VO2 Max: What It Is, How to Test It, and How to Train It Higher

VO2 max is one of those numbers fitness people throw around like trading cards, but at least the hype is earned. It tells you how much oxygen your body can pull in and use during hard exercise, which is a sneaky good proxy for how well your heart, lungs, and muscles are working together. Higher numbers mean better endurance and (yes, really) a longer life expectancy.

A lot of people (arguably most) never test it or train for it specifically, which is a missed opportunity since it's one of the most actionable health markers you've got. Here's how to get your number, see where you stand, and push it higher.

What Does VO2 Max Mean?

VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in, deliver, and use during all out exercise, measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). It's the gold standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, capturing how well your heart, lungs, blood, and muscles work together when you're working hard. It's basically a measure of the size of your engine, and when you have a bigger engine, you can push harder and recover faster.

Why VO2 Max Actually Matters

VO2 max isn't the only a metric for endurance nerds. Higher levels are tied to lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and experts even go so far as to call a high VO2 max a vaccination against lifestyle disease. Lower scores track with higher body fat, worse lipid profiles, and higher risk of cardiometabolic disease. A better VO2 max not only means you can do more, but you'll feel better doing it… and probably stick around longer to keep doing it.

How to Test VO2 Max

The most accurate way to measure VO2 max is a lab test called a CPET (cardiopulmonary exercise test). You wear a mask that measures the gases you breathe in and out while doing a graded maximal effort on a treadmill or bike. Universities, sports labs, and some performance gyms offer these for $100 to $300.

If you're not running to a lab anytime soon, there are some other ways you can test it.

Submaximal Tests

These estimate VO2 max from your heart rate response at lower intensities. Common ones are the YMCA cycle test and the Åstrand test, and most are available through performance gyms or trainers.

Field Tests You Can Do Yourself

• The Cooper style 1.5-mile run test is the simplest one to try. Run 1.5 miles as fast as you can, then plug your time into a formula.
• The Rockport Walk Test is the lower impact option, where you walk a mile as fast as possible and combine your finish time with your finish heart rate.
• The beep test (multi-stage shuttle run) has you running between two cones in time with audio cues that get faster, and whichever stage you tap out at maps to an estimated VO2 max.

Wearables

Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar, and Whoop all estimate VO2 max from heart rate response during runs and walks. They aren't as accurate as a lab (estimates are typically 5 to 15% off), but they're good enough for tracking your own trend over time, which is what most people actually care about.

How to Calculate VO2 Max

A common at-home formula uses your 1.5-mile run time:

VO2 max = (483 ÷ time in minutes) + 3.5

If you run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes, that's (483 ÷ 12) + 3.5, or roughly 43.7 mL/kg/min. The Rockport Walk formula uses your weight, age, sex, walk time, and finish heart rate, so most people just plug their numbers into an online calculator and let it do the math.

Heads up, estimated values from formulas or wearables can drift 5 to 15% from a true lab number. Use them to watch your trend across weeks and months, since the absolute number isn't gospel.

What's a Good VO2 Max? (VO2 Max Chart by Age)

A good VO2 max depends on your age and sex. The numbers decline about 10% per decade in adults, and men typically score higher than women thanks to differences in body composition, hemoglobin, and heart size. Use the charts below to see where you land.

Typical VO2 max for people born male (mL/kg/min):

Typical VO2 max for people born female (mL/kg/min):

If your score sits in the Good or higher range, you're already ahead of most people in your age bracket. If you're in Fair or Poor, you'll want to keep reading.

How to Increase VO2 Max

VO2 max is highly trainable. Sedentary people can bump it up 15 to 30% with consistent aerobic exercise, and trained athletes can still squeeze out some gains with smart programming. If you want to improve your VO2 max, here's how to do it.

Add HIIT to Your Week

High-intensity interval training is the single most efficient way to push VO2 max up. Hard intervals beat steady moderate cardio for VO2 max gains when total work is matched, and a large meta-analysis confirmed HIIT outperforms continuous training for healthy adults, older folks, athletes, and people with excess weight or obesity.

A classic protocol is 4 rounds of 4 minutes hard (around 90 to 95% of max heart rate) with 3 minutes of easy recovery between. Two to three sessions per week will do it, and more than that doesn't add much. Air bikes, curved treadmills, and rowers handle this work beautifully since you can get really precise with effort.

Try our HIIT treadmill workout

Build a Steady Aerobic Base

HIIT works better when you already have an aerobic base, so it's still worth adding one or two longer, conversational pace cardio sessions per week (30 to 60 minutes) on a treadmill, air bike, rower, or your favorite outdoor route. This builds capillary density and mitochondrial function, which are the engine room behind your interval performance.

For joint-friendly volume, a low-impact cardio workout on the bike or rower gives you the cardiovascular stimulus without trashing your knees.

Don't Skip Strength Training

Strength training alone won't push your VO2 max all that much. But combined aerobic and resistance training hits similar VO2 max numbers as cardio alone and adds muscle, bone density, and better movement on top..

Read more: Cardio vs Strength Training

Be Consistent for 8 to 12 Weeks

VO2 max is slow to change, so you'll need to be patient and consistent. You can expect to notice change in about 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training, but skipping weeks erases any gains you've made pretty fast.

Sample VO2 Max Workout Week

Here's a simple three day plan that helps you make the biggest change without burning you out.

Monday: HIIT Intervals

• 10-minute warm-up at easy pace
• 4 rounds: 4 minutes hard (RPE 8-9) with 3 minutes easy recovery
• 5-minute cooldown

Wednesday: Steady-State Cardio

• 30 to 45 minutes at conversational pace (RPE 4-6) on treadmill, bike, or rower

Friday: Short Sprint Intervals

• 10-minute warm-up
• 8 rounds: 30 seconds hard (RPE 9) with 90 seconds easy recovery
• 5-minute cooldown

Takeaway

VO2 max is one of the best indicators of your overall fitness and health, and fortunately you've got a lot of control over it. Test it (lab, field test, or wearable), and use the chart to see where you stand. If you want to improve it, add in two HIIT sessions and one steady-state cardio session each week for at least 8 to 12 weeks. Everything cardio related, including lifting, will start feeling easier, and you'll be doing a huge favor for your future self.

FAQs

What is a good VO2 max for my age?

A good VO2 max depends on your age and sex, but anything in the Good or higher range of the charts above puts you ahead of most of your peers. For a 40 year old man, Good lands around 42 mL/kg/min, and for a 40 year old woman, around 36. Higher is better for both performance and longevity.

How long does it take to improve VO2 max?

You can see improvements in about 8 to 12 weeks of consistent training. Sedentary people can bump VO2 max up by 15 to 30% over that same timeframe. Trained athletes will have smaller percentage gains, but every point counts at the top end.

Can I improve VO2 max without running?

You can improve your VO2 max without running. Cycling, rowing, swimming, and incline walking all build cardiorespiratory fitness when you push the intensity. Air bikes and rowers are favorites because they hit the upper body too and can give you a beastly workout in a short amount of time.

How accurate is the VO2 max on my smartwatch?

Wearable VO2 max estimates from Apple Watch, Garmin, Whoop, and similar devices are typically within 5 to 15% of a true lab measurement. They're great for tracking your own trend, but are less reliable for comparing your number to someone else's.

Does strength training improve VO2 max?

Strength training on its own doesn't move VO2 max much. Combining strength training with aerobic training works just as well as doing cardio alone for VO2 max and adds muscle and bone benefits resistance training brings.