VO2 Max Levels
VO2 Max levels chart: understand what VO2 Max levels mean, what is a good VO2 Max level, and how VO2 Max levels vary by age and gender. Includes Garmin VO2 Max levels notes, average vs elite ranges, and blood oxygen vs VO2 Max FAQs.
VO2 Max Levels
All VO2 Max values on this page are estimates, not lab-measured VO2 Max. For simplicity, we refer to them as VO2 Max (estimated VO2 Max).
Trainingload.ai maps your estimated VO2 Max into 5 levels so you can quickly interpret your current aerobic fitness.
| Level | Description | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Top tier | |
| Very Good | Strong | |
| Good | Solid | |
| Fair | Needs improvement | |
| Poor | Significant opportunity |
What are VO2 Max levels (and why they’re useful)?
VO2 Max levels are a practical way to turn a continuous number (VO2 Max in ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) into a fitness level. They’re most useful for:
- Quick interpretation (where you roughly sit right now)
- Tracking trends over time (same device/algorithm)
- Interpreting VO2 Max levels by age and gender (more fair comparisons)
If you want to estimate your VO2 Max first:
And for a broader overview of what VO2 Max means and how it’s estimated:
What is a good VO2 Max level?
“Good” depends on age, sex, sport, and training history. A practical approach:
- Use the age + sex thresholds below when you have that info
- Focus on your own trend rather than a single reading
There are two ways to determine the level (the system uses the more specific option when available):
Option 1: Age or sex not available — generic thresholds
When age or sex is missing, generic thresholds are used:
| Level | VO2 Max (ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) |
|---|---|
| Excellent | ≥ 50 |
| Very Good | ≥ 40 and < 50 |
| Good | ≥ 35 and < 40 |
| Fair | ≥ 30 and < 35 |
| Poor | < 30 |
Option 2: Age and sex available
When both age and sex are available, thresholds are determined by sex and age bracket.
Men
| Level | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 55.4 | 54.0 | 52.5 | 48.9 | 45.7 | 42.1 |
| Very Good | 51.1 | 48.3 | 46.4 | 43.4 | 39.5 | 36.7 |
| Good | 45.4 | 44.0 | 42.4 | 39.2 | 35.5 | 32.3 |
| Fair | 41.7 | 40.5 | 38.5 | 35.6 | 32.3 | 29.4 |
| Poor | < 41.7 | < 40.5 | < 38.5 | < 35.6 | < 32.3 | < 29.4 |
Women
| Level | 20–29 | 30–39 | 40–49 | 50–59 | 60–69 | 70–79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | 49.6 | 47.4 | 45.3 | 41.1 | 37.8 | 36.7 |
| Very Good | 43.9 | 42.4 | 39.7 | 36.7 | 33.0 | 30.9 |
| Good | 39.5 | 37.8 | 36.3 | 33.0 | 30.0 | 28.1 |
| Fair | 36.1 | 34.4 | 33.0 | 30.1 | 27.5 | 25.9 |
| Poor | < 36.1 | < 34.4 | < 33.0 | < 30.1 | < 27.5 | < 25.9 |
Garmin VO2 Max levels: are they reliable?
Garmin shows an estimated VO2 Max and an associated level. Treat it as a model output, not a lab measurement.
Best practice:
- Compare within the same device/ecosystem (great for trends)
- Don’t compare raw numbers across brands/algorithms
- For a more repeatable baseline, use a standard effort (e.g., a recent 5K/10K) and track progress with the same protocol
Average vs elite VO2 Max levels
“Average” and “elite” vary by sport and event. For training, it’s usually more useful to:
- Improve into a healthier range for your profile
- Also develop threshold ability, economy/efficiency, durability, and pacing/fueling (which strongly affect performance)
Blood oxygen vs VO2 Max: are they the same?
- Blood oxygen (SpO₂): oxygen saturation in the blood right now (affected by altitude, breathing, illness, etc.)
- VO2 Max: maximal capacity of the full oxygen pathway during intense exercise (a performance capacity ceiling)
They’re related in some contexts (e.g., altitude), but not the same metric.
How to increase VO2 Max levels
Most athletes improve VO2 Max levels through a combination of:
- A consistent aerobic base (easy/Zone 2 volume)
- Periodic VO2-intensity intervals (e.g., 3–8 min repeats, quality-first)
- Progressive overload with adequate recovery
FAQ: VO2 Max levels
Where is the VO2 Max levels chart?
This page includes a VO2 Max levels chart: generic thresholds plus sex- and age-bracket thresholds.
VO2 Max levels by age female / women / men — how do I read it?
Use the Men/Women table and pick your age bracket column.
What is a normal / healthy cardio fitness level by age VO2 Max?
Use the age + sex thresholds as a starting point, then focus on long-term trend and consistency rather than one-off readings.
VO2 Max (Maximal Oxygen Uptake)
VO2 Max is one of the key metrics for aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory fitness. This guide explains what it means, common estimation methods (watch/platform/VDOT/power), typical error sources, and how to use VO2 Max for trends and training intensity.
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