Every input here is self-reported, and self-reported activity in particular tends to run optimistic, which biases the estimate upward. The model is most accurate for ordinary, middle-fitness adults and least accurate at the extremes. Use it to track your own trend over time rather than to compare yourself precisely to someone else, and if you want a real number, a graded exercise (CPET) test at a sports-medicine clinic is the gold standard. A change smaller than about 5 to 6 ml/kg/min is inside the model's own error, so treat it as noise, not progress: non-exercise estimates track real change poorly, calling the direction of change right only about half the time [6].
VO2 Max Chart by Age and Gender, with Calculator
A good VO2 max sits clearly above the average for your age and sex. At 40, the Norwegian HUNT3 reference data (Loe et al. 2013) puts that average at about 47 ml/kg/min for men and 38 for women; good starts around 49 and 40. A reference, not a diagnosis.
The chart shows which VO2 max is typical for your age and sex. The calculator estimates your own VO2 max and fitness age without a lab test, from a quick camera scan and a few basics about you.
Updated
VO2 max calculator: estimate your fitness age and fitness level without a lab test
How do you want to start?
Sit still for a couple of minutes first, so the reading is a resting pulse. Point your camera at your face for about 60 seconds. Everything is processed locally in your browser and your heart and pulse-signal data never leaves your device. By starting, you consent to processing this data. Privacy policyBiometric data retention
VO2 max chart: good values by age for women and men
For every age band the charts show the average (mean) VO2 max measured directly on a treadmill in 3816 healthy adults (HUNT3 reference data [3]), next to the five fitness levels as ranges in ml/kg/min. Above that average you are ahead of your age group; below it you are behind.
Show chart for
Women: VO2 max chart by age (ml/kg/min)
| Age | Mean | Poor | Fair | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 43.0 | under 36.5 | 36.5 to 41.0 | 41.0 to 45.0 | 45.0 to 49.5 | from 49.5 |
| 30–39 | 40.0 | under 34.3 | 34.3 to 38.3 | 38.3 to 41.7 | 41.7 to 45.7 | from 45.7 |
| 40–49 | 38.4 | under 32.6 | 32.6 to 36.7 | 36.7 to 40.1 | 40.1 to 44.2 | from 44.2 |
| 50–59 | 34.4 | under 29.6 | 29.6 to 33.0 | 33.0 to 35.8 | 35.8 to 39.2 | from 39.2 |
| 60–69 | 31.1 | under 26.8 | 26.8 to 29.8 | 29.8 to 32.4 | 32.4 to 35.4 | from 35.4 |
| 70+ | 28.3 | under 23.9 | 23.9 to 27.0 | 27.0 to 29.6 | 29.6 to 32.7 | from 32.7 |
Men: VO2 max chart by age (ml/kg/min)
| Age | Mean | Poor | Fair | Average | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 54.4 | under 47.3 | 47.3 to 52.3 | 52.3 to 56.5 | 56.5 to 61.5 | from 61.5 |
| 30–39 | 49.1 | under 42.8 | 42.8 to 47.2 | 47.2 to 51.0 | 51.0 to 55.4 | from 55.4 |
| 40–49 | 47.2 | under 40.7 | 40.7 to 45.2 | 45.2 to 49.2 | 49.2 to 53.7 | from 53.7 |
| 50–59 | 42.6 | under 36.4 | 36.4 to 40.7 | 40.7 to 44.5 | 44.5 to 48.8 | from 48.8 |
| 60–69 | 39.2 | under 33.6 | 33.6 to 37.5 | 37.5 to 40.9 | 40.9 to 44.8 | from 44.8 |
| 70+ | 35.3 | under 29.8 | 29.8 to 33.7 | 33.7 to 36.9 | 36.9 to 40.8 | from 40.8 |
Values in ml/kg/min. The average is the published HUNT3 mean [3]; the four fitness-level boundaries sit at the 20th, 40th, 60th and 80th percentile and are computed from that mean and its standard deviation, exactly the way the calculator grades your number. Rounded to one decimal. The chart is a reference, not a diagnosis.
What VO2max is, and why it matters
VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during hard exercise, measured in millilitres per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is the best single measure of cardiorespiratory fitness, and one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality: higher fitness tracks with a longer, healthier life. A true VO2max needs a lab test with a mask and a treadmill, while this tool estimates it instead from things you already know.
Why resting heart rate (and the face-age scan)
A lower resting heart rate generally reflects a stronger, more efficient heart, which is why the HUNT model uses it as an input [1]. It is not the biggest driver (your age, body composition and especially how hard you train matter more), but it sharpens the estimate. Don't know your resting heart rate? Our face-age scan can estimate it from your webcam in about 60 seconds and carry it into this calculator.
