If you're between ages 50–59, the median VO2 max is 32.6 ml/kg/min for men and 23.4 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 50–59
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50–59 | 20.9 | 22.8 | 27.1 | 32.6 | 39.7 | 45.6 | 50.7 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For men in their 50s: below 27.1 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 32.6 is the median; 39.7 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 45.6 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 50.7 is "Superior" — top 5% of men in this age bracket.
Women — ages 50–59
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50–59 | 16.0 | 17.3 | 19.9 | 23.4 | 27.6 | 32.0 | 35.9 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For women in their 50s: below 19.9 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 23.4 is the median; 27.6 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 32.0 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 35.9 is "Superior" — top 5% of women in this age bracket.
Training targets for your 50s
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 50s?
- The 50th-percentile VO2 max for men in their 50s is 32.6 ml/kg/min. For women, it's 23.4 ml/kg/min.
- What is a good VO2 max in your 50s?
- ACSM classifies the 60th–79th percentile as "Good." For men in their 50s that means roughly 35.4–39.7 ml/kg/min; for women, 25.1–27.6.
- What is considered excellent for ages 50–59?
- The 90th-percentile VO2 max is 45.6 ml/kg/min for men and 32.0 for women in the 50–59 bracket.
- How can I improve my VO2 max in my 50s?
- 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.