VO2 Max Estimate Calculator
Estimate your VO2 max from resting heart rate and age using the Uth-Sørensen formula.
A simple way to gauge your aerobic fitness level.
What Is VO2 Max?
VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) is the maximum rate at which your body can consume oxygen during intense exercise. It is measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min) and is considered the gold standard measure of cardiorespiratory fitness.
Higher VO2 max values mean your heart, lungs, and muscles can work harder and more efficiently. Elite endurance athletes often have VO2 max values above 70 mL/kg/min. The average untrained adult typically falls between 30–45.
The Uth-Sørensen Formula
This calculator uses the Uth-Sørensen-Overgaard-Pedersen formula (2004), which estimates VO2 max from the ratio of maximum heart rate to resting heart rate:
VO2 max ≈ 15 × (HRmax ÷ HRrest)
Where:
- HRmax = Maximum heart rate, measured if you know it
- HRrest = Resting heart rate, measured in the morning before getting up
The original study measured maximum heart rate directly. Most people have not done a maximal test, so this page offers two estimates instead. Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) is the default because the older 220 − age formula overestimates young adults and underestimates older ones by up to 10 beats, and a 10-beat error here moves the answer by two or three points.
A warning about precision: the ratio is a division, so a small error in the denominator matters more than it looks. Getting your resting pulse wrong by 5 bpm typically shifts the result by 3 to 4 points, which is most of a fitness class. Measure it lying down before you sit up, on three separate mornings, and take the average. The study also validated the formula on trained runners, so it tends to flatter sedentary people.
VO2 Max Fitness Ratings
The Cooper Institute norms, which depend on age as much as on sex. These are the same figures the VO2 Max Calculator uses, so the two pages will always agree about what a given number means.
Men:
| Age | Very poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | under 33.0 | 33.0-36.4 | 36.5-42.4 | 42.5-46.4 | 46.5-52.4 | above 52.4 |
| 30-39 | under 31.5 | 31.5-35.4 | 35.5-40.9 | 41.0-44.9 | 45.0-49.4 | above 49.4 |
| 40-49 | under 30.2 | 30.2-33.5 | 33.6-38.9 | 39.0-43.7 | 43.8-48.0 | above 48.0 |
| 50-59 | under 26.1 | 26.1-30.9 | 31.0-35.7 | 35.8-40.9 | 41.0-45.3 | above 45.3 |
| 60+ | under 20.5 | 20.5-26.0 | 26.1-32.2 | 32.3-36.4 | 36.5-44.2 | above 44.2 |
Women:
| Age | Very poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Excellent | Superior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | under 23.6 | 23.6-28.9 | 29.0-32.9 | 33.0-36.9 | 37.0-41.0 | above 41.0 |
| 30-39 | under 22.8 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.6 | 35.7-40.0 | above 40.0 |
| 40-49 | under 21.0 | 21.0-24.4 | 24.5-28.9 | 29.0-32.8 | 32.9-36.9 | above 36.9 |
| 50-59 | under 20.2 | 20.2-22.7 | 22.8-26.9 | 27.0-31.4 | 31.5-35.7 | above 35.7 |
| 60+ | under 17.5 | 17.5-20.1 | 20.2-24.4 | 24.5-30.2 | 30.3-31.4 | above 31.4 |
Notice how far the bands slide. A man at 40 mL/kg/min is Fair at 25 and Excellent at 65. A single “adult” table would have to pick one of those and be wrong about the other, which is why this one does not.
How to Measure Resting Heart Rate
Take your pulse first thing in the morning, before getting out of bed. Count beats for a full 60 seconds. Counting for 15 and multiplying by 4 quadruples your counting error too. For best accuracy, measure on 3 consecutive mornings and average the results. A healthy resting heart rate for adults is typically 60–80 bpm.
Improving Your VO2 Max
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the most effective method
- Long slow distance (LSD) running or cycling also improves aerobic base
- Consistent training can improve VO2 max by 15–25% over several months
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
SuperGlobalCalculator is independently built and maintained. See how we build and verify our calculators.