VO2 Max Calculator

VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can consume oxygen during intense exercise, measured in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is widely regarded as the gold standard indicator of aerobic fitness and cardiovascular health. A higher VO2 max means your heart, lungs, and muscles work more efficiently together to deliver and use oxygen during sustained effort.

For men, a VO2 max of 40–50 ml/kg/min is considered good, and above 55 is excellent. For women, 35–45 is good, and above 50 is excellent. Elite endurance athletes such as marathon runners and cyclists often score 60–85 ml/kg/min — values that reflect years of training-driven cardiovascular adaptation. The average untrained adult scores in the 30s for women and low 40s for men.

The most effective methods are high-intensity interval training (HIIT), tempo runs, and long slow distance (LSD) runs. HIIT sessions — such as 4–6 intervals of 3–5 minutes near maximum effort — directly stress the aerobic system and produce the largest VO2 max gains. Combined with two or three easy Zone 2 runs per week, improvements of 10–20% are typical within 8–12 weeks for beginners and moderately trained athletes.

The Cooper test, developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper in 1968 for U.S. military fitness assessment, involves running as far as possible in exactly 12 minutes on a flat surface. The distance covered predicts VO2 max using the formula: VO2max = (distanceMeters − 504.9) / 44.73. It remains one of the most widely used field tests in sports science because it requires no lab equipment — just a measured track and a stopwatch.

Yes. After approximately age 25, VO2 max declines at roughly 1% per year on average in sedentary individuals. However, regular aerobic training significantly slows this decline — active individuals in their 60s and 70s often maintain VO2 max values comparable to sedentary people 20 years younger. The key is consistent cardiovascular exercise: even moderate amounts of running, cycling, or swimming preserve aerobic capacity well into older age.