You can raise your VO2 max at almost any age. The most reliable way is to build a base of easy aerobic work, add short hard intervals once or twice every week or two, lift weights to protect your joints and muscles, and recheck your numbers every few months. Experts stress that VO2 max is not set in stone and can improve even after 75, as long as you progress gradually instead of chasing elite targets.
Below you will find what VO2 max actually measures, what a good score looks like, a week-by-week structure you can start this week, and honest guidance on watches, lab tests and supplements.
TL;DR
- VO2 max is your body’s ceiling for using oxygen during hard effort. A higher value is linked with strong heart and lung function and a better chance of living longer.
- Walking helps if you are currently inactive. Intervals help most once you have a base. Strength training makes both safer.
- Space your hardest sessions further apart as you age: every 10 to 14 days can work better than a rigid weekly schedule.
- Wearable VO2 max numbers are best used to watch your trend, not to judge a single score.
- 1st Time Customers can take advantage of our BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF special offer on all supplements.
What VO2 max is and why it matters for longevity
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and put to work during intense exercise, usually expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). Think of it as the size of your engine. A bigger engine gives you more room for everyday life: climbing stairs, carrying groceries, keeping up with grandchildren, recovering after illness.
The Cleveland Clinic notes that a higher VO2 max reflects strong heart and lung function and more efficient fueling of your muscles. It also tends to decline with age. Runner’s World reports that the typical drop is about 10 percent per decade, and that vigorous training can cut that to roughly five to seven percent.
That is the encouraging part of the story. The decline is not a fixed schedule. Much of it is shaped by how much you move and how hard you occasionally push.
What counts as a good VO2 max at your age
There is no single number that is good for everyone. Scores are judged against your age and sex. One reference describes a good score as the 50th to 74th percentile for your age and sex, with the 75th percentile and above considered optimal. The same page gives 32.6 mL/kg/min as a good value for a man aged 50 to 59 and 23.4 for a woman in that range.
Two practical takeaways:
- A score of 38 is strong for a 50-year-old man, but would be below average for a 20-year-old. Compare yourself to your own age group.
- Your personal trend matters more than the percentile. Moving from 30 to 34 is a real gain in cardiovascular reserve, wherever it places you on a chart.
How much can you realistically improve?
Results depend on where you start. A review of older adults found that HIIT led to a 15 to 20 percent increase in VO2 max, along with gains in muscle strength. Lower-intensity programs also work, particularly for people who have been sedentary. The people who gain most are usually those who have done the least.
Expect changes over months, not days. Most structured programs in the research run 12 to 16 weeks or longer before the headline numbers show up.
Start with an aerobic base
Before you add intensity, build volume you can sustain. This is the foundation of everything else.
Can walking improve VO2 max?
Yes, especially if you are not active now. A systematic review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking interventions in inactive middle-aged adults raised VO2 max by an average of 4.86 mL/kg/min. One randomized study of healthy middle-aged people used 65 to 75 percent of VO2 max, 50 minutes per session, four times a week for 15 weeks.
In plain terms, that means brisk walking where you can talk but not sing, ideally on hills or with a weighted vest if your joints allow. If you already run, cycle or swim regularly, walking alone will not move the needle much, and you should progress to the steps below.
Zone 2 training
Zone 2 is the steady, conversational pace that builds your aerobic engine without taxing recovery. We wrote a full guide on Zone 2 training after 40, including how to find your pace with or without lab data. Aim for three sessions a week of 30 to 60 minutes once you are comfortable.
The American Heart Association’s Dr. Charles German makes a point worth remembering: people often think they must train like an athletes, when reducing sedentary time and moving throughout the day is the foundation for heart health at any age. Start there if you are new.
Add high-intensity intervals
Intervals are the fastest lever for VO2 max because they push your heart to near-maximal output. Research from the American Heart Association even found that in stroke survivors, repeated one-minute high-intensity bursts improved aerobic fitness more than steady moderate exercise. That was a clinically supervised setting, so if you have a heart condition, ask your cardiologist before attempting anything similar.
A beginner interval session
- Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes with easy walking or cycling.
- Go hard for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You should be breathing heavily but holding good form.
- Recover at an easy pace for 1 to 2 minutes, until your breathing settles.
- Repeat 4 times in your first week, building toward 6 to 10 over a couple of months.
- Cool down for 5 minutes.
How often should you do intervals?
Less often than most plans say. Runner’s World notes that older athletes often do better on a 10-day training cycle, with dedicated VO2 max workouts every 10 to 14 days, because recovery needs rise with age and a strict seven-day schedule often leads to burnout or injury. Listen to sleep, resting heart rate and joint soreness. If any of them are off, delay the session.
Build strength first, and keep it in the plan
High-intensity work puts real mechanical load on muscles and tendons. The same Runner’s World article warns that many older adults jump into speedwork without a 6 to 12 week base of consistent strength training. Researchers likewise caution that HIIT should not be the only focus for aging adults, and that strength training combats age-related muscle loss and supports safer intervals.
Two full-body lifting sessions a week covers it: squats or sit-to-stands, hinges, rows, presses and carries. Protein matters here too, and our guide to personalizing protein after 50 explains how labs and training shape your target. If you train with weights, you may also want to read how creatine changes results in aging adults.
