Oura Rings Track Cardio Effort & VO2 Max Passively

Oura has introduced two significant fitness tracking enhancements to its smart rings. The first is Cardio Effort, a new metric designed to gauge the strain placed on the wearer's body during physical activity. This personalized feature provides feedback across five ranges—light, fair, maintaining, building, and reaching—allowing users to compare their weekly activities against their individual baseline. Developed with the Training Impulse method, Cardio Effort focuses on monitoring long-term cardiovascular activity trends.

The second major update involves the automatic estimation of VO2 Max, a metric previously known as Cardio Capacity. This feature now operates passively during workouts that utilize GPS, meaning the formerly required six-minute walking test is no longer necessary. The updated VO2 Max estimation is available for third-generation Oura Rings and subsequent models.

These advancements broaden Oura's comprehensive health data offerings. With competitors like Apple Watch and Fitbit already providing similar cardio metrics, Oura's new capabilities may attract individuals who favor the discreet form factor of a ring over wrist-worn devices, making it a more competitive option in the wearable technology market.