Run the face-age scanHow accurate is a non-exercise estimate?
The HUNT model explains roughly 56 to 61% of the variation in measured VO2max, with a standard error of about 5 to 6 ml/kg/min [1, 2], and 95% of true values sit within about ±2 standard errors, roughly ±10 to 12 ml/kg/min. That is close to other non-exercise equations and good enough to place you in a fitness band, but not a substitute for a lab test. It tends to overestimate fitness in inactive people and underestimate it in well-trained athletes, so read your result as an orientation, not a verdict. Outside Norway the model has read about 6 ml/kg/min high in a US lab cohort [6], and it overestimates most for the least active people and for adults with obesity. This calculator uses the height-and-weight (BMI) variant [2], which is about as accurate as the original waist version [1].
How to move the number
VO2max is responsive to training in general. In the research, the inputs most associated with a higher estimate are training intensity (sessions hard enough to leave you breathing heavily) and a mix of easy aerobic volume with short, hard intervals over weeks to months; a lower body-fat level around the middle and a lower resting heart rate are also associated with higher values. What works for any individual is best discussed with a doctor or a qualified coach.
Where your percentile comes from
The HUNT3 reference data publishes a mean VO2max and a standard deviation for every age band (decades from 20 to 69, then one band for 70 and over), separately for men and women, all measured directly on a treadmill in 3816 healthy Norwegian adults [3]. The table above prints that mean for each band, plus the four fitness-level boundaries computed from the mean and the standard deviation. Your own number is placed on a normal, bell-shaped distribution with your band's mean and standard deviation, and your percentile is the share of people of that age and sex who sit below you, clamped to between 1 and 99. The five fitness labels come from cutting that percentile at 20, 40, 60 and 80. Fitness-testing guidelines such as ACSM's also grade VO2max by percentile, but these cut points and labels are this tool's own descriptors, not ACSM's wording and not part of the HUNT data. The last band, 70 and over, covers participants up to about 90. Ages under 20 sit outside the published bands, so they are compared with the nearest band and the result card says so.
What is fitness age, and how is it calculated?
Fitness age asks a different question than your birthday does: at what age would your VO2max be an average result? We read it off the average line of the HUNT3 reference data [3], the same reference that grades the percentile and the fitness level on this page. Each age band has a published average; your fitness age is the age whose average matches your VO2max, interpolated between the decade midpoints. Sit well above the average for your own age group and your fitness age reads younger than your birth certificate; sit well below it and it reads older. Within the Average band it can sit as much as 10 to 15 years either side of your real age, most at the start or end of a decade, because it is interpolated between decade midpoints while the percentile uses one average per decade. The result is rounded, never drops below 18, and stops at 80 below age 70 or at 90 from age 70. 2 worked examples: a man with a VO2max of 42 ml/kg/min lands between the averages of the 50s and 60s groups, a fitness age of 57; a woman with 34 lands between the averages of the 50s and 60s groups, a fitness age of 56. The fitness age is read off the same study, so for the same reason it can read a few years young. If you wear a smartwatch you have probably met this number under another name: Apple Watch calls it Cardio Fitness, Garmin reports VO2 max, Fitbit shows a Cardio Fitness Score, and all three describe the same quantity this page estimates. They derive it from your heart rate and pace during exercise, while this calculator derives it from a resting heart rate and a self-reported training week with no exercise at all, so the numbers will not match exactly. If you already have a value from a watch or a lab test, enter it directly in the calculator above instead of estimating a new one.
The HUNT equations this calculator uses
This calculator uses the HUNT non-exercise model (Nes et al. 2011 [1]) in the BMI variant published by Nes et al. 2014 [2]. VO2max is in ml/kg/min, AGE is age in years, BMI is body mass index in kg/m² (weight in kg divided by height in metres squared), RHR is resting heart rate in beats per minute, and PA is the HUNT physical-activity index, which this calculator derives from your typical training week rather than asking for it directly. Men (R² = 0.59, SEE = 5.8 ml/kg/min): VO2max = 92.05 - (0.327 × AGE) - (0.933 × BMI) - (0.167 × RHR) + (0.257 × PA). Women (R² = 0.57, SEE = 5.1 ml/kg/min): VO2max = 70.77 - (0.244 × AGE) - (0.749 × BMI) - (0.107 × RHR) + (0.213 × PA). SEE is the standard error of the estimate, in ml/kg/min. The waist-circumference variant of the same model is a separate fit with its own coefficients, and this calculator does not use it.
