What is an average VO2 max in your 60s?

The 50th-percentile VO2 max for men in their 60s is 28.2 ml/kg/min. For women, it's 20.0 ml/kg/min.

What is a good VO2 max in your 60s?

ACSM classifies the 60th–79th percentile as "Good." For men in their 60s that means roughly 30.7–34.5 ml/kg/min; for women, 21.5–23.8.

What is considered excellent for ages 60–69?

The 90th-percentile VO2 max is 40.3 ml/kg/min for men and 27.0 for women in the 60–69 bracket.

How can I improve my VO2 max in my 60s?

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.

VO2 Max Norms for Your 60s

If you're between ages 60–69, the median VO2 max is 28.2 ml/kg/min for men and 20.0 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 60–69

Men, 60–69
Age	5th	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
60–69	17.4	19.8	23.7	28.2	34.5	40.3	43.0

Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).

For men in their 60s: below 23.7 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 28.2 is the median; 34.5 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 40.3 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 43.0 is "Superior" — top 5% of men in this age bracket.

Women — ages 60–69

Women, 60–69
Age	5th	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
60–69	13.4	14.6	17.2	20.0	23.8	27.0	29.4

Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).

For women in their 60s: below 17.2 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 20.0 is the median; 23.8 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 27.0 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 29.4 is "Superior" — top 5% of women in this age bracket.

Training targets for your 60s

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 60s?: The 50th-percentile VO2 max for men in their 60s is 28.2 ml/kg/min. For women, it's 20.0 ml/kg/min.
What is a good VO2 max in your 60s?: ACSM classifies the 60th–79th percentile as "Good." For men in their 60s that means roughly 30.7–34.5 ml/kg/min; for women, 21.5–23.8.
What is considered excellent for ages 60–69?: The 90th-percentile VO2 max is 40.3 ml/kg/min for men and 27.0 for women in the 60–69 bracket.
How can I improve my VO2 max in my 60s?: 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.