A VO2 max of 55 ml/kg/min is "Excellent" for a 35-year-old man (87th percentile) and "Superior" for a 35-year-old woman (99th percentile). The table below shows how 55 ranks in every age bracket.
Want your exact percentile? Enter your age and sex in the percentile calculator.
| Age bracket | Men | Women | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentile | Category | Percentile | Category | |
| 20–29 | 74 | Good | 94 | Excellent |
| 30–39 | 87 | Excellent | 99 | Superior |
| 40–49 | 94 | Excellent | 99 | Superior |
| 50–59 | 97 | Superior | 99 | Superior |
| 60–69 | 99 | Superior | 99 | Superior |
| 70–79 | 99 | Superior | 99 | Superior |
What 55 ml/kg/min means physiologically
VO2 max of 55 ml/kg/min is equivalent to 15.7 METs (one MET = 3.5 ml/kg/min, resting oxygen consumption). Practically, someone at this level can sustain steady-state exercise at roughly 60–70% of 55 — that is, 35.8 ml/kg/min, or about 10 METs — for an hour or more. For context, brisk walking is ~4 METs, jogging ~7 METs, and competitive running ~12–16 METs.
Each MET above the population median is associated with an ~10–15% reduction in all-cause mortality risk in long-term cohort studies, even after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Next steps
Whether 55 is good for you depends on where you want to go. Three common paths:
- If you're below average for your bracket: start with zone-2 training — the highest-return intervention for beginners.
- If you're average-to-good: add Norwegian 4x4 intervals once a week. Consistent use produces 5–10% gains in 8 weeks.
- If you're excellent-or-better: polarized training (80% easy / 20% hard) is the dominant approach in elite endurance programs.
Nearby values
Frequently asked questions
- Is 55 a good VO2 max?
- It depends on age and sex. For a 35-year-old man, 55 ml/kg/min is "Excellent" (87th percentile). For a 35-year-old woman, 55 is "Superior" (99th percentile). See the full table below for every age bracket.
- What does a VO2 max of 55 ml/kg/min mean physiologically?
- A VO2 max of 55 means your body can use 55 ml of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute at maximum effort. For a 175-lb (79 kg) adult that's 4.3 liters of oxygen per minute — enough to sustain roughly 16 METs of activity.
- How can I improve from a VO2 max of 55?
- Consistent aerobic training — zone 2 workouts 2–3 times per week plus one HIIT session — typically produces 5–15% gains in 8–12 weeks. See /improve/ for specific programs.