Oura is expanding its workout-tracking tools with two metrics designed to show both the immediate demands of exercise and its longer-term contribution to fitness. Cardio Effort and VO₂ max are being introduced for members with Oura Ring Gen3 and newer devices.
A personalized view of workout intensity
Cardio Effort estimates how much a workout challenges the cardiovascular system, taking both its duration and intensity into account. A brief, demanding session may therefore register similarly to a longer, gentler workout.
The feature includes a score for each workout and a weekly total. Weekly effort is assessed against a person's recent activity and long-term resting heart rate, then grouped into levels ranging from "Light" and "Fair" to "Maintaining," "Building" and "Reaching." The personalized approach is intended to help users understand whether their activity is supporting fitness or adding to their workload.
Estimating long-term fitness
VO₂ max estimates how effectively the heart, lungs and muscles use oxygen during exercise. Oura says it can generate an estimate from GPS-enabled workouts, without requiring a dedicated lab test. An initial estimate becomes available after five qualifying activities.
Members can view their estimate, a fitness category, changes over time and the date it was last updated in the My Health Heart Hub. The feature is launching through Oura Labs, the company's space for experimental tools.
Together, the metrics offer a more rounded picture of exercise, connecting the effort of individual sessions with broader fitness patterns. As wearable devices make such insights more accessible, they may help people make more informed decisions about their training over time.
