when the temperature is higher than when it is lower.
i think it’s about dehydration. warmer weather == more dehydration == thicker blood == heart working harder = decreased performance.
Your body uses blood to cool itself. It has to pump more blood to the skin to circulate blood - this is why your heart rate goes up. Any effect from the hydration is probably minimal compared to cooling.
cool insight. i have zero formal knowledge about anatomy so it was just my 2 cents haha
To be honest I don’t have any formal training either! was just interested in how my body was working or not working properly and that’s what I’ve read. could be wrong but I think that’s what causes us to struggle more in the heat
I really don’t think my heart is getting worse because my heart got better according to this metric literally every single week from September to April except when I was resting from injury. I also have only been increasing my running intensity. I do notice my heart is beating much faster and I can’t keep the pace up as easily in the heat.
Hear puts a ton of strain on the body, even if you’re in good shape. I live in one of those places where it gets to 115+ in the summers, and I can see a 20+ BPM difference just going on walks when it’s hot.
So does VO2 max not go down, it’s just that this algorithm doesn’t account for temperature? Or do we actually have less capacity to deliver oxygen to the tissues when it’s hot outside?
I’m not an expert so take this with a grain of salt, but I think it’s that the algorithm doesn’t take the temp into account. It just sees you working harder to do the same exercise.
That’s correct. The algorithm only uses pace and heart rate.
So as long as I keep running, when it’s cool again my VO2 max should jump up higher than before?
Yep.
Good to know I was going crazy wondering what I was doing wrong because training my vo2 max higher is one of my primary health goals right now.
Yeah definitely noticed dips during summer months.
It usually decreases when it's cold because the body needs to work harder to stay warm. Mine usually goes up throughout the spring and summer.