Cardio fitness reference table
VO₂ max table by age and sex — norms in ml/kg/min
The Cooper Institute norms used by ACSM, laid out as ranges for every age band from 20 to 79: what counts as poor, fair, good, excellent and superior for men and women, plus the estimated average for each age.
Find your row
Enter your numbers and the table marks your row.
Men — VO₂ max by age
| Age | Poor (below 40th percentile) | Fair (40th–60th) | Good (60th–80th) | Excellent (80th–95th) | Superior (95th+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | < 41.7 | 41.7–45.4 | 45.4–51.1 | 51.1–55.4 | ≥ 55.4 |
| 30–39 | < 40.5 | 40.5–44.0 | 44.0–48.3 | 48.3–54.0 | ≥ 54.0 |
| 40–49 | < 38.5 | 38.5–42.4 | 42.4–46.4 | 46.4–52.5 | ≥ 52.5 |
| 50–59 | < 35.6 | 35.6–39.2 | 39.2–43.4 | 43.4–48.9 | ≥ 48.9 |
| 60–69 | < 32.3 | 32.3–35.5 | 35.5–39.5 | 39.5–45.7 | ≥ 45.7 |
| 70–79 | < 29.4 | 29.4–32.3 | 32.3–36.7 | 36.7–42.1 | ≥ 42.1 |
Women — VO₂ max by age
| Age | Poor (below 40th percentile) | Fair (40th–60th) | Good (60th–80th) | Excellent (80th–95th) | Superior (95th+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | < 36.1 | 36.1–39.5 | 39.5–43.9 | 43.9–49.6 | ≥ 49.6 |
| 30–39 | < 34.4 | 34.4–37.8 | 37.8–42.4 | 42.4–47.4 | ≥ 47.4 |
| 40–49 | < 33.0 | 33.0–36.3 | 36.3–39.7 | 39.7–45.3 | ≥ 45.3 |
| 50–59 | < 30.1 | 30.1–33.0 | 33.0–36.7 | 36.7–41.1 | ≥ 41.1 |
| 60–69 | < 27.5 | 27.5–30.0 | 30.0–33.0 | 33.0–37.8 | ≥ 37.8 |
| 70–79 | < 25.9 | 25.9–28.1 | 28.1–30.9 | 30.9–36.7 | ≥ 36.7 |
Average VO₂ max by age
| Age | Men (median) | Women (median) |
|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 43.6 | 37.8 |
| 30–39 | 42.3 | 36.1 |
| 40–49 | 40.5 | 34.7 |
| 50–59 | 37.4 | 31.6 |
| 60–69 | 33.9 | 28.8 |
| 70–79 | 30.9 | 27.0 |
How to read the VO₂ max table
Find your sex and age band, then the range your value falls in. The labels are percentile bands from a cohort of mostly white American volunteers tested on a treadmill, so "good" means above the 60th percentile of that group, not a clinical verdict. The average column is the estimated median, the midpoint of the 40th and 60th percentile cut-points.
The coach can schedule the intervals that move VO₂ max and track a re-test on your grid.
What is a good VO₂ max for my age?
"Good" starts at the 60th percentile of your age and sex band: 45.4 ml/kg/min for a man of 20 to 29, 39.5 for a woman of the same age, falling to 32.3 and 28.1 at 70 to 79.
How do I measure VO₂ max without a lab?
Field tests estimate it from performance: the Cooper 12-minute run, the beep test, the Rockport walk and step tests. Each has its own calculator here; the estimates are typically within a few ml/kg/min of a lab value.