VO2Max Value on Skierg

[Dpoleit89]

Hello to all!

Is there any vo2max calculator for skierg?

I have used the one on c2 site is both for row and skierg so i don't trust it that much.
I would want to take a vo2max test but here in Italy they do it on a treadmill or a bikerg and I'm not good at it.

[gvcormac]

Your SkiErg pace is more-or-less comparable to your RowErg pace. Most, but not all, find SkiErg a bit harder than RowErg, and RowErg a bit harder than BikeErg, for the same pace.

Since VO2 estimate without measuring O2 is pretty much a wild guess anyway, I wouldn't worry about the difference between machines. If your max-effort pace is best on the SkiErg, use that.

[Dpoleit89]

Probably for me it is the opposite, being Skierg easier than Rowerg but, for now, don't train on it.
I train many hours per year but I don't think i'm that good, that's why those numbers seems a bit high.

[blazs]

There is an undergraduate thesis from Umea University trying to develop testing protocol and a model for estimating VO2max off SkiErg: https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/d ... TEXT01.pdf

I wouldn't trust the result as this is undergrad thesis after all And I have a hard time understanding how exactly to perform the test.

Auto translation (I don't speak Swedish).

SkiErg Test Protocol (SET)
Purpose:
This test is designed to estimate VO2max based on the maximum average power output (in watts) a participant can sustain per minute.

Equipment:

Concept2 SkiErg with PM-5 monitor.
Drag factor set to 120 for men and 100 for women.
Timer or stopwatch.
Preparation:
Participants should follow standard pre-test procedures:

Avoid new or intense physical activity for 48 hours before the test.
Ensure adequate sleep (minimum 8 hours) and proper nutrition/hydration.
Avoid large meals two hours before the test.
Be symptom-free for at least a week following illness.
Warm-Up:

A 10-minute warm-up on the SkiErg at a low intensity.
Followed by a 3-minute rest before the test begins.
Starting Load:

The starting power (wattage) is calculated based on the participant's weight and expected maximum power (Performance Factor or PF):
PF = max estimated watt/kg based on training background.
Men: Based on world record for 2000 m (4.7 W/kg).
Women: Based on world record for 2000 m (3.8 W/kg).
Start wattage = PF × weight in kg, adjusted for increments.
Test Progression:

The test is a Time-to-Exhaustion (TTE) protocol.
The resistance increases gradually:
Each minute, the wattage increases by 5% (rounded to the nearest 2.5 W) until minute 8.
After minute 8, the wattage increases by 2.5% per minute until exhaustion.
Termination Criteria:

The test ends when the participant can no longer maintain the required wattage for the current level.
Key Rules for Standardization:

The double-poling motion must mimic skiing technique.
Hands should not go below the knees or more than 10 cm above the head.
Standard training shoes must be worn.
No assistance or straps around the hips.
Feet must remain on the SkiErg platform.
Calculation of VO2max:
The highest average wattage sustained during the test is recorded.
VO2max is then estimated using specific formulas derived from regression analysis:
Men:
VO2max=0.6719+0.0125×Wattage
Women:
VO2max=0.4394+0.0141×Wattage

The model gives surprisingly low relative vo2max values for high wattage outputs. Posting this thesis here as a curiosity.

[Dpoleit89]

There is an undergraduate thesis from Umea University trying to develop testing protocol and a model for estimating VO2max off SkiErg: https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/d ... TEXT01.pdf

I wouldn't trust the result as this is undergrad thesis after all And I have a hard time understanding how exactly to perform the test.

Auto translation (I don't speak Swedish).

SkiErg Test Protocol (SET)
Purpose:
This test is designed to estimate VO2max based on the maximum average power output (in watts) a participant can sustain per minute.

