VO2 Max
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
These tables report directly measured relative peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) during treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). FitnessNorms retains the familiar VO2 Max page name, but the FRIEND outcome is the highest oxygen uptake reached during the test, expressed per kilogram of body mass.
The values are the updated 2022 FRIEND Registry treadmill standards for tests with peak respiratory exchange ratio (RER) at least 1.10, covering ages 20-89. The parent study contained 22,379 tests from 34 US laboratories, including 16,278 treadmill tests. The displayed RER-at-least-1.10 table is a subset; its exact n is not stated in the public implementation used to reproduce these values. See the source and display method. Read more on Wikipedia
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
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- Motorised treadmill suitable for graded cardiopulmonary exercise testing
- Calibrated metabolic cart and gas-collection interface
- Clinical monitoring and emergency equipment selected by the testing service
- Protocol Steps
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- A qualified testing service screens the participant and selects an appropriate graded treadmill protocol and monitoring plan.
- The participant wears the gas-collection interface while the metabolic cart measures inspired and expired gases throughout the test.
- Treadmill workload increases according to the laboratory protocol until the test ends because of the participant's symptoms, the protocol's endpoint, or a safety reason.
- The laboratory reports the highest measured oxygen uptake as VO2peak. The displayed FRIEND table further selects tests with peak RER at least 1.10.
- Scoring
Report relative VO2peak in mL/kg/min. Use the treadmill table for treadmill CPET only and match the participant's age and sex bracket.
- Notes
This is a supervised laboratory test, not a self-administered field protocol. FRIEND pooled retrospective data from 34 laboratories whose equipment, treadmill protocols, stopping decisions, and averaging methods were not fully uniform. Those differences limit direct comparison between laboratories and with cycle, watch, or field-test estimates.
Data source: Kaminsky et al. - Updated FRIEND treadmill CPET standards About this study
Reference population: Apparently healthy US adults aged 20-89 who completed treadmill or cycle cardiopulmonary exercise testing at 34 contributing laboratories
VO2 Max Norms Chart by Age and Sex (mL/kg/min)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 20-29 | Male | 24.8 | 37.3 | 45.4 | 52.6 | 62.1 |
| Female | 19.3 | 28.6 | 35.6 | 42.2 | 50.1 | |
| 30-39 | Male | 20.6 | 31.3 | 38.6 | 46.5 | 57.9 |
| Female | 16.6 | 23.1 | 28.3 | 34.5 | 45.5 | |
| 40-49 | Male | 19.7 | 28.4 | 34.8 | 41.8 | 53.2 |
| Female | 15.3 | 21.3 | 25.9 | 30.9 | 40.7 | |
| 50-59 | Male | 16.5 | 23.9 | 29.4 | 35.5 | 46.8 |
| Female | 14.5 | 19.5 | 23.1 | 27.3 | 35.3 | |
| 60-69 | Male | 13.8 | 19.7 | 24.4 | 29.9 | 40.2 |
| Female | 12.0 | 16.4 | 19.4 | 23.1 | 29.7 | |
| 70-79 | Male | 11.6 | 16.8 | 20.6 | 25.0 | 35.2 |
| Female | 11.3 | 14.8 | 17.1 | 20.0 | 24.2 | |
| 80-89 | Male | 12.2 | 15.9 | 17.7 | 20.9 | 25.6 |
| Female | 10.7 | 12.8 | 15.1 | 17.2 | 20.7 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults aged 30 to 39, the middle 50% of treadmill VO2peak values is 31.3 to 46.5 mL/kg/min for men and 23.1 to 34.5 for women. These are age- and sex-specific distribution percentiles, not clinical cutoffs or training targets.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 37.3 to 52.6 | 28.6 to 42.2 |
| 30-39 | 31.3 to 46.5 | 23.1 to 34.5 |
| 40-49 | 28.4 to 41.8 | 21.3 to 30.9 |
| 50-59 | 23.9 to 35.5 | 19.5 to 27.3 |
| 60-69 | 19.7 to 29.9 | 16.4 to 23.1 |
| 70-79 | 16.8 to 25.0 | 14.8 to 20.0 |
| 80-89 | 15.9 to 20.9 | 12.8 to 17.2 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
Use the percentile table to describe where a directly measured treadmill VO2peak falls within the matching FRIEND age and sex group. P50 is the median. The percentiles are not clinical cutoffs or individual training targets.
How is VO2 max measured?
The supervised CPET procedure and the limits of this multi-laboratory reference are summarised in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above.
Can I compare a watch or field-test estimate with these values?
Only with caution. FRIEND measured expired gases during laboratory CPET. Watches and field tests such as PACER or timed runs estimate aerobic capacity from different inputs and error models, so an estimated score is not interchangeable with a directly measured treadmill VO2peak.
Can I use a cycle-ergometer result with this table?
No. The 2022 FRIEND study published separate treadmill and cycle-ergometer standards, and the cycle medians were lower. This page reproduces only the treadmill table with peak RER at least 1.10.
What is the difference between VO2 max and VO2 peak?
VO2peak is the highest oxygen uptake reached during a test. VO2max usually implies additional evidence that a physiological maximum was reached, such as a plateau despite increasing work. The updated FRIEND paper reports peak oxygen consumption and also publishes results under different peak-RER effort criteria. This page therefore calls the displayed outcome VO2peak even though the metric uses the familiar VO2 Max name.
Why do these values differ from older FRIEND tables?
The original 2015 treadmill standards used 7,783 tests and covered ages 20-79. The updated study added laboratories and later tests, extended the range through age 89, separated exercise modes and effort criteria, and reported lower updated treadmill standards. This page uses the 2022 edition implemented for peak RER at least 1.10.