VO2 Max Norms for Your 70s
If you're between ages 70–79, the median VO2 max is 24.4 ml/kg/min for men and 18.3 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 70–79
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70–79 | 16.3 | 17.1 | 20.4 | 24.4 | 30.4 | 36.6 | 39.7 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For men in their 70s: below 20.4 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 24.4 is the median; 30.4 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 36.6 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 39.7 is "Superior" — top 5% of men in this age bracket.
Women — ages 70–79
| Age | 5th | 10th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70–79 | 13.1 | 13.6 | 15.6 | 18.3 | 20.8 | 23.1 | 24.1 |
Values are VO2 max in ml/kg/min. Source: The Cooper Institute (see /methodology/).
For women in their 70s: below 15.6 ml/kg/min is "Poor-to-Fair"; 18.3 is the median; 20.8 puts you in the top quartile ("Good"); 23.1 is "Excellent" (top 10%); and anything above 24.1 is "Superior" — top 5% of women in this age bracket.
Training targets for your 70s
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 70s?
- The 50th-percentile VO2 max for men in their 70s is 24.4 ml/kg/min. For women, it's 18.3 ml/kg/min.
- What is a good VO2 max in your 70s?
- ACSM classifies the 60th–79th percentile as "Good." For men in their 70s that means roughly 26.8–30.4 ml/kg/min; for women, 19.3–20.8.
- What is considered excellent for ages 70–79?
- The 90th-percentile VO2 max is 36.6 ml/kg/min for men and 23.1 for women in the 70–79 bracket.
- How can I improve my VO2 max in my 70s?
- 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.