What Is a Good VO₂max? By Age, Sex & How to Improve It
VO₂max explained — what the number means, typical ranges by age and sex, how it relates to VDOT and race times, and the training that actually raises it.
VO₂max is the maximum rate at which your body can take in, transport, and use oxygen, measured in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). It sets the ceiling on your aerobic engine: the higher it is, the more power you can produce aerobically before anaerobic fatigue takes over.
What counts as “good”
There is no single good number — it depends on age and sex, and it declines slowly from your late twenties. As a rough orientation for trained-but-not-elite adults:
| Level | Men (mL/kg/min) | Women (mL/kg/min) |
|---|---|---|
| Average / untrained | 35–42 | 27–33 |
| Fit recreational | 45–52 | 38–45 |
| Trained endurance | 55–65 | 48–56 |
| Elite | 70–85 | 60–75 |
Estimate yours from a recent race or test with the VO₂max calculator.
VO₂max, VDOT and race times
VO₂max alone does not fully predict performance, because two runners with the same figure can race differently depending on running economy and how high a fraction of their maximum they can hold. That is why coaches often use VDOT, an effective VO₂max derived directly from race results that already folds in economy. Convert a race into VDOT and training paces with the VDOT calculator.
How to raise it
VO₂max responds to two things working together: a deep base of easy aerobic volume, and regular intervals near your maximum — classically repeats of 3–5 minutes at a hard but repeatable effort, with jog recoveries. Train the rest of the time by heart-rate zones so easy days stay genuinely easy and the hard days land where they should. Gains come over months of consistency, not in a single block.
Questions
What is a good VO₂max for my age?
It varies by age and sex. As a rough guide, a fit recreational man in his 30s sits around 45–52 mL/kg/min and a fit woman around 38–45; values decline gradually with age. Trained endurance athletes are well above these, and elites reach 70+ (men) and 60+ (women).
How do I improve my VO₂max?
A large aerobic base plus regular high-intensity intervals near your maximum (for example 3–5 minute efforts at hard but sustainable pace) raise VO₂max most effectively. Consistency over months matters more than any single session.
How is VO₂max measured without a lab?
A lab measures the oxygen you actually consume at exhaustion. Outside a lab it is estimated from a race result or a sub-maximal heart-rate test — close enough to track your trend over time.