According to These Guys, I'm 20

Al Truscott

And my VO2 max is 56. Norweigan researchers tested 5000 people, took about a dozen measurements, including height, body mass index, resting heart rate, HDL and total cholesterol levels. Each person also filled out a lengthy lifestyle questionnaire; then each volunteer ran to the point of exhaustion on a treadmill to pinpoint his or her peak oxygen intake (VO2 max). They crunched numbers to find out which combination of data points best predicted VO2, and found five: gender, waist size, resting pulse, exercise parameters, and age. Calculator is here:

http://www.ntnu.edu/cerg/vo2max

NY Times article by Gretchen Reynolds is here:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/31/how-old-is-your-health/?src=me&ref=general

BTW, my Tanita scale says I'm 12.

Fredwhansen

Pretty neat stuff. I guess I'm underachieving on my 56 according to this, because I'm at 43 when testing with 5k unless the V02max and VDOT are different? I'm 20 also. Surprisingly the resting HR doesn't change the calculation much since I tried as low as 40 and as high as 70 and there wasn't much difference. I had a (-)95 when I accidentally put my age as 545.

Al Truscott

Fred - VO2 Max and VDOT are two different things. VO2 max is a is the maximal oxygen uptake at maximal exercise. VDOT is simply a number used to help calculated various training paces. They both start with V, and the higher one is, in general, the higher the other is. But they are NOT the same number or thing.

Fredwhansen

Gotcha Al. Made sense that they weren't the same. Thanks.

Gaudir8

it says mine is 75 and I had it tested this past summer and was 42. I am 56.

Al Truscott

@ Ray ... did you use inches or cm for your waist size - when I put inches in, I'm VO2 = 74; using cm as requested, it's a more reasonable 56.

Gaudir8

Inches Al 29

Steve West

@ 55 it says I'm 21 with a VO2 max of 56.

Several years ago I was tested and results showed my VO2 Max at 58.

So, maybe resonable on the VO2 but its been a long time since I felt like I was 21!

Coach Rich

Yeah, I did this this morning. Said I'm under 20 with Vo2 of 57, I believe. Sounds to me, all I know is I'm hittin' the bars and frat parties tonight like it's 1988!!

jsumara

I'm 62 and this calculation has me at age 23 with a 55 VO2 max - how nice to be 23 again - even if it's only to the fitness equivalent. However, after the NOS Bike test yesterday, this morning I'm feeling every bit like I'm 32

Bruce Thompson

I'm 58.  The calculator gives VO2 max of 56 and an age of Under 20.  Nice to know that I'm the same age as my son! Somehow, I doubt that this calculation is realistic for Ironman endurance athletes; we're probably too many standard deviations from the middle of the bell curve to make the math work.  I know that I can beat an unfit 20 year old in any triathlon distance, but I doubt I could beat a fit 20 year old.  I know that I can't play intercollegiate varsity lacrosse like I did when I was 18-22.

Al Truscott

Yeah, I think the point is the comparison is to the average 20-something, who these days is more likely than not sedentary. But, Bruce, I think you and I can still beat the "average" triathlete of ANY age, just not the top 30% of the 20-50 y/o.

Maybe as a 65th birthday present I should get a VO2 max test. Never had one done, would be curious. Course, what I'd REALLY like to know is my VO2 max @ age 30. As well as my 5K and IM times, But I was skiing every day @ that age, then on to working everyday and having kids.

dpiburn

I did this and my "age" is 43, with my fitness age of 25.

I'll take it.

cgres123

Neat tool, was fun to plug in my numbers. I'm 57 with a V02 max of 52 and an age of 29. Some where in my internet travels I calculated my VO2 max @ 49 so it is not that far off.

I'm happy to be playing at this age and still trying to reach my full potential, I have a long way to go

Coach Rich

I was just thinking that one of the "fun" parts of being in the military, for me, was exercising with guys 10-14yrs younger than me. I got out when I was 32yo vs the 17-18yo PFC's. 

I don't have those opportunities to "train against" people in their early twenties but I do get the late 20, early 30 types if I train with my tri club. I've made an internal pinky swear to never, ever use age as an excuse for being beaten by someone younger than me, not out loud anyway . 

Terry Mulvey

Woohoo!! I am 20 again. So silly, who makes this stuff up?

Trish Marshall

Vo2max of 49 and age under 20.  I'm breathing down the neck of my 50th birthday in December.  I'll take that! LOL!  

Al Truscott

Love the conclusion: "Since we are living longer, our research indicates that lifelong exercise enhances physical capacity, has powerful anti-aging effects, and emphasizes that exercise is medicine"