How this estimate works
This tool uses the heart rate ratio method: your maximum heart rate divided by your resting heart rate, multiplied by 15.3, gives an estimate of VO2max in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute 1.
If you leave maximum heart rate blank, it is estimated as 208 minus 0.7 times your age, a formula that describes the average across many adults 2. A maximum you have actually measured, for example at the end of a hard race or a lab test, makes the estimate more personal.
The ratio method was developed in well-trained men, so it is less certain for women, older adults and people who are less trained 1. Your number is then placed against the FRIEND registry, reference values from treadmill tests of healthy adults aged 20–79 3.
How to read your result
The category shows where your estimate sits among people of your sex and age decade in FRIEND. The registry publishes percentiles; our words map them as Low below the 25th percentile, then Fair, Good, Excellent and Superior from the 25th, 50th, 75th and 95th percentiles 3.
In a large study of adults who did treadmill tests, higher fitness was associated with lower long-term mortality, and no upper limit was seen 4. A low number is a starting point, not a verdict: both steady endurance training and intervals raise VO2max, and intervals did slightly better across trials 6. Our guide Build your VO2max shows how to fit both into a week.
| Age | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 30.5 | 37.6 | 44.7 | 56.0 |
| 30–39 | 25.3 | 30.2 | 36.1 | 45.8 |
| 40–49 | 22.1 | 26.7 | 32.4 | 41.7 |
| 50–59 | 19.9 | 23.4 | 27.6 | 35.9 |
| 60–69 | 17.2 | 20.0 | 23.8 | 29.4 |
| 70–79 | 15.6 | 18.3 | 20.8 | 24.1 |
| Age | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 40.1 | 48.0 | 55.2 | 66.3 |
| 30–39 | 35.9 | 42.4 | 49.2 | 59.8 |
| 40–49 | 31.9 | 37.8 | 45.0 | 55.6 |
| 50–59 | 27.1 | 32.6 | 39.7 | 50.7 |
| 60–69 | 23.7 | 28.2 | 34.5 | 43.0 |
| 70–79 | 20.4 | 24.4 | 30.4 | 39.7 |
Questions people ask
What is a good VO2max for my age?
In the FRIEND registry the median was 48.0 ml/kg/min for men and 37.6 for women aged 20–29, and 24.4 and 18.3 for ages 70–79 3. On average it fell by roughly 10% per decade 3. In this tool, Good means at or above the median for your sex and age decade.
How accurate is a VO2max estimate from resting heart rate?
It is a rough estimate. The method was developed in well-trained men 1, and an estimated maximum heart rate adds more uncertainty because the formula describes an average 2. A lab test that measures the air you breathe is the accurate way to know your number.
How can I raise my VO2max?
Train your engine with a base of easy sessions and some hard intervals. In a classic trial, 4 × 4 minutes at 90–95% of maximum heart rate with 3 minutes of active recovery, three times a week for eight weeks, raised VO2max more than steady running in moderately trained men 5. A meta-analysis found large gains from both continuous and interval training, slightly larger with intervals 6.
Why does VO2max matter for a long life?
In 122,007 adults followed for a median of 8.4 years, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with lower all-cause mortality, and the fittest group had the lowest risk 4. This is an observational finding: it shows an association, not proof that raising your number adds years.
Sources
- Uth N, Sørensen H, Overgaard K, Pedersen PK. Estimation of VO2max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest: the Heart Rate Ratio Method. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004;91(1):111–115.
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153–156.
- Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J. Reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: data from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(11):1515–1523.
- Mandsager K, Harb S, Cremer P, Phelan D, Nissen SE, Jaber W. Association of cardiorespiratory fitness with long-term mortality among adults undergoing exercise treadmill testing. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(6):e183605.
- Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(4):665–671.
- Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M. Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIT) and continuous endurance training for VO2max improvements: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Sports Med. 2015;45(10):1469–1481.