VO2 max by sport values vary significantly, with cross-country skiers leading at 70-85 ml/kg/min for elite males and 60-75 ml/kg/min for females. Endurance sports dominate the rankings: marathon runners (70-80 ml/kg/min), cyclists (70-84 ml/kg/min), and rowers (68-75 ml/kg/min) showcase the highest values. Team sports show moderate levels, with soccer players averaging 55-65 ml/kg/min, basketball players 50-60 ml/kg/min, and ice hockey players 52-62 ml/kg/min. Power sports like weightlifting (40-50 ml/kg/min) and golf (40-45 ml/kg/min) have lower requirements. Elite athletes typically measure 20-40% higher than recreational participants in the same sport.

This page compares VO2 max by sport in a single place, using sport-to-sport ranges, clear tables, and practical context so you can see exactly where your discipline fits among the sports with the highest VO2 max.

VO2 Max Rankings for Top 25 Sports Compared

Below is an at-a-glance VO2 max by sport chart that groups endurance, mixed, and power sports. Use it to benchmark athlete VO2 max values across disciplines and understand how VO2 max different sports stack up in a direct VO2 max sport comparison.

Average VO2 Max Values by Sport (ml/kg/min)
Sport Elite Male Elite Female Recreational Male Recreational Female
Cross-Country Skiing 70-85 ml/kg/min 60-75 ml/kg/min 55-65 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min
Road Cycling 70-84 ml/kg/min 60-72 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min
Marathon Running 70-80 ml/kg/min 60-70 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min
Rowing 68-75 ml/kg/min 58-68 ml/kg/min 48-58 ml/kg/min 42-52 ml/kg/min
Speed Skating 65-75 ml/kg/min 58-68 ml/kg/min 50-58 ml/kg/min 42-52 ml/kg/min
Triathlon (Olympic) 68-76 ml/kg/min 60-70 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min
Swimming (Distance) 65-72 ml/kg/min 58-66 ml/kg/min 48-58 ml/kg/min 42-52 ml/kg/min
Mountain Running 68-78 ml/kg/min 60-70 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min
Soccer (Football) 55-65 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min
Basketball 50-60 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
Ice Hockey 52-62 ml/kg/min 48-58 ml/kg/min 42-52 ml/kg/min 38-48 ml/kg/min
Rugby Union 50-60 ml/kg/min --- 40-50 ml/kg/min ---
Tennis 55-65 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
Field Hockey 52-62 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 42-52 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min
Combat Sports (Boxing) 55-65 ml/kg/min 50-60 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
American Football 45-55 ml/kg/min --- 38-48 ml/kg/min ---
Cricket 45-55 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min 38-48 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
Volleyball 45-55 ml/kg/min 40-50 ml/kg/min 38-48 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
Surfing 50-58 ml/kg/min 45-55 ml/kg/min 40-48 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min
Weightlifting 40-50 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min 35-45 ml/kg/min 30-40 ml/kg/min
Golf 40-45 ml/kg/min 35-40 ml/kg/min 32-40 ml/kg/min 30-38 ml/kg/min
Esports 35-45 ml/kg/min 32-42 ml/kg/min 30-40 ml/kg/min 28-38 ml/kg/min

Interpreting the VO2 max by sport chart shows that endurance disciplines dominate the sports with the highest VO2 max, while intermittent and power sports cluster lower. Continuous events such as skiing, cycling, rowing, and distance running demand maximum oxygen delivery for long durations, producing the most elevated athlete VO2 max values. In contrast, sports with frequent rests or technical skills—like baseball, tennis, and basketball—show moderate ranges, as aerobic work blends with explosive actions. At the lower end, power-based activities such as weightlifting and golf emphasize strength and precision over oxygen uptake. For athletes and coaches, this VO2 max sport comparison highlights that aerobic fitness matters in all sports, but its importance varies greatly with performance demands.

Endurance Sports Leaders

  • Nordic skiing dominance stems from full-body work and high cold-weather energy cost, with elite athletes averaging 70-85 ml/kg/min for men and 60-75 ml/kg/min for women.
  • Altitude training effects (and competition at elevation) amplify transport and utilization demands, with elite cyclists and mountain runners typically reaching 68-84 ml/kg/min in top performers.
  • Multi-hour racing in marathons, cycling stages, and triathlon selects for exceptionally high aerobic ceilings, where elites sustain 70-80 ml/kg/min and recreational athletes remain around 50-60 ml/kg/min.

Calculate your own estimated VO2 max using our VO2 max calculator.