If your joints hurt: try the pool
Knees, hips or back keeping you from running? Aquatic HIIT with flotation devices, such as deep-water running, gives older adults a high-intensity workout without the weight-bearing stress. The American College of Sports Medicine describes deep-water running as a way for seniors to train hard without that joint load. Cycling, rowing and the elliptical are other low-impact ways to reach the same effort.
A sample week to increase your VO2 max
| Day | Session | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength, full body (30 to 45 min) | Moderate to hard |
| Tuesday | Zone 2 (30 to 60 min) | Easy, conversational |
| Wednesday | Rest or a brisk walk | Very easy |
| Thursday | Strength, full body | Moderate to hard |
| Friday | Zone 2 | Easy |
| Saturday | Intervals, only every 10 to 14 days; otherwise Zone 2 | Hard or easy |
| Sunday | Long walk, hike or swim | Easy |
Progress by adding a little time or a little intensity, not both in the same week. That is progressive overload, the principle the experts keep returning to.
Does VO2 max watch accuracy matter?
A little. Smartwatches estimate VO2 max from heart rate, pace and other signals, and they are convenient. But a 2025 validation study of Apple Watch estimates from University College Dublin noted that the accuracy of these measurements remains uncertain compared with lab testing, the gold standard. Treat watch numbers as a trend line. If your estimate rises over three months while your resting heart rate falls, that is a useful signal. Do not panic about a single reading, and do not compare your watch to a friend’s.
Your resting heart rate is another simple marker. See our article on what a rising resting heart rate by age can signal.
Our perspective: fitness is only one part of the picture
At Healthspan Holistic, we work with adults between 45 and 75 who are active and tired of guessing. When someone asks us how to raise VO2 max, we say the same thing: training is the main driver, but it works best when it rests on good data about your own body.
That is why we pair training with testing. If you push harder on intervals while your iron, vitamin D, inflammation markers or hormones are off, you may feel stuck and blame your effort. Blood work often reveals the quiet limiter. Tracking trends across wearable data, labs and how you feel lets you adjust nutrition, recovery and supplementation for you, not for an average person.
We also believe in patience. The goal is not a lab number to brag about. It is more healthspan: more years of energy, strength and independence. Start with easy walking, lift twice a week, add intervals sparingly, and recheck.
— Chris
Support your training with testing
If you are putting in the work and still feel flat, labs can show why. We offer fee-for-service testing, including:
- Basic Heart Health Test: $235.27
- Metabolic Panel: $257.27
- Inflammation Panel: $272.97
- Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy Test: $154.97
- Comprehensive Hormone Panel: from $183.82
You can see the full list on our blood work and labs page. If you would like a guided plan, the 90 Day Journey to Longevity and our health coaching bring testing, tracking and training together. You can also explore our full range of services on the Healthspan Holistic home page.
Do supplements raise VO2 max?
No supplement replaces training. Some nutrients support the systems training depends on, such as heart health, mitochondrial function and recovery. Our guides on evidence-based supplements for longevity after 40 and taurine for energy and heart health walk through what the evidence does and does not support. Ideally, choose supplements based on your lab results, and check with your doctor if you take medication.
1st Time Customers can take advantage of our BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF special offer on all supplements.
Safety first: who should check with a doctor
Talk to your physician before starting intervals if you have known heart disease, high blood pressure that is not controlled, diabetes, or you get chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or dizziness with exertion. Stop exercise and seek care right away if those symptoms appear. The American Heart Association also reminds us that a balanced routine includes strength, endurance, flexibility and balance work, so do not let intervals crowd out the rest.
For more habits that support the whole picture, see our holistic living tips for adults 45 to 75 and proven ways to improve longevity and healthspan.
FAQ
What is a good VO2 max by age?
It depends on your age and sex. A good score generally falls between the 50th and 74th percentile for your group, and the 75th percentile or higher is considered optimal, according to one 2026 reference chart. Use a chart for your own age and sex rather than a single number.
Is a VO2 max of 38 bad?
Not necessarily. For a 50-year-old man, 38 is well above average, while for a 20-year-old it would be below average. Judge it against your age and sex, and focus on your trend over time.
Can walking improve VO2 max?
Yes, particularly if you are inactive. A review of 37 trials found that walking programs in inactive middle-aged adults raised VO2 max by about 4.86 mL/kg/min on average. If you are already fit, add intervals and strength work.
How long does it take to increase VO2 max?
Most research programs run 12 to 16 weeks or more. Expect gradual progress, and recheck every three months rather than every week.
Can I increase VO2 max after 50 or 60?
Yes. Experts say it can be improved at any age, even after 75. Build strength first, progress gradually and allow extra recovery between hard sessions.
Sources
- Geisinger: How to increase VO2 max
- Cleveland Clinic: VO2 max, how to measure and improve it
- Runner’s World: Improve VO2 max after 50
- Mendel Jacobs MD: VO2 max by age
- PMC: HIIT and continuous aerobic training in older adults
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: walking and CVD risk factors
- PubMed: walking training in middle-aged adults
- American Heart Association: What can you do today to improve your heart health
- American Heart Association: short intense bursts after stroke
- ACSM: Aquatic HIIT for older women
- PLOS ONE: Apple Watch VO2 max validation study
- American Heart Association: Balance exercise
Recommended
- Zone 2 Training After 40: Find Your Pace, With or Without Lab Data
- Proven Ways to Boost Vitality and Reclaim Your Energy
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. It is provided for general information only and is not professional advice.
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