How To Increase VO2 Max and Boost Your Endurance

VO2 max measures how much oxygen your body uses during hard exercise. A higher VO2 max improves endurance and longevity.1

Any form of aerobic exercise—such as walking, cycling, or swimming—will increase your VO2 max somewhat, but high-intensity workouts are the most effective.

Aim for a high-intensity workout that reaches 80-90% of your max heart rate. Do 3-4 intervals, each four minutes long, with a 3-4 minute recovery in between. You can run, bike, or use a treadmill, elliptical, or rowing machine. Equipment matters less than intensity and duration.

To track your VO2 progress, get tested a few times a year. This provides a baseline for measuring the impact of new training.

Sports testing clinics can measure your VO2 max at a low cost. During the test, you wear a mask while doing increasingly challenging aerobic exercise on a bike or treadmill until exhaustion. This marks your maximum oxygen consumption.1

If you lack access to VO2 max testing, try the Cooper test. It involves running around a track for 12 minutes, then calculating your VO2 max with the formula: VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) – 11.29.2

If you run 1.5 miles in 12 months, the equation yields a VO2 max of about 42.7. You can also estimate improvements by tracking aerobic exercise progress. For example, if you train on an indoor bike, measure the distance covered in a fixed time. An increase in distance after ongoing training likely means improved VO2 max.

Your VO2 max can range from poor to superior, and your ideal range changes as you age. The ranges are also different between males and females. See the VO2 max ranges categorized by age for men and women below:3