How this compares to NTNU's World Fitness Level calculator
Both calculators run the same non-exercise model from the HUNT study [1]. NTNU's World Fitness Level calculator [5] is that model's original deployment; this page is a separate implementation of the published equations, not a partner site and not an official version of theirs. 2 things differ in practice. First, the body input: theirs takes waist circumference, this one takes height and weight, which is a separately fitted version of the same model with its own coefficients [2]. Second, the activity question: theirs asks how long a typical session lasts, while this one holds session length at the neutral midpoint and reads frequency and intensity off your training week, so the activity index can land a little above or below theirs. The reference population is no longer a difference: both grade against Norwegian data. This page uses the published HUNT3 decade bands [3], while NTNU reads the age average off a straight line through the same data, so a fitness age can still differ by a year or two between the two.
How this calculator works
No treadmill, no mask. 5 inputs and one well-validated equation.
- 1You enter your sex, age, resting heart rate, height and weight, and how you train.
- 2We combine how often you train with how hard you train into a single physical-activity index, using the HUNT study's encoding [1]. We hold session length at the neutral midpoint rather than asking, because that question is a hard cliff (25 minutes and 35 minutes flip the whole index) and the weakest of the three levers.
- 3We feed those into the HUNT non-exercise equation [1], one of the validated models that uses your resting heart rate, to estimate your VO2max.
- 4We place that number on the HUNT3 reference values for your age and sex [3] to give you a fitness level and a fitness age.
- 5We show the estimate as a range, because a self-report model carries about ±5 to 6 ml/kg/min of uncertainty [1, 2].
Read this as an estimate
Frequently asked questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
It depends on age and sex. The VO2 max chart above shows the HUNT3 average for every age band [3] and the five fitness levels as ranges: above that average you are ahead of your age group, from the 80th percentile up is the top band, below the 20th is the lower band. At 40, a man around 47 ml/kg/min and a woman around 38 sit near the middle of the reference group; at 60 it is about 39 and 31. The values drop with every decade, so the comparison that counts is always your own age group.
VO2 max chart for women vs men: why the difference?
On average women carry less muscle mass, a higher body-fat percentage, a smaller heart and less haemoglobin per litre of blood. Relative to body weight (ml/kg/min) VO2 max therefore comes out lower in every age band: in the HUNT3 reference data the average at 40 to 49 is 47.2 for men and 38.4 for women [3]. That is why each sex has its own chart, and a value is only good or poor against the matching one. The course across the decades is similar for both: every age band steps noticeably down.
Can you really estimate VO2max without a treadmill test?
Yes, within limits. Non-exercise models like the HUNT equation [1] estimate VO2max from your age, sex, resting heart rate, body composition and activity level, and explain about 56 to 61% of the variation in measured VO2max [1, 2]. That is accurate enough to tell which fitness band you are in, but not a replacement for a lab (CPET) test, which stays the gold standard.
How does resting heart rate affect the estimate?
A lower resting heart rate usually means a fitter, more efficient heart, and the HUNT model uses it as one input [1]. It is a helpful signal but not the main driver: your activity level and body composition matter more. You can measure your resting heart rate free with our 60-second face-age scan and bring it straight here.
Why does this ask for height and weight rather than waist?
The original HUNT model uses waist circumference [1]; a validated version swaps in BMI from height and weight [2], and the two are about equally accurate. Height and weight are easier to report accurately and need no tape measure, so this calculator uses the BMI variant only. There is no waist input.
Why is my estimate a range, not one number?
Because the model has real uncertainty of about ±5 to 6 ml/kg/min, one standard error [1, 2]. Showing a single decimal would imply a precision the method does not have. Treat the midpoint as your best estimate and the range as where your true value probably sits.
How can I improve my VO2 max?
In general, VO2 max tends to rise with aerobic training that includes intensity: a combination of plenty of easy zone 2 volume and short, hard intervals is what most studies associate with gains over weeks to months, and a lower resting heart rate and less excess waist fat are linked to higher values too. Consistency matters more than any single session. How easy zone 2 work and intervals complement each other is explained in our guide to zone 2 and VO2 max training. This is general information, not a training plan; a qualified coach or doctor can advise what fits you.
How much does a VO2 max test (CPET) cost?
A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) with a mask and gas analysis typically costs about 80 to 250 euros as a self-pay service in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, depending on the institute and the scope; a package with lactate testing and training advice sits at the upper end. With a medical question, health insurance sometimes covers the cost, which is best clarified with the practice and the insurer beforehand. This calculator is free but does not replace a test: it gives an estimate, not a diagnosis.
Where can I get my VO2 max tested?
A true VO2 max is measured in a CPET: at sports-medicine institutes and practices, at the sports-science institutes of many universities (often open to the public), at some cardiology practices and at performance-diagnostics providers. Larger cities such as Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt or Munich usually have several. Our city pages show you the local longevity community, where members share their experience with test providers.
How accurate is the VO2 max estimate from Garmin or Apple Watch?
