VO2 Max

Maximum rate of oxygen consumption during exercise. The gold standard of aerobic fitness measurement.

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Understanding VO2 Max

VO2 max is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can consume per minute during all-out exercise, measured in milliliters per kilogram per minute (ml/kg/min). It's the gold standard of aerobic fitness — the ceiling of your endurance engine.

A higher VO2 max means your cardiovascular system can deliver more oxygen to working muscles, enabling faster sustainable speeds. Elite male distance runners typically have VO2 max values of 70–85 ml/kg/min; elite women 60–75. Recreational runners are usually in the 35–55 range.

VO2 max is partly genetic (some people are born with larger hearts and more efficient oxygen transport) and partly trainable. High-intensity interval training is the most effective way to raise it — running 3–5 minute intervals at 95–100% of max heart rate produces the strongest stimulus. Most runners can improve their VO2 max by 15–25% with structured training.

Key Facts: VO2 Max

Key facts and insights about vo2 max that every endurance athlete should know.

Measured in ml of oxygen per kg of body

Measured in ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min)

Elite runners

Elite runners: 70–85 (men), 60–75 (women); recreational: 35–55

The highest recorded VO2 max is 97.5 ml/

The highest recorded VO2 max is 97.5 ml/kg/min (Oskar Svendsen, cyclist)

GPS watches estimate VO2 max based on pa

GPS watches estimate VO2 max based on pace and heart rate — reasonably accurate (±5%)

Pro Tips: VO2 Max

Improve VO2 max with 3–5 minute intervals at near-max effort, 2–3 times per week

VO2 max intervals should feel like "hard but I can finish the rep" — RPE 9/10

Watch-estimated VO2 max is useful for tracking trends, even if the absolute number isn't lab-accurate

A high VO2 max is necessary but not sufficient for fast racing — running economy and lactate threshold also matter enormously

Frequently Asked Questions About VO2 Max

It's one of three key metrics (along with lactate threshold and running economy). VO2 max sets the ceiling, but your threshold determines how much of that ceiling you can sustain, and running economy determines how fast you go at a given oxygen consumption. Many runners improve race times by raising threshold without changing VO2 max.

Watches estimate VO2 max within about ±3–5 ml/kg/min using pace and heart rate algorithms. The absolute number may not match a lab test, but the trend over time is reliable. If your watch says your VO2 max went from 45 to 48 over three months, your fitness genuinely improved.