Key takeaways
Average VO2max for men aged 20 to 29 is about 45 to 51 ml/kg/min, and 40 to 44 for women, on our chart
Norms come from Cooper Institute treadmill tests and the FRIEND registry, which give slightly different numbers
Moving up one band matters most: leaving the lowest fitness group brings the biggest health benefit
A VO2max of 45 is excellent for a 60-year-old woman and below average for a 25-year-old male runner. To know where you stand, you need norms: reference values from large groups of people tested the same way.
Where the norms come from
- The Cooper Institute (Dallas) built its fitness categories from treadmill tests of tens of thousands of adults in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. These categories are widely used in fitness and are the basis of the VO2max chart on this site.
- The FRIEND registry (Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database) published reference standards from lab tests with direct gas analysis across the US in 2015 — a useful cross-check because it measured oxygen directly rather than estimating it from treadmill time.
The two give slightly different numbers. Always compare like with like.
The bands used on our chart (approximate)
Values in ml/kg/min. "Average" is the middle band of the chart; "top band" is its highest Cooper category for that age.
| Age | Men — average | Men — top band | Women — average | Women — top band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 45–51 | 55+ | 40–44 | 50+ |
| 30–39 | 44–48 | 54+ | 38–42 | 47+ |
| 40–49 | 42–46 | 52+ | 36–40 | 45+ |
| 50–59 | 39–43 | 49+ | 33–37 | 41+ |
| 60–69 | 36–40 | 46+ | 30–33 | 38+ |
| 70+ | 32–37 | 42+ | 28–31 | 37+ |
See the full interactive chart for every band.
Why women's values are lower
On average women have lower haemoglobin concentration, smaller hearts relative to body size and a higher share of body fat. Trained women still sit far above untrained men of the same age; the norms simply compare you with your peers.
How to read your number
- Use the right test. A watch estimate, a lab test and a treadmill-time formula are three different measurements. Read how accurate watch estimates are.
- Look at the trend. One reading tells you little; a 3-month trend tells you whether training works.
- Moving up one band matters. In large cohorts, people who move out of the lowest fitness group get the biggest health benefit — see VO2max and longevity.
- Age is not destiny. Fit 60-year-olds routinely beat sedentary 30-year-olds. See VO2max and ageing.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good VO2max for my age?
On our chart, average for men is about 45 to 51 ml/kg/min in their 20s and 39 to 43 in their 50s; for women about 40 to 44 and 33 to 37. The top band starts around 55 for men and 50 for women in their 20s.
Why do women have a lower VO2max than men?
On average, women have lower haemoglobin concentration, smaller hearts relative to body size and a higher share of body fat. Trained women still sit far above untrained men of the same age.
Is a VO2max of 45 good?
It depends on age and sex. A VO2max of 45 is excellent for a 60-year-old woman but below average for a 25-year-old male runner.
Sources
- Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J. Reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: data from the FRIEND registry. Mayo Clin Proc, 2015.
- The Cooper Institute. Physical fitness assessments and norms for adults and law enforcement.