TL;DR
Oura is introducing Cardio Effort, a workout cardiovascular-load measure, and an updated VO2 max estimate based on GPS-enabled activities. The features extend the ring maker’s fitness tools as it seeks to serve more runners and performance-focused users; availability differs by feature and device generation.
Oura is expanding its fitness tracking with two cardiovascular features: Cardio Effort, which estimates workout strain, and an updated VO2 max estimate generated from GPS-enabled activities. The additions extend the smart ring’s capabilities for runners and other performance-focused users, bringing it further into territory served by fitness watches from Garmin and Apple.
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Cardio Effort uses Training Impulse, or TRIMP, a framework that estimates cardiovascular load using exercise intensity and duration. Each eligible workout receives an individual score that contributes to a weekly total. Oura then places that total in one of five personalized ranges: Light, Fair, Maintaining, Building or Reaching. The company says those ranges are informed by recent activity and assessed in relation to a member’s longer-term resting heart rate. Cardio Effort is slated for Oura Ring Gen3 and newer devices.
The company is also updating its Cardio Capacity feature and renaming it VO2 max. Previously, members had to complete a six-minute walking test to receive an estimate. The updated version can generate an initial estimate after five qualifying GPS-enabled activities, according to the report. Members can view the estimate and changes over time in the app’s My Health Heart Hub, which can also provide insights when Oura detects a meaningful change. The updated feature is launching in Oura Labs for Gen3 and newer devices.
The two tools address different aspects of training: Cardio Effort summarizes the cardiovascular demand of workouts across a week, while VO2 max is an estimate of aerobic fitness. Oura’s approach uses the ring and its app rather than requiring members to take a separate fitness test for the updated VO2 max estimate. The source report does not provide a specific public launch date or additional validation details for either feature.
Oura Moves Further Into Training Metrics
The release signals a broader product push: Oura is adding performance-oriented measures to a device commonly associated with sleep and recovery. Runners and endurance athletes often look for ways to monitor both training demand and changes in aerobic fitness. Putting those measures alongside Oura’s existing health and recovery tools could make the ring more useful to people who want one wearable for multiple parts of their routine.
It also adds pressure in a market where health tracking and sports performance are converging. Garmin has a long-established audience among runners and cyclists, while Apple has also pursued serious athletes. Oura is entering that competition from a different position: it has built its product around continuous wear and recovery insights, and is adding workout metrics to that foundation. Whether the new features are detailed or reliable enough for users who depend on dedicated sports watches is not established by the announcement.
Products Worth Considering
Garmin Forerunner 570 GPS Running Smartwatch, 42 mm, Aluminum, Bone/Mango
Garmin Forerunner 165 GPS Running Smartwatch, 43 mm, Black
Oura Ring 5 Smart Ring, Silver, Size 7
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From Recovery Tracking to Fitness
Oura has tracked activity for years, but the new features extend its focus toward workout performance. The source report says the launch follows the introduction of Oura Ring 5 in May, which added real-time workout metrics, improved automatic activity detection and a smaller design. The report does not specify the year for that May launch.
The competitive setting is changing, too. The report cites 42% year-over-year growth in Garmin’s fitness segment in the first quarter of 2026 and describes Apple’s partnership with the 2026 TCS London Marathon as part of its effort to reach serious athletes. It also reports year-over-year search increases of 58% for Oura Rings and 31.3% for Garmin watches during the period studied. Those search figures indicate interest in the products, but the report does not state the study period or comparison baseline beyond the year-over-year comparison.
Launch Timing and Metric Limits
The source report does not give an exact date when the features will become available, nor does it specify how many workouts qualify for Cardio Effort or which GPS-enabled activities count toward the VO2 max estimate. Oura has not provided validation figures in the material supplied, so readers cannot assess the estimates’ accuracy against a clinical or laboratory measurement from this report alone.
It is also unclear how the features will behave when workout data are incomplete, how often the VO2 max estimate will update after the initial five activities, or whether all capabilities will be available in the same way across supported devices. Cardio Effort is described as available for Gen3 and newer rings, while the updated VO2 max feature is specifically described as launching in Oura Labs for those devices.
Availability and App Rollout
The next concrete milestone is the rollout of the two features to eligible Oura members. Cardio Effort is intended for Gen3 and newer devices; the updated VO2 max experience is launching through Oura Labs. Oura’s announcement, as reported, does not give a calendar date for either rollout.
Members and prospective users can watch for details in the Oura app and further company guidance on supported activities, access and how estimates are calculated. Any assessment of the tools’ practical value will depend on those details and on how consistently the features perform for users over time.
Key Questions
What is Oura Cardio Effort?
Cardio Effort is Oura’s measure of workout cardiovascular load. It uses TRIMP, which accounts for exercise intensity and duration, to score eligible workouts and group a member’s weekly total into one of five personalized ranges.
How will Oura estimate VO2 max?
The updated feature uses GPS-enabled activities rather than requiring a separate six-minute walking test. Oura says it can provide an initial estimate after five qualifying activities.
Which Oura rings support the new features?
The report says Cardio Effort supports Gen3 and newer rings. The updated VO2 max feature is also described for Gen3 and newer devices, with its launch taking place in Oura Labs.
When will the features be available?
No exact launch date is provided in the source report. It says the updated VO2 max feature is launching in Oura Labs and identifies the supported ring generations, but does not give a calendar rollout schedule.
Do the new features replace a sports watch?
The report does not establish that they replace a dedicated sports watch. They add cardiovascular-load and aerobic-fitness estimates to Oura’s existing platform, but does not compare their accuracy or workout capabilities directly with Garmin or Apple devices.
Source: rss
