VO2 max by age.
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can use in a minute of all out effort, for each kilo you weigh. In 3,816 healthy Norwegian adults tested on a treadmill, the average at 50 to 59 was 42.6 mL/kg/min for men and 34.4 for women, and it was about 8% lower with each decade.
Your number, for your age.
Enter the VO2 max from your watch or a fitness test. You will see where it sits against the average for your age and sex, and your fitness age group.
Health note. This page is general information to help you exercise, not medical advice, and the result is not a diagnosis. Ask your GP before you start if you have a heart condition, get chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness when you exercise, or have been told to limit exercise. Stop if anything hurts or you feel unwell.
VO2 max by age and sex.
| Age group | Men, average | Women, average |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 54.4 mL/kg/min | 43 mL/kg/min |
| 30 to 39 | 49.1 mL/kg/min | 40 mL/kg/min |
| 40 to 49 | 47.2 mL/kg/min | 38.4 mL/kg/min |
| 50 to 59 | 42.6 mL/kg/min | 34.4 mL/kg/min |
| 60 to 69 | 39.2 mL/kg/min | 31.1 mL/kg/min |
| 70 and over | 35.3 mL/kg/min | 28.3 mL/kg/min |
Source: Loe et al. 2013, PLoS One, Table 2. Averages describe groups of people, not a diagnosis for any one person.
Key facts
- Measured on a treadmill in 3,816 healthy adults aged 20 to 90, in Norway. Loe et al. 2013, PLoS One
- Highest at 20 to 29: an average of 54.4 mL/kg/min for men and 43 for women. Loe et al. 2013, PLoS One
- About 8% lower with each decade of age, in men and in women. Loe et al. 2013, PLoS One
- The spread is wide: the standard deviation in each group runs from 5.1 to 8.4 mL/kg/min. Loe et al. 2013, PLoS One
Oxygen, per kilo, per minute.
VO2 max is counted in millilitres of oxygen, for each kilo you weigh, each minute: mL/kg/min. The higher it is, the more work your heart, lungs and muscles can do before you run out of breath.
- A lab measures it with a mask on, on a treadmill or a bike.
- A sports watch estimates it from your heart rate on runs or walks.
- Fitness age is the age group whose average is closest to your number.
Easy work, and a little hard work.
With clients over 40, I build aerobic fitness from three things:
- Mostly easy, steady work you can talk through, often called zone 2.
- A few short, hard efforts each week, with full recovery between them.
- Strength training on two days.
The WHO suggests 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 to 150 of vigorous activity. If you take a beta blocker or another heart medicine, ask your doctor before you start hard training.
VO2 max is one number. The Five Minute Baseline measures balance, strength, mobility and waist at home, each against the average for your age.
What people ask first
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
One at or above the average for your age and sex. The table on this page gives the measured average for men and women in each age group, from 20 to 29 to 70 and over, and the checker tells you whether your number is above, around or below it.
How do I find out my VO2 max?
A sports science lab measures it with a mask on, on a treadmill or a bike, until you cannot go on. Many sports watches estimate it from your heart rate on runs or brisk walks. A watch gives an estimate, not a measurement, so compare like with like over time.
What is fitness age?
The age group whose average VO2 max is closest to yours. If you are 55 and your number is closest to the average for 40 to 49, that is your fitness age group. It describes your fitness today. It is not a forecast of how long you will live.
Can you raise your VO2 max after 50?
In my experience it is worth training for at any age. Start where you are: mostly easy, steady work you can talk through, a few short harder efforts each week, and strength training on two days. If you have a heart condition, ask your GP first.
Twenty minutes, with me.
We talk about your week, your health and what you have tried before. If the programme fits you, I will say so. If it does not, I will say that too.