If you're between ages 30–39, the median VO2 max is 42.4 ml/kg/min for men and 30.2 ml/kg/min for women. Anything at or above the 60th percentile is "Good" in the ACSM framework; 80th and above is "Excellent."
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Men — ages 30–39
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30–39 | 27.2 | 30.2 | 35.9 | 42.4 | 49.2 | 56.5 | 59.8 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For men in their 30s: below 35.9 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 42.4 is the median; 49.2 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 56.5 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 59.8 is "Superior" — top 5% of men in this age bracket.
Women — ages 30–39
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30–39 | 19.0 | 20.9 | 25.3 | 30.2 | 36.1 | 41.4 | 45.8 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For women in their 30s: below 25.3 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 30.2 is the median; 36.1 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 41.4 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 45.8 is "Superior" — top 5% of women in this age bracket.
Training targets for your 30s
If you are below the 40th percentile, structured aerobic training typically yields 10–20% gains in 8–12 weeks — the biggest relative returns are available here. Above the 75th percentile, gains slow to roughly 3–8% per training block, but maintenance becomes the priority: VO2 max loss in trained adults is about half the rate of untrained peers.
- Zone 2 training — 2–3 sessions per week, 45–90 minutes each.
- Norwegian 4x4 intervals — 1 session per week at 85–95% max heart rate.
- Polarized training — the 80/20 rule used by most elite endurance athletes.
Frequently asked questions
- What is an average VO2 max in your 30s?
- The 50th-percentile VO2 max for men in their 30s is 42.4 ml/kg/min. For women, it's 30.2 ml/kg/min.
- What is a good VO2 max in your 30s?
- ACSM classifies the 60th–79th percentile as "Good." For men in their 30s that means roughly 45.1–49.2 ml/kg/min; for women, 32.6–36.1.
- What is considered excellent for ages 30–39?
- The 90th-percentile VO2 max is 56.5 ml/kg/min for men and 41.4 for women in the 30–39 bracket.
- How can I improve my VO2 max in my 30s?
- A combination of zone-2 training 2–3 times per week and high-intensity intervals (Norwegian 4x4 or 30/30 intervals) 1–2 times per week typically produces 5–15% gains over 8–12 weeks. See /improve/ for structured programs.