Surprising Mid-Range Sports

  • Tennis 55-65 ml/kg/min: Though skill-focused, tennis also requires strong aerobic endurance. Long rallies and multi-hour matches mix explosive sprints, lateral moves, and brief rests, demanding sustained energy and focus.
  • Soccer 55-65 ml/kg/min: A 90-minute match blends endurance running with accelerations and tactical positioning. Midfielders cover the most ground, but all roles rely on aerobic capacity to repeat high-intensity efforts.
  • Basketball 50-60 ml/kg/min: Despite frequent substitutions, basketball taxes fitness through transitions, sprints, and contact. Court size, tempo, and stop-and-go play keep VO2 max moderate, though elite players still need a strong aerobic base.

Sport-Specific VO2 Max Requirements

Across disciplines, VO2 max by sport reflects the relative reliance on sustained aerobic energy. In events where the race itself is a prolonged, steady output, like marathons or road cycling, athletes need a very large oxygen transport system. Conversely, sports with short efforts and ample rest emphasize neuromuscular power, skill, and tactics; they still benefit from aerobic fitness, but the ceiling requirement is lower. Appreciating these differences helps coaches design preparation that matches competitive demands and helps athletes interpret their average VO2 max athletes benchmarks sensibly.

Why Different Sports Demand Different VO2 Max Levels

  • Energy system utilization: Sports vary in how much they rely on aerobic versus anaerobic metabolism. Endurance races, like marathons, require almost constant aerobic energy production, whereas repeated-sprint sports such as soccer or basketball alternate between anaerobic bursts and aerobic recovery phases. This difference explains why VO2 max thresholds vary widely between athletes in different disciplines.
  • Competition duration: A high VO2 max allows athletes in longer events to maintain faster paces without fatiguing as quickly. For instance, distance cyclists and rowers rely on elevated oxygen uptake to sustain steady efforts over hours of competition, while sprinters can tolerate lower levels.
  • Recovery between efforts: Aerobic capacity plays a critical role in helping athletes recover quickly between high-intensity bouts. By enhancing phosphocreatine resynthesis and clearing lactate efficiently, players in intermittent sports can maintain performance consistency across repeated explosive movements.

Aerobic vs Anaerobic Sport Demands

  • Continuous endurance (>80% aerobic): Activities like cross-country skiing, road cycling, rowing, marathon running, and distance swimming heavily tax the aerobic system. Success in these sports depends on sustaining elevated oxygen consumption, delaying fatigue, and converting energy efficiently for long durations.
  • Mixed sports (50-80% aerobic): Disciplines such as soccer, basketball, tennis, boxing, and hockey combine explosive actions with sustained movement. Athletes must develop both aerobic endurance to cover total distance and anaerobic power for bursts of speed, shots, or tackles. Balance between systems defines their performance ceiling.
  • Power/strength (<50% aerobic): Weightlifting, throwing events, and short sprints emphasize technique, strength, and maximal force production. Oxygen delivery plays a minor role compared with neuromuscular power and anaerobic energy pathways. Here, peak performance depends more on raw speed, coordination, and explosive ability than on cardiovascular endurance.

Estimate your aerobic fitness with the beep test calculator.

Position-Specific Variations Within Sports

  • Soccer: Midfielders often record VO2 max values of 60-65 ml/kg/min, reflecting their constant involvement in both attack and defense, covering the greatest distance on the pitch. Goalkeepers, by contrast, average closer to 45-50 ml/kg/min, since their activity is more explosive and intermittent, with fewer continuous runs and substitutions being uncommon.
  • Basketball: Guards generally exhibit higher VO2 max demands (55-65 ml/kg/min) compared to centers (45-55 ml/kg/min). Guards handle defensive pressure, ball movement, and fast-paced transitions, while centers engage more in short bursts of strength-based effort near the basket, limiting aerobic requirements.
  • Swimming: Distance swimmers typically reach VO2 max values of 60-70 ml/kg/min, supported by prolonged aerobic workloads. Sprinters average around 50-60 ml/kg/min, as their events rely heavily on anaerobic output. Stroke efficiency, technique, and pacing strategies further influence measured oxygen uptake values, creating subtle variation across athletes even within the same specialty.

Elite Athletes' VO2 Max Records by Sport

Record values highlight the outer edge of human performance and contextualize VO2 max elite athletes. The names below reflect verified laboratory assessments and accepted historical marks, illustrating how endurance traditions in Scandinavia and cycling hotbeds produced the benchmark professional athlete VO2 max numbers we reference today. While individual records inspire, remember that sport outcomes still depend on economy, tactics, technique, and race-day execution.

