Vo2 max calculator
With our VO2 max calculator, you can precisely determine your maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max), regardless of whether you are a runner or cyclist. Simply enter your data and get valuable insights into your endurance performance. This calculator helps you track your progress and specifically improve your cardiovascular fitness — for optimal results in your training.
average VO2 max in untrained 25-year-old men 1.
Decrease in VO2 max per decade of life1.
Is the minimum VO2 max for an independent lifestyle1.
What is VO2 max?
VO2 max is a name from sports science and stands for your maximum oxygen uptake. In other words, the amount of oxygen that you can absorb during intensive exercise.
VO2 max is limited by various physiological processes. On the one hand, through your breathing capacity. In other words, how much air you can breathe in and out per breath. In addition, oxygen must reach the blood in order to be transported to the target muscles. In this way, there are various limiting factors for your maximum oxygen uptake.
Why is VO2 max relevant to your performance?
In endurance sports, maximum oxygen uptake is considered one of the main determinants of performance. This is partly due to the fact that you gain your energy aerobically, i.e. using oxygen, in endurance disciplines. Your metabolism needs oxygen to turn the various substrates (fats or carbohydrates) into ATP, the body's universal energy unit, in different ways.
Lactate, which is often misunderstood as a waste product, can also be used as an energy source with the help of oxygen.
For these reasons, your maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is a decisive factor in your endurance performance.
Why should you know your VO2 max?
Especially as a beginner, you often don't really know how to start your running training. It is helpful to know your strengths and weaknesses. From years of experience with endurance athletes, we have learned that VO2 max often offers the greatest lever, especially for beginners, to make rapid progress in running pace.
How do I set up my VO2 max?
The tables below show VO2max ratings for men and women, broken down by age group. VO2 max is an important indicator of aerobic fitness and indicates how much oxygen the body can use during intensive physical activity.
It is generally known that men generally achieve higher VO2 max levels than women. This is due to several physiological factors. For one thing, men have larger muscle mass and body weight on average, which results in higher oxygen uptake. In addition, they usually have higher hemoglobin levels, which improve oxygen transport in the blood. Differences in body fat distribution and cardiovascular systems between the sexes also play a role.
Changes in VO2 max in old age
VO2 max has a genetic component and decreases by 7-10% per decade from the age of 25. However, regular endurance training can improve it by 15-20% at any age. A trained 70-year-old can therefore reach the VO2 max of an untrained 50-year-old.
For untrained 25-year-old men, VO2 max is around 42 ml/kg/min, for women 36 ml/kg/min. At 75 years of age, VO2 max is only around 21 ml/kg/min.
A VO2 max value of 17.5 ml/kg/min is crucial for independent living. Regular training protects against age-related decline and reduces the risk of disability and mortality.
Modified from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29293447/
Example VO2 max values
Here are examples of the VO2 max values for various activities that are minimally required to carry them out safely and effectively.
playing soccer with kids (30 minutes)
• Men: 35-45 ml/kg/min
• Women: 30-40 ml/kg/min
Climbing stairs
• Men: 35-45 ml/kg/min
• Women: 30-40 ml/kg/min
migrate
• Men: 25-35 ml/kg/min
• Women: 20-30 ml/kg/min
VO2 max calculation running
What is the Cooper test?
The Cooper test is a common test to test endurance performance without much effort. It was designed by American sports scientist H. Cooper.
You don't need any materials except a stopwatch and a measured route and can find out how well you're doing compared to others within twelve minutes.
The Cooper test is often used in schools to test performance in physical education lessons and in various settings in which the general endurance capacity of large populations is to be tested.
How do I run the Cooper test?
The test consists of a twelve-minute continuous run in which you try to cover the maximum possible distance. It is important to start the Cooper test here. You should therefore run in such a way that you don't start too fast and then slow down, but run as smoothly as possible.
Depending on the distance traveled, we calculate your personal VO2 max based on a scientific paper that determined the correlation of the Cooper test result with the VO2 max.
Criticism of the Cooper test
The Cooper test must be carried out under specified conditions, which are often not met. One Master's thesis from Heidelberg University shows that the test does not validly measure endurance in aerobic untrained people, such as students or sports beginners, and is therefore not suitable for giving grades, for example.
VO2 max cycling
The 5-minute maximum test: This is how it works
To calculate your VO2 max for cycling, you need to run a 5-minute maximum test. This is a so-called all-out test, in which you drive as hard as you can for 5 minutes to reach your maximum performance.
Test steps
- preparation: Warm up at a moderate intensity for 15-20 minutes to avoid injuries and prepare your muscles.
- Start of test: Start the 5-minute maximum test. Do your best throughout the entire time and try to maintain a consistent and high level of performance.
- Record wattage: Measure the average power (in watts) that you achieved during the test and enter this value into the VO2 max calculator on our website.
What you should pay attention to when carrying out
- Regular breathing: Make sure you breathe deeply and evenly, even when the load is high.
- Constant load: Avoid investing too much energy at the beginning, otherwise you could lose a lot towards the end. An even distribution of power over the 5 minutes is crucial for the most accurate results of your performance test.
- Recovery after testing: After the test, you should exercise at a low intensity for about 10 minutes to lower your pulse and relax your muscles.
Wattage measurement on a bicycle: basis for our VO2 max calculator
Measuring the wattage is crucial for calculating your VO2 max. This power indicates how much mechanical energy you transfer to the bike; it is measured in watts. To do this, you need a power meter that reliably records the power provided.
A correctly calibrated power meter is necessary to obtain reliable watt data, which is essential for the accurate calculation of your VO2 max.
VO2 max calculation based on watt values
After the 5-minute test, enter the calculated average wattage into the VO2max calculator. This uses a special formula to calculate your VO2 max. VO2 max is a significant measure of your aerobic fitness and gives you information about how well your body can utilize oxygen.
