VO2 max is the most accurate measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. It measures how much oxygen your body uses while exercising. The V stands for volume, O2 is oxygen and max stands for maximum, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
During exercise, your heart rate also increases, as does the delivery of oxygen to the body. Because they're related, VO2 max and heart rate are both valuable tools used to assess a person's level of cardiovascular fitness.
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How Is VO2 Max Measured?
A VO2 max test is usually performed in an exercise facility under the guidance of a professional on a treadmill or stationary bike, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. You'll gradually increase the intensity of your exercise while your oxygen intake is measured through a breathing mask. You'll reach you VO2 max when your oxygen consumption levels off even though you keep increasing your exercise intensity.
Warning
VO2 max testing requires intense exercise that raises your heart rate extremely high to fully stress the body to its limits. You should always perform the test under the supervision of a trained medical or fitness professional, but especially if you have any existing health concerns with your heart and/or lungs.
What's Considered a 'Good' VO2 Max?
In general, the higher the VO2 max the better, but healthy ranges vary according to your age and sex assigned at birth, according to the averages below from the American College of Sports Medicine.
VO2 max is measured in milliliters of oxygen consumed in a minute per kilogram of body weight (mL/kg/min).
VO2 Max Averages for People Assigned Female at Birth by Age
Category | 20 - 29 | 30 - 39 | 40 - 49 | 50 - 59 | 60 - 69 | 70 - 79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Excellent | 46.8 | 45.3 | 43.9 | 39.5 | 35.9 | 33.0 |
Good | 42.4 | 41.0 | 39.2 | 35.3 | 32.3 | 30.9 |
Fair | 38.5 | 37.1 | 35.2 | 32.3 | 29.4 | 28.0 |
Poor | 35.2 | 33.8 | 32.3 | 29.5 | 26.8 | 25.1 |
VO2 Max Averages for People Assigned Male at Birth by Age
Category | 20 - 29 | 30 - 39 | 40 - 49 | 50 - 59 | 60 - 69 | 70 - 79 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Excellent | 53.5 | 51.6 | 49.7 | 46.7 | 42.6 | 39.5 |
Good | 48.4 | 47.0 | 44.9 | 41.9 | 38.3 | 35.2 |
Fair | 44.6 | 43.9 | 41.0 | 38.1 | 34.9 | 31.5 |
Poor | 41.0 | 39.5 | 37.7 | 35.0 | 31.6 | 28.1 |
How Is Heart Rate Measured?
Your heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. You can measure your heart rate on your own by taking your pulse at your wrist or neck. Count the beats you feel while timing yourself for 15 seconds, then multiply that number by 4. A normal resting heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, according to the Mayo Clinic, but really fit athletes could have a resting heart rate as low as 40.
Measuring heart rate and VO2 Max helps professionals to prescribe exercise safely and effectively to people of varying levels of fitness. Assessing cardiac function and oxygen consumption can be equally beneficial for novice exercisers looking to improve their health, trained endurance athletes looking to improve performance and people with heart conditions working to improve cardiac functioning.
Typically, if you have a higher VO2 max, you'll have a lower resting heart rate, meaning you have good cardiovascular fitness. During exercise, both VO2 and heart rate increase with effort and intensity.
How to Improve Your VO2 Max and Heart Rate
Both of these measures of cardiovascular fitness can be improved with exercise, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Try to get regular moderate-intensity cardio exercise like running, walking, swimming, dancing, and biking (or whatever else you enjoy), plus some higher-intensity bouts like HIIT workouts or team sports. Your heart and lungs will adapt to this training over time and grow stronger in the process: You'll gradually see improvements in your VO2 max and resting heart rate scores.
Losing excess body fat may also improve these measurements, per the Cleveland Clinic.
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