The following table highlights VO2 max records and notable peaks across endurance sports, showing both historical legends and modern elite performers. Values range from the classic measurements of Bjørn Dæhlie and Greg LeMond to today's cycling stars like Tadej Pogačar, with updates current as of August 2025. This progression illustrates how physiological benchmarks have evolved while confirming that endurance-based sports such as cross-country skiing and cycling continue to produce the highest recorded VO2 max values.

Selected VO2 Max Records and Notable Peaks (ml/kg/min)
Athlete Sport VO2 max Notes
Bjørn Dæhlie Cross-Country Skiing 96 Often cited all-time best in winter endurance.
Oskar Svendsen Cycling (Junior) 97.5 Extremely high test in adolescence; context-specific peak.
Greg LeMond Cycling 92.5 Tour de France champion; early physiological gold standard.
Gunde Svan Cross-Country Skiing 91 1980s skiing icon.
Chris Froome Cycling 84.6-88 Tested in 2015; adjusted VO2 max during peak Tour de France years.
Tadej Pogačar Cycling ~90 Dominant Tour contender of the 2020s; confirmed elite VO2 max.
Anton Schiffer Cycling/Triathlon 83 Emerging WorldTour pro (2025); represents current elite range.
Joan Benoit Samuelson Marathon 78.6 Olympic champion; among the highest verified female values.
Grete Waitz Marathon 73.5 Multiple NYC Marathon wins; set female endurance benchmarks.
Modern Female XC/Cyclists XC Skiing & Cycling 72-76 Current 2020s elite female endurance range in lab tests.

Here is a full list of the world's best VO2 Max scores.

Highest Recorded VO2 Max Values

  • Bjørn Dæhlie 96 ml/kg/min (XC skiing) and Greg LeMond 92.5 ml/kg/min (cycling) anchor the historical top end.
  • Current elite male endurance athletes commonly test in the 75-82 ml/kg/min range, depending on sport and protocol.
  • Absolute ranking is influenced by test mode (ski treadmill vs cycle ergometer), lab calibration, and athlete specificity.

Female Athletic Records

  • Joan Benoit Samuelson 78.6 ml/kg/min remains an iconic measure for female marathoners, highlighting the exceptional aerobic abilities required to dominate long-distance running at the highest level.
  • Modern endurance women in XC skiing and cycling commonly record 72-76 ml/kg/min in peak form, illustrating that current generations continue to push physiological boundaries through advanced training and sports science support.
  • Gender gap averages ~10-15%, reflecting body composition and hemoglobin differences, not potential or achievement. Women's elite performances demonstrate that with comparable preparation and opportunity, outcomes are determined more by individual talent, discipline, and strategy than by biological limitations.

How Your Sport Affects VO2 Max Development

Training Adaptations by Sport Type

VO2 max development is heavily shaped by the type of sport an athlete pursues. High-volume endurance training drives the largest gains, since prolonged aerobic work increases stroke volume, capillary networks, and mitochondrial density. Marathoners, cyclists, and skiers who accumulate hours of Zone 2 training combined with structured intervals often achieve VO2 max values well above 70 ml/kg/min.

By contrast, team sports rely on interval training to raise aerobic fitness without sacrificing explosiveness. Small-sided games, shuttle runs, and repeated sprint drills develop both aerobic recovery and anaerobic power. Soccer, basketball, and hockey players benefit most from these blended conditioning strategies, ensuring they can perform repeated bursts throughout long matches.

In power sports, such as weightlifting or throwing events, aerobic development is more limited. Athletes typically maintain a modest base to aid recovery between sets, but excessive endurance training can interfere with strength and hypertrophy goals.

Age of Specialization Impact

Early endurance training during adolescence enhances long-term VO2 max potential by expanding cardiac output and aerobic pathways. Still, athletes with a multi-sport background often show greater resilience and versatility, reducing burnout and injury risk. Most athletes achieve peak VO2 max in their early-to-mid 20s, though rowers and cyclists may peak later due to cumulative training volume.

Testing Methods and Accuracy by Sport

To compare VO2 max by sport fairly, keep test modality consistent. Runners test higher on treadmills than bikes because of specificity; rowers peak on ergs; skiers excel on roller-ski treadmills. Protocol differences (ramp vs step), gases, and equipment calibration can shift absolute numbers—hence the importance of like-for-like comparisons when building a VO2 max sport comparison dataset across disciplines.