Equipment:

Concept2 SkiErg with PM-5 monitor.
Drag factor set to 120 for men and 100 for women.
Timer or stopwatch.
Preparation:
Participants should follow standard pre-test procedures:

Avoid new or intense physical activity for 48 hours before the test.
Ensure adequate sleep (minimum 8 hours) and proper nutrition/hydration.
Avoid large meals two hours before the test.
Be symptom-free for at least a week following illness.
Warm-Up:

A 10-minute warm-up on the SkiErg at a low intensity.
Followed by a 3-minute rest before the test begins.
Starting Load:

The starting power (wattage) is calculated based on the participant's weight and expected maximum power (Performance Factor or PF):
PF = max estimated watt/kg based on training background.
Men: Based on world record for 2000 m (4.7 W/kg).
Women: Based on world record for 2000 m (3.8 W/kg).
Start wattage = PF × weight in kg, adjusted for increments.
Test Progression:

The test is a Time-to-Exhaustion (TTE) protocol.
The resistance increases gradually:
Each minute, the wattage increases by 5% (rounded to the nearest 2.5 W) until minute 8.
After minute 8, the wattage increases by 2.5% per minute until exhaustion.
Termination Criteria:

The test ends when the participant can no longer maintain the required wattage for the current level.
Key Rules for Standardization:

The double-poling motion must mimic skiing technique.
Hands should not go below the knees or more than 10 cm above the head.
Standard training shoes must be worn.
No assistance or straps around the hips.
Feet must remain on the SkiErg platform.
Calculation of VO2max:
The highest average wattage sustained during the test is recorded.
VO2max is then estimated using specific formulas derived from regression analysis:
Men:
VO2max=0.6719+0.0125×Wattage
Women:
VO2max=0.4394+0.0141×Wattage

The model gives surprisingly low relative vo2max values for high wattage outputs. Posting this thesis here as a curiosity.

Dp values are lower than running or cycling.
Probably the test must be assisted.
How do you calculated expected perf?

[MudSweatAndYears]

I would want to take a vo2max test but here in Italy they do it on a treadmill or a bikerg and I'm not good at it.

If you discuss it in advance, you might agree with the sport test folks to bring your SkiErg to the sport test lab, and do the VO2max test on the SkiErg?

[Dpoleit89]

I would want to take a vo2max test but here in Italy they do it on a treadmill or a bikerg and I'm not good at it.

If you discuss it in advance, you might agree with the sport test folks to bring your SkiErg to the sport test lab, and do the VO2max test on the SkiErg?

mmm i think vo2 machine is more portable than my skierg.

[Lauc2]

VO2max on the SkiErg usually comes out lower than running or cycling since it uses less muscle mass overall, even if the effort feels just as hard.

The Umeå thesis is a neat reference, but yeah, accuracy without gas exchange is tricky. For estimating performance factor (PF), you could use your best 2k or 5k time, get the average wattage, and divide by your weight for a rough W/kg.

I’ll be traveling to Italy later this year through https://gowithguide.com/Italy and I’m also curious if any labs there offer VO2 tests on alternative equipment, might be worth checking when you're there too.

[Tsnor]

There is an undergraduate thesis from Umea University trying to develop testing protocol and a model for estimating VO2max off SkiErg: https://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/d ... TEXT01.pdf

I wouldn't trust the result as this is undergrad thesis after all And I have a hard time understanding how exactly to perform the test.

Auto translation (I don't speak Swedish).

...
VO2max is then estimated using specific formulas derived from regression analysis:
Men: VO2max=0.6719+0.0125×Wattage
Women: VO2max=0.4394+0.0141×Wattage

The model gives surprisingly low relative vo2max values for high wattage outputs. Posting this thesis here as a curiosity.

EDIT: I found the study (English version with graphs https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _ergometer They predicted VO2max without the weight adjustment. They were predicting the oxygen liters per minute, not the normal VO2max. You can use the study's formulas and then normalize by weight to get to the units we normally use to compare VO2max.

Study formula results times 1000 divided by your weight in Kg is your predicted VO2max.

Example, 100 kg man skierging at 200 watts --> 0.6719+0.0125×Wattage = 3.1719 liters/minute of oxygen. To get to "normal" vo2 max you'd take 3.1719 liters to 3172 milliliters, then divide by 100 kg = VO2max of approx 32.


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old post:

Fun, very glad you posted.

VO2max units are milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute

You'll see that C2's vo2max predictor wants your body weight.

Very surprised the formulas from the study do not use body weight.

You can fit a regression line to anything, but it makes the accuracy bad if you don't have the right inputs. Very light people or very heavy people are going to get strange results from these formulas.