The One Fitness Metric That Makes Everyday Life Easier
Why VO₂ Max Matters EVEN IF You're Just A Normal Human Being
TLDR; This article is about why VO₂ Max should matter to you even if you never plan to run a race, and how you can use WHOOP’s metrics—VO₂ Max, Recovery, Strain, and Sleep Performance—to steadily move it in the right direction. Let’s begin… 👇
Alright, this one’s been coming up a lot lately. And I mean A LOT.
Case #1: “Gold Standard Aerobics”
I onboarded a new client this week. Mid-sixties, avid golfer, two knee replacement in the past 5 years and a host of range of motion issues as a result. Otherwise, healthy dude, always in good-spirits and he’s a used to being an athletic guy, so his mindset is focused on getting into the best shape of his life. He mentioned to me today when we closed down the session that his priority is improving his VO₂ max. That’s the metric that’s been touted as the gold standard when it comes to conditioning. But is it really important for as dude who’s half titanium and looking to smack the ball around the golf course in the spring? Yes. Unequivocally, yes. Here’s why…
Most people don’t care what they can run for a 5K. They care if they can carry groceries up three flights of stairs without needing a break, keep up with their kids at the park, or finish a long workday and still have energy left for the gym.
That’s where VO₂ Max quietly runs the show.
VO₂ Max is a measure of how well your heart, lungs, and muscles use oxygen during exercise. It’s essentially the size of your aerobic engine. A higher VO₂ Max doesn’t just help you run faster—it makes all physical tasks cheaper for your body. Walking briskly, taking the stairs, hustling between meetings, or doing a tough leg day all cost less energy when your aerobic system is strong.
I use a wearable called WHOOP. I also highly encourage all of my clients to use it as well. Here’s why: WHOOP estimates VO₂ Max using the same continuous data it collects to guide your training and recovery: resting heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), exercise intensity, and basic profile information like age, height, weight, and sex. Instead of a one‑off lab test, you get a rolling, week‑to‑week picture of how your aerobic fitness is trending over time.
For the “normal human,” VO₂ Max is less about performance bragging rights and more about healthspan—the number of years you can live with good function, energy, and capacity. In WHOOP’s Healthspan feature, VO₂ Max is one of the key metrics feeding into WHOOP Age. Improve your VO₂ Max and WHOOP Age tends to come down toward (or below) your chronological age. Let your fitness decline and WHOOP Age drifts up.
Try This…
Here are two simple weekly structures you can use to train for a better VO₂ Max, using WHOOP to keep the intensity and recovery in check.
BEGINNER (2–3 days/week)
Zone 2 Cardio: 30–45 min at 60–75% HRmax
Intervals (optional): 8–10 × 30s brisk / 60–90s easy
Recovery rule: Yellow/Red = walk or rest
Sleep target: ≥75–80% Sleep Performance
INTERMEDIATE (3–5 days/week)
Zone 2 Cardio: 45–60 min
Intervals: 1–2 sessions (3–4 min reps or 1-min repeats)
Recovery rule: Adjust volume based on WHOOP colour
Track: VO₂ Max, RHR, HRV trends
If you’re looking for more professional support, lines are always open. Send me a quick message below and let me know what’s up.