Oura adds Cardio Effort and automatic VO2 Max to its smart rings

Oura is adding two cardiovascular health tracking features to its smart rings: Cardio Effort and automatic VO2 Max, previously known as Cardio Capacity. Both are available on the Oura Ring Gen 3 and later models for users with an active Oura membership.

Cardio Effort assesses how hard a user’s cardiovascular system worked during exercise and how long that effort lasted. It evaluates individual workouts based on intensity and duration, then compares cumulative weekly effort with a personalized baseline. Ratings run from Light through Fair, Maintaining and Building to Reaching. Oura describes Reaching as markedly higher exposure relative to a user’s baseline and says it may be time to prioritize recovery. The feature can recommend rest when that may be more beneficial than increasing effort.

Oura already offers VO2 Max readings to track aerobic capacity. The previous Cardio Capacity feature required a six-minute walking test for calibration. The new automatic VO2 Max is a beta feature in Oura Labs. It activates after a user completes five qualifying GPS-enabled activities, including walks, runs and hikes.

Readings appear in the Oura app’s My Health Heart Hub, alongside a current estimate, a capacity rating of low, fair, high or peak, changes over time, and personalized insights when VO2 Max meaningfully shifts or stays consistent.