Sport-Specific Testing Protocols

  • Treadmill vs bike vs rower: Selecting the correct mode is essential, since VO2 max values are strongly influenced by the muscle groups engaged and the mechanics of the movement. Runners generally achieve their highest scores on treadmills, cyclists on ergometers, and rowers on rowing machines. Using the wrong modality can underestimate an athlete's true aerobic potential in competition.
  • Movement specificity: In sports like cross-country skiing, where both arms and legs contribute, oxygen uptake is naturally higher than in single-limb-dominant activities. This highlights the need to align testing with the actual movement patterns athletes use in competition to capture realistic performance data.
  • Field vs lab: Laboratory testing with gas exchange analysis remains the gold standard for precise VO2 max measurement. However, field-based assessments such as the Yo-Yo test, beep test, or controlled time trials provide valuable insight into progress, match-readiness, and trends over a season, even if they lack pinpoint accuracy.
  • Protocol design: Small choices—like ramp rate, stage length, or whether continuous or stepwise increases are used—can significantly influence results. Equally, gas-analysis calibration and athlete motivation affect reported numbers. For fair VO2 max sport comparison, testing must be consistent, repeatable, and carefully aligned with the athlete's discipline and training goals.

Learn about different VO2 max testing methods

When to Test Athletes

  • Pre-season baseline establishes a clear starting point, helping coaches design training blocks, adjust volume and intensity, and set position- or role-specific expectations for athletes before competition begins.
  • Mid-season monitoring enables data-driven adjustments to workloads, accounting for accumulated fatigue, recovery patterns, and external stressors like travel, altitude, or condensed match schedules that affect performance stability.
  • Post-season evaluation highlights adaptations achieved across the year, while identifying weaknesses that should be addressed during the off-season build. These results also guide realistic target setting for the upcoming cycle.
  • Career tracking: Serial tests provide longitudinal insights into athlete VO2 max values, documenting how aerobic fitness evolves through growth, peak performance, injury setbacks, and eventual decline. Tracking across multiple seasons supports individualized progression models and offers valuable benchmarks for comparison within a given sport.

Improving VO2 Max for Your Sport

Most athletes can raise VO2 max by 15-25% over a dedicated training block. The key is matching stimulus to sport demands: endurance athletes spend most time in steady aerobic work with periodic high-intensity blocks; team sports leverage sport-specific intervals and game-like drills; power athletes dose just enough aerobic work to enhance recovery without depressing peak force. The table below summarizes zones and weekly anchors so you can plan with precision and compare across VO2 max different sports.

Sport-Specific Training Zones & Weekly Anchors
Sport Primary Zone (%VO2 max) Weekly Volume Key Intervals
XC Skiing / Cycling / Rowing Zone 2 (60-70%) + Threshold (80-90%) 8-15 h 4-6 × 4-6 min @ 90-95% VO2 max, long tempos
Marathon Zone 2-3 (65-80%) 6-12 h 5 × 5 min @ 95% vVO2, marathon-pace tempos
Triathlon (OLY) Zone 2 (60-70%) + Threshold 8-12 h Swim pull sets, bike 3 × 12 min @ FTP, run 6 × 1 km
Soccer / Hockey High-intensity intervals (90-100%) 4-7 h + practices 6-10 × 2-3 min @ 90-95%, small-sided games
Basketball / Tennis Mixed aerobic (70-90%) 4-6 h + skills Shuttle runs, court repeats, tempo sustained rallies
Weightlifting / Power Recovery aerobic (55-65%) 1-2 h 10-20 min easy circuits; avoid excessive volume

Designing training for athletes begins with understanding the unique demands of their sport. While all athletes benefit from aerobic development, the way conditioning is structured must align with performance goals, energy system needs, and season timing. The following sections outline how endurance, team-based, and power-dominant athletes approach VO2 max-related training differently.

Endurance Sports Training

  • Zone 2 base for 70-80% of weekly time to expand cardiac output and fat oxidation. This steady, conversational intensity provides the aerobic foundation on which all harder training rests, improving mitochondrial density, vascular function, and long-term durability while lowering injury risk compared to overly frequent high-intensity sessions.
  • VO2 max intervals 1-2 sessions/week (5-8% of time) to raise ceiling. Short, maximal efforts with structured recovery push oxygen uptake near peak values, teaching athletes to tolerate high lactate levels and sustain speed. These sessions should be carefully timed in the cycle to avoid excessive fatigue.
  • Threshold work