A good VO2 Max depends on your age and sex. For a 40-year-old male, anything above 39 ml/kg/min is above average. For a 40-year-old female, above 29 ml/kg/min puts you ahead of the midpoint. The tables below give you the full picture: VO2 Max percentile ranges by age group for both men and women, based on data from the American College of Sports Medicine. Use our VO2 Max percentile calculator to see exactly where you stand. See what Apple Watch would classify your VO2 Max as with our Cardio Fitness Level Checker.
VO2 Max measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise, expressed in milliliters per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is one of the strongest markers of cardiovascular fitness and is closely linked to all-cause mortality. Higher is better, and it declines naturally with age, roughly 1% per year after 30. But that decline is not fixed. Training can slow it, stop it, or reverse it.
VO2 Max Chart: Male
| Age | Poor | Below Avg | Average | Above Avg | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | <33.0 | 33.0–36.4 | 36.5–42.4 | 42.5–46.4 | 46.5–52.4 | 52.5–56.0 | >56.0 |
| 30–39 | <31.5 | 31.5–35.4 | 35.5–40.9 | 41.0–44.9 | 45.0–49.4 | 49.5–54.0 | >54.0 |
| 40–49 | <30.2 | 30.2–33.5 | 33.6–38.9 | 39.0–43.7 | 43.8–48.0 | 48.1–52.0 | >52.0 |
| 50–59 | <26.1 | 26.1–30.1 | 30.2–35.7 | 35.8–40.9 | 41.0–45.3 | 45.4–49.0 | >49.0 |
| 60–69 | <20.5 | 20.5–26.0 | 26.1–32.2 | 32.3–36.4 | 36.5–40.9 | 41.0–45.0 | >45.0 |
| 70+ | <17.5 | 17.5–23.0 | 23.1–29.0 | 29.1–33.0 | 33.1–37.0 | 37.1–41.0 | >41.0 |
Values in ml/kg/min. Source: ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
VO2 Max Chart: Female
| Age | Poor | Below Avg | Average | Above Avg | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | <23.6 | 23.6–28.9 | 29.0–32.9 | 33.0–36.9 | 37.0–41.0 | 41.1–44.2 | >44.2 |
| 30–39 | <22.8 | 22.8–26.9 | 27.0–31.4 | 31.5–35.6 | 35.7–40.0 | 40.1–42.4 | >42.4 |
| 40–49 | <21.0 | 21.0–24.4 | 24.5–28.9 | 29.0–32.8 | 32.9–36.9 | 37.0–40.0 | >40.0 |
| 50–59 | <20.2 | 20.2–22.7 | 22.8–26.9 | 27.0–31.4 | 31.5–35.7 | 35.8–38.0 | >38.0 |
| 60–69 | <17.5 | 17.5–20.1 | 20.2–24.4 | 24.5–28.0 | 28.1–32.0 | 32.1–35.0 | >35.0 |
| 70+ | <15.0 | 15.0–17.4 | 17.5–22.0 | 22.1–25.0 | 25.1–29.0 | 29.1–32.0 | >32.0 |
Values in ml/kg/min. Source: ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription.
What Apple Watch Tells You
Apple Watch estimates your VO2 Max using data from outdoor walks, runs, and hikes. It combines heart rate, pace, elevation, and personal data (age, sex, weight, height) to produce a predicted cardio fitness level. The estimate has been validated to be within roughly 1 ml/kg/min of laboratory testing for most people, across a range of 14–65 ml/kg/min.
The reading updates as you accumulate more outdoor workouts. It won’t update from indoor exercise, cycling, or swimming. Only activities where GPS and walking/running mechanics can be measured together.
Luen reads this VO2 Max estimate from Apple Health and shows you how it connects to your daily habits: exercise, sleep, daylight, and stress. Instead of a number sitting in the Health app, you get context: your age-group percentile, your trend over time, and the patterns in your behavior that correlate with changes.
How to Improve Your VO2 Max
The most effective method is consistent aerobic exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Two to three sessions per week of intervals, alternating between near-maximum effort and recovery, can produce measurable gains in 6–8 weeks. Steady-state cardio (running, cycling, swimming at a sustained moderate pace) also contributes, especially for building the aerobic base. The key is consistency over weeks and months, not any single workout.
If your score recently dropped, see why your Apple Watch VO2 Max might have dropped.
Track your VO2 Max and Resting Heart Rate with Luen.
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Download for iOSFrequently Asked Questions
What is a good VO2 Max for my age?
A "good" VO2 Max is at or above the 50th percentile for your age and sex. For men aged 30-39, that's approximately 40-44 mL/kg/min. For women aged 30-39, approximately 31-35 mL/kg/min. Above the 75th percentile is considered excellent. Use our VO2 Max Percentile Calculator to check your exact ranking.
What are the ACSM VO2 Max percentiles by age?
The most widely used VO2 Max percentile data comes from the FRIEND (Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database), published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. It provides percentile rankings by sex for each decade from 20-79 years. The 50th percentile for men ranges from about 48 mL/kg/min at age 20-29 down to about 24 mL/kg/min at age 70-79.
How does VO2 Max change with age?
VO2 Max declines approximately 10% per decade after age 25-30 in sedentary individuals. However, consistent aerobic training can slow this decline significantly. Active 60-year-olds can maintain VO2 Max levels comparable to sedentary 30-year-olds.
What VO2 Max do I need for longevity?
Research shows that VO2 Max is the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality. Being in the bottom 25th percentile for your age and sex carries the highest risk. Moving from the bottom 25% to even below-average fitness is associated with a 50% reduction in mortality risk over a decade. Every 1 mL/kg/min increase reduces mortality risk by approximately 9%.