How to further improve cardio score?

[aaaaady]

I started living healthier and working out a few months ago (end of Jan.). From mid-Feb I bought a fitbit charge2 and started watching my health.

I lost 13kg so far and happy with progress.

My cardio score was average in the beginning and now increased to very good (59). Fitbit shows that I could further improve it to excellent with weight loss (reaching my tartget) and more exercise. I am working on the weight, however, what can I do to improve my cardio score with exercising?

I go to the gym, if I can, 3 to 4 times a week and do a lot of cardio exercise (for instance, a training can consist of 15 min. epilitics, 10-15 min. treadmill at 11-13km/h and 45 min. spinning).

Should I do other sports or focus more on weights to improve my fitness score? Basically, what can I do to improve my score? More intensive training or perhaps less intensive but longer (e.g. swimming)?

Thanks in advance!

[WavyDavey]

Hi @aaaaady,

There are three components to improving your VO2Max. One, as you mentioned, is weight.

The second is improving your cardio fitness in general. That would mean going more into peak zone training and longer periods in the cardio zone. I recommend HIIT for this.

The third is how Fitbit calculates the score specifically. It will recalculate the score when you've done a GPS or Connected GPS run for at least 10 minutes on a flat surface.

So even if you're doing #1 and #2, you'll want to do #3 to get the score updated. Hope this helps.

[Tracey1205]

can I get this cardio score on my Versa?

[Baltoscott]

@Tracey1205 -- yes, your Versa supports the cardio fitness score.  Hit the heart tile in the fitbit app, and then swipe right or left on the graph at the top of the Heart Rate page to see your resting HR for the past 30 day, your cardio fitness score, and your minutes in HR zones.  Until you do some connected GPS runs, your cardio fitness score will be in a range, but you will get a number 'score' after you've done a few connected GPS runs for 10 minutes or more.  Read about it here.

[Tracey1205]

@Baltoscottthanks so much for helping me. I have found it ... and now need to work on improving the score!

[emili · Accepted solution]

here is my take on it.. in order to improve your cardio score, you have to improve your overall fitness with a nod to cardio. I wouldn't just run, spin or pedal.. try to add weight lifting or Zumba or boxing, any activity that increases your HR through effort is going to increase your score. The heart is like any muscle that we train, after a while it gets to a place where the same old doesn't do it anymore. So you have to find ways to push it. Go faster or longer but change stuff up. The lifting will help strengthen your joints and bones so your body can support your increased level. your back and hips take a beating during cardio- weight training can help strengthen them so you can count on their support...