VO₂ Max Calculator
Estimate your cardio fitness ceiling from your resting and maximum heart rate, with a fitness-age read.
FitnessScience-backed formula
Enter your details
Fill in the fields, then calculate
Enter your age.
Enter your resting heart rate.
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Enter your details and tap Calculate to see your results appear here.
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ResultYour result appears here.
What VO₂ Max Measures
VO₂ max is the most oxygen your body can use during hard exercise. It is the clearest single marker of aerobic fitness.
Effort and heart rate map neatly onto your training zones.
A lab test is most precise, but the Uth-Sorensen method estimates it well from your resting and maximum heart rate.
Higher numbers link to better endurance and longer life.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select your sex and enter your age.
- Measure and enter your resting heart rate.
- Tap Calculate for your VO₂ max and fitness category.
The Formula Used
VO₂ max ≈ 15.3 × (Max HR / resting HR)
Max HR = 208 − 0.7 × age
Max HR = 208 − 0.7 × age
- Max HR
- Your estimated maximum heart rate.
- resting HR
- Your heart rate at rest.
Understanding Your Results
Excellent
Above 50 ml/kg/min
Strong endurance fitness.
Good
42 to 50 ml/kg/min
Above-average aerobic capacity.
Average
35 to 42 ml/kg/min
Typical for many adults.
Below average
Under 35 ml/kg/min
Room to grow with cardio.
Tips to Improve
- Add interval training to lift VO₂ max.
- Build a wide aerobic base first.
- Lower resting heart rate through steady cardio.
- Re-test every couple of months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Interval training and consistent aerobic work raise it most.
The resting-heart-rate method is rough but useful for tracking change over time.
It compares your VO₂ max to average values by age, giving an estimated fitness age.
Scientific References
- Uth, N., et al. (2004). Estimation of VO2max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 91(1), 111–115.
- Ross, R., et al. (2016). Importance of cardiorespiratory fitness: AHA statement. Circulation, 134(24), e653–e699.
- American College of Sports Medicine. (2021). ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.).