Health and wellbeing

VO2 max: What is it and how can you improve yours?

2 min read

Wednesday, 8 February 2023

VO2 max is, very simply, the maximum amount of oxygen that a person can intake. It is used globally to measure the endurance or cardio fitness of individuals.

It's the gold standard of cardio fitness. Below, learn how to measure your VO2 max, understand where you are in terms of standard, and how to improve your score.

How do you score VO2 max?

Metabolic equivalents (METs) are the official measurement of VO2 max, using the equation below.

1 MET = 3.5mL O2 / kg x minute

The higher your score, the fitter you are, as your body is more able to use oxygen efficiently while you are exercising.

What is a good score?

A "good" score can vary depending on several factors such as age, gender, genetics, and overall health. However, the below table from the American College of Sports Medicine gives rough guidance on what is considered top form to needing some work, for each gender and age.

From ACSM data

Individuals born male

	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55	56-65	66+
Excellent	>60	>56	>51	>45	>41	>37
Good	52-60	49-56	43-51	39-45	36-41	33-37
Average	47-51	43-48	39-42	35-38	32-35	29-32
Average	42-26	40-42	35-38	32-35	30-31	26-28
Average	37-41	35-39	31-34	29-31	26-29	22-25
Poor	30-36	30-34	26-30	25-28	22-25	20-21
Very poor	<30	<30	<36	<20	<18	<17

Individuals born female

	18-25	26-35	36-45	46-55	56-65	66+
Excellent	56	52	45	40	37	32
Good	47-56	45-52	38-45	34-40	32-37	28-32
Average	42-46	39-44	34-37	31-33	28-31	25-27
Average	38-41	35-38	31-33	28-30	25-27	22-24
Average	33-37	31-34	27-30	25-27	22-24	19-22
Poor	28-32	26-30	22-26	20-24	18-21	17-18
Very poor	<28	<26	<22	<20	<18	<17

Please note that VO2 max scores should be interpreted in the context of other factors and should not be used as the sole indicator of fitness.

How can you improve your score?

Your VO2 max typically declines with age, after reaching 30 years old. Training your cardiovascular system at the right threshold can, however, maintain and/or improve your VO2 max score. Try adding in threshold training, maintaining a high intensity, think Myzone yellow or red zone, for 10 minutes or longer – learn more here.

Additionally, lifestyle factors such as stopping smoking and improving diet can contribute.

Download the Myzone app for Android or iOS and start tracking your progress now.

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