A “good” VO2 max depends heavily on your age and sex, but as a general benchmark, most adults score between 30 and 50 ml/kg/min. Values above the 50th percentile for your age group are considered good, while scores in the top 20% qualify as excellent. VO2 max naturally declines with age, roughly 1% per year after your mid-20s, so what counts as impressive at 55 looks very different from what’s impressive at 25.
VO2 Max Ranges by Age and Sex
VO2 max is measured in milliliters of oxygen your body can use per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Higher numbers mean better cardiovascular fitness. The ranges below reflect commonly used fitness classifications across age groups.
Men
- Age 20–29: Below 33 is poor, 33–36 is fair, 37–41 is average, 42–46 is good, 47–51 is very good, and 52+ is excellent.
- Age 30–39: Below 31 is poor, 31–35 is fair, 36–39 is average, 40–43 is good, 44–48 is very good, and 49+ is excellent.
- Age 40–49: Below 28 is poor, 28–32 is fair, 33–36 is average, 37–40 is good, 41–45 is very good, and 46+ is excellent.
- Age 50–59: Below 25 is poor, 25–28 is fair, 29–32 is average, 33–36 is good, 37–41 is very good, and 42+ is excellent.
- Age 60–69: Below 22 is poor, 22–25 is fair, 26–29 is average, 30–33 is good, 34–38 is very good, and 39+ is excellent.
- Age 70+: Below 20 is poor, 20–23 is fair, 24–27 is average, 28–31 is good, 32–35 is very good, and 36+ is excellent.
Women
- Age 20–29: Below 28 is poor, 28–33 is fair, 34–36 is average, 37–41 is good, 42–46 is very good, and 47+ is excellent.
- Age 30–39: Below 26 is poor, 26–30 is fair, 31–34 is average, 35–38 is good, 39–43 is very good, and 44+ is excellent.
- Age 40–49: Below 24 is poor, 24–28 is fair, 29–32 is average, 33–36 is good, 37–41 is very good, and 42+ is excellent.
- Age 50–59: Below 21 is poor, 21–25 is fair, 26–29 is average, 30–33 is good, 34–38 is very good, and 39+ is excellent.
- Age 60–69: Below 18 is poor, 18–22 is fair, 23–26 is average, 27–30 is good, 31–35 is very good, and 36+ is excellent.
- Age 70+: Below 16 is poor, 16–19 is fair, 20–23 is average, 24–27 is good, 28–31 is very good, and 32+ is excellent.
Why VO2 Max Declines With Age
Your cardiovascular system peaks in your mid-20s. After that, your maximum heart rate drops by roughly one beat per year, your heart pumps slightly less blood per contraction, and your muscles gradually lose some ability to extract oxygen from your blood. Together, these changes reduce VO2 max by about 10% per decade in sedentary people.
Regular exercise slows that decline significantly. Active adults often lose only 5% per decade, meaning a fit 60-year-old can have a higher VO2 max than an inactive 30-year-old. This is one reason VO2 max has become such a popular longevity marker. Research consistently links higher cardiorespiratory fitness to lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and early death, regardless of age.
What Elite Athletes Score
To put your own numbers in perspective, the highest VO2 max values ever recorded reach 96 ml/kg/min. Norwegian cross-country skier Bjørn Dæhlie, the most decorated male cross-country skier in history, tested at that level. Fellow Norwegian skier Espen Harald Bjerke matched that score in 2005. Among elite women, Brazilian racing cyclist Flavia Oliveira, who placed 7th at the 2016 Olympics, recorded a VO2 max of 76 ml/kg/min.
These numbers reflect decades of high-volume endurance training combined with favorable genetics. Most recreational athletes who train seriously will land somewhere between 45 and 65 ml/kg/min, depending on age, sex, and sport. You don’t need to approach elite numbers to get the health benefits of strong cardiovascular fitness.
How to Estimate Your VO2 Max
A lab test on a treadmill or stationary bike with a breathing mask gives the most accurate VO2 max measurement. But several field tests and consumer devices provide reasonable estimates without a lab visit.
The Cooper 12-Minute Run Test
This is one of the simplest and most widely used estimates. You run as far as you can in 12 minutes on a flat surface (a track is ideal), then plug your distance into a formula. Walking is allowed, but you want to push yourself to cover maximum distance.
The formula: VO2 max = (35.97 × miles covered) − 11.29. If you prefer metric, use VO2 max = (22.35 × kilometers) − 11.29. So if you cover 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, your estimated VO2 max is about 43 ml/kg/min.
The Rockport Walking Test
If running isn’t realistic for you, the Rockport test works well. You walk one mile (1,609 meters) as briskly as possible and record your time and heart rate at the finish. The calculation factors in your age, sex, body weight, finishing time, and heart rate. Many online calculators handle the math for you. In the original study, heart rate was monitored electronically, so using a chest strap or wrist-based heart rate monitor gives the best accuracy.
Fitness Watches and Smartwatches
Devices from Garmin, Apple, and others now estimate VO2 max using heart rate data collected during walks and runs. These estimates are generally within 5 to 10% of lab-tested values for most people, though they tend to be less accurate if you have an irregular heart rhythm or if the watch doesn’t fit snugly. They’re useful for tracking trends over time, even if the absolute number isn’t perfectly precise.
How to Improve Your VO2 Max
VO2 max responds well to training at any age. Most people see measurable improvements within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent aerobic exercise. The size of the gain depends on your starting point. Someone who’s been sedentary might improve 15 to 20% in a few months, while someone already active might see 3 to 5% improvement from targeted training.
High-intensity interval training is the most time-efficient way to boost VO2 max. A common approach involves alternating between 3 to 5 minutes of hard effort (around 90 to 95% of your max heart rate) and equal or shorter recovery periods, repeated 4 to 6 times. Doing this two or three times per week alongside easier aerobic sessions produces strong results.
Steady-state aerobic exercise also works, just more slowly. Running, cycling, swimming, or rowing at a moderate pace for 30 to 60 minutes builds the base cardiovascular fitness that supports higher VO2 max. Combining both approaches, some hard interval days and some easier longer sessions, is what most coaches and exercise physiologists recommend for the fastest improvement.
Consistency matters more than any single workout. Gains in VO2 max start to reverse within two to three weeks of inactivity, and they disappear almost entirely after a couple of months of doing nothing. The goal isn’t a one-time score but a sustained level of fitness that keeps your VO2 max in the “good” or better range for your age as the decades pass.