A fitness age is usually lower than your actual age, and you can get fitter by exercising regularly. It is important to understand the role of intensity in increasing your fitness level. The more intense you exercise, the younger you will look and feel. If you feel like you have reached the peak of your fitness level, you may want to begin a more intense exercise program. A good way to determine when you are a good fitness age is to measure your VO2 max. The VO2 max will tell you how much exercise you need to do to achieve your fitness goals.
VO2 max is a good measure of fitness age
For people who train hard and want to see ongoing improvement in their fitness, VO2 max may be a useful metric. When the heart pumps oxygenated red blood cells to muscle tissue, they use oxygen to perform their job. Higher Vo2 max levels mean that your muscles can perform more work at higher VO2 levels. But while VO2 max is an accurate measure of fitness age, you should still focus on running economy and form, which is equally important.
VO2 max is typically measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute, but fitness calculators can reinterpret VO2max in terms of age. For example, a woman who has a 35 ml/kg/min VO2max has a Fitness Age of 43, which conveys a different message to a woman of any age than a woman who has a lower VO2 max.
It should be less than your actual age
Your fitness age is dependent on your activity level. You can always try to turn your fitness age backwards if you are not satisfied with your current level of physical activity. A fitness age of less than your actual age is good news, and it can also be an incredible confidence booster. Although structured exercise programs can seem intimidating, there are other strategies you can use to increase your activity and fitness levels. One way is to use fitness trackers to convert your movement into a habit. It’s best to aim for at least 10,000 steps a day.
In a study of 4,637 Norwegian men and women, researchers analyzed the cardiorespiratory fitness of each participant. Using a proprietary formula, they assigned a “fitness age” to each participant. “The fitness age is the average VO2 max of healthy people in a given age group,” said Ehrlich. “It is extremely important to monitor our fitness age as we age to avoid premature death.”
It should be more than your heart rate
You can use your heart rate to determine your fitness level and set goals. But how do you determine your heart rate? The right heart rate for you depends on your age, level of conditioning, health issues, medications and environment. Consult your doctor or research on your own to determine your heart rate zones. Most people judge their level of fitness by the way their body looks. However, this is not always the best way to judge your physical fitness level.