Watches estimate VO2 max, they do not measure it. A meta-analysis by the INTERLIVE network (2022) compared such estimates with lab tests [7]: estimates from exercise data (heart rate and pace while running, the route Garmin and Apple Watch take) matched the population average well on the whole, but for individuals they were off by up to about 10 ml/kg/min in either direction. Two small newer studies of the Apple Watch (2025, 2026, 30 and 40 adults) found it read about 6 ml/kg/min low on average [8, 9]. Estimates from resting data ran about 2 ml/kg/min high on average and scattered even more. For your trend over months a watch is usable; for the exact number a CPET stays the benchmark. You can grade a watch value above in the "I already know my VO2max" mode.
What is my fitness age, and how is it calculated from VO2max?
Your fitness age is the age at which your VO2max would be exactly the average result. If your VO2max matches the average 35-year-old of your sex, your fitness age is 35, whatever your birth certificate says. We read it off the HUNT3 reference data (Loe et al. 2013 [3]), the same reference that grades the percentile and the fitness level on this page: each age band has a published average, and your fitness age interpolates between them, rounded, floored at 18 and capped at 80 below age 70 or 90 from age 70. Because every number on this page is anchored on the same study, the fitness age and the fitness level point the same way once you are clearly away from the average: well above the average for your age group and it reads younger, well below it and it reads older. Within the Average band the fitness age can sit as much as 10 to 15 years either side of your real age, most at the start or end of a decade, because it is interpolated between decade midpoints while the percentile uses one average per decade.
Why do age and sex matter in a VO2max calculator?
Because a raw VO2max number means nothing without context. VO2max declines steadily with age, and men's values run higher than women's in every age band, so the same number can be a strong or a weak result depending on who you are: 45 ml/kg/min is above the average for a man in his fifties (42.6) but well below it for a man in his twenties (54.4) [3]. This calculator grades your estimate against the HUNT3 reference data for your own age and sex; the table above shows the average VO2max by age for men and women.
Which scientific model and studies is this based on?
The estimate uses the HUNT non-exercise model (Nes et al. 2011 [1]), with the height-and-weight (BMI) variant from Nes et al. 2014 [2]. It is the same validated model deployed by NTNU's World Fitness Level calculator [5]. Our activity index uses that model's frequency and intensity encoding, but holds session length at a neutral midpoint instead of asking, so results can differ slightly from that calculator. Your result is then placed on the HUNT3 reference data (Loe et al. 2013 [3]) for the fitness level and fitness age, the same cohort the equation was fitted on. An independent US evaluation applied 27 non-exercise equations to adults with repeat lab tests and found none of them tracked changes in measured fitness well [6]. The HUNT equation it tested was the waist-circumference variant, not the BMI variant this calculator uses. Full citations are in the Sources section below.
Sources
The equation, the activity scoring and the reference percentiles come from these sources.
- Nes BM, Janszky I, Vatten LJ, Nilsen TIL, Aspenes ST, Wisløff U (2011). Estimating V̇O2peak from a nonexercise prediction model: the HUNT Study, Norway. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821d3f6f
- Nes BM, Vatten LJ, Nauman J, Janszky I, Wisløff U (2014). A simple nonexercise model of cardiorespiratory fitness predicts long-term mortality. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000219
- Loe H, Rognmo Ø, Saltin B, Wisløff U (2013). Aerobic capacity reference data in 3816 healthy men and women 20-90 years. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0064319
- Loe H, Nes BM, Wisløff U (2016). Predicting VO2peak from submaximal- and peak exercise models: the HUNT 3 Fitness Study, Norway. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144873
- NTNU / K.G. Jebsen Center for Exercise in Medicine (CERG) (2013). World Fitness Level / Fitness Calculator — operational deployment (launched 2013) of the HUNT non-exercise model (Nes et al. 2011). Norwegian University of Science and Technology. www.worldfitnesslevel.org
- Peterman JE, Harber MP, Imboden MT, et al. (2020). Accuracy of Nonexercise Prediction Equations for Assessing Longitudinal Changes to Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: BALL ST Cohort. Journal of the American Heart Association. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.015117
- Molina-Garcia P, Notbohm HL, Schumann M, et al. (2022). Validity of Estimating the Maximal Oxygen Consumption by Consumer Wearables: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis and Expert Statement of the INTERLIVE Network. Sports Medicine. doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01639-y
- Lambe R, O'Grady B, Baldwin M, Doherty C (2025). Investigating the accuracy of Apple Watch VO2 max measurements: A validation study. PLOS One. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0323741
- Lambe R, Schumann M, Donnelly L, et al. (2026). Accuracy of VO2 max Estimates From Apple Watch Series 10. Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health. doi:10.1016/j.mcpdig.2026.100357
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