Where do these VO2 max norms come from?

The percentile data is from The Cooper Institute's Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, a multi-decade cohort of more than 80,000 adults who completed maximal treadmill tests with direct gas analysis. It is the same dataset reproduced in ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 11th edition, Table 4.7.

What VO2 max percentile is considered good?

In the ACSM framework, 60th–79th percentile is "Good," 80th–94th is "Excellent," and 95th+ is "Superior." Below the 20th percentile is classified as "Poor," 20th–39th as "Fair," and 40th–59th as "Average." These cutoffs apply within each age and sex bracket.

Why do VO2 max values decline with age?

VO2 max typically drops about 10% per decade after age 30 due to reductions in maximal heart rate, stroke volume, and lean muscle mass. Regular aerobic training reduces this decline to roughly 5% per decade.

Are these norms the same for athletes?

No. These are general-population norms. Elite endurance athletes routinely exceed the 95th percentile — male Tour de France cyclists typically test at 70–85 ml/kg/min, and elite female distance runners at 65–75 ml/kg/min.

Runner checking a sports watch post-effort on a track

VO2 Max Chart by Age and Sex

This is the full VO2 max percentile chart — the same reference table used by the American College of Sports Medicine, sourced from The Cooper Institute's Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Values are in ml/kg/min. Find your age row and compare your score to the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentile columns.

Don't know your VO2 max yet? Calculate it in 2 minutes using one of 17 field tests, or enter a known value to see your percentile.

Men — VO2 max by age (ml/kg/min)

Men typically test 15–20% higher than women of the same age due to differences in hemoglobin concentration, heart size relative to body weight, and lean mass percentage. The 50th-percentile (median) value for men peaks in the 20–29 bracket at 48.0 ml/kg/min and declines to 24.4 by the 70–79 bracket.

Men, VO2 max percentiles by age bracket
Age	5th	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
20–29	29.0	32.1	40.1	48.0	55.2	61.8	66.3
30–39	27.2	30.2	35.9	42.4	49.2	56.5	59.8
40–49	24.2	26.8	31.9	37.8	45.0	52.1	55.6
50–59	20.9	22.8	27.1	32.6	39.7	45.6	50.7
60–69	17.4	19.8	23.7	28.2	34.5	40.3	43.0
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/).

Women — VO2 max by age (ml/kg/min)

For women, the 50th-percentile VO2 max peaks at 37.6 ml/kg/min in the 20–29 bracket and declines to 18.3 by 70–79. A female masters athlete in the 90th percentile for her age will typically match or exceed the 50th-percentile value of a woman 20 years younger.

Women, VO2 max percentiles by age bracket
Age	5th	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
20–29	21.7	23.9	30.5	37.6	44.7	51.3	56.0
30–39	19.0	20.9	25.3	30.2	36.1	41.4	45.8
40–49	17.0	18.8	22.1	26.7	32.4	38.4	41.7
50–59	16.0	17.3	19.9	23.4	27.6	32.0	35.9
60–69	13.4	14.6	17.2	20.0	23.8	27.0	29.4
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/).

Fitness categories

ACSM groups percentile bands into six fitness categories. These apply within each age-and-sex bracket — a 50-year-old man with VO2 max 40 ml/kg/min sits above the 75th percentile for his age, so his category is "Good," even though the same number would be "Average" for a 25-year-old.

Category	Percentile range	Interpretation
Poor	Below 20th	Elevated cardiovascular risk; meaningful gains possible with 8–12 weeks of training.
Fair	20th–39th	Below-average fitness; structured aerobic training typically yields 10–15% gains.
Average	40th–59th	Typical sedentary-to-lightly-active adult.
Good	60th–79th	Regular exerciser; solid cardiorespiratory reserve.
Excellent	80th–94th	Serious recreational athlete; strong longevity signal.
Superior	95th and above	Competitive-athlete territory; top 5% of general population.

How to read the chart

Find your age row in the men's or women's table.
Locate the column whose number is closest to your VO2 max.
Read the column header — that is your percentile. A 42 ml/kg/min VO2 max for a 35-year-old man sits between the 50th and 75th columns (42.4 and 49.2), so his percentile is roughly 55th — "Average."
For a precise percentile, use the percentile calculator — it interpolates between the listed breakpoints.

Frequently asked questions

Where do these VO2 max norms come from?: The percentile data is from The Cooper Institute's Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, a multi-decade cohort of more than 80,000 adults who completed maximal treadmill tests with direct gas analysis. It is the same dataset reproduced in ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 11th edition, Table 4.7.
What VO2 max percentile is considered good?: In the ACSM framework, 60th–79th percentile is "Good," 80th–94th is "Excellent," and 95th+ is "Superior." Below the 20th percentile is classified as "Poor," 20th–39th as "Fair," and 40th–59th as "Average." These cutoffs apply within each age and sex bracket.
Why do VO2 max values decline with age?: VO2 max typically drops about 10% per decade after age 30 due to reductions in maximal heart rate, stroke volume, and lean muscle mass. Regular aerobic training reduces this decline to roughly 5% per decade.
Are these norms the same for athletes?: No. These are general-population norms. Elite endurance athletes routinely exceed the 95th percentile — male Tour de France cyclists typically test at 70–85 ml/kg/min, and elite female distance runners at 65–75 ml/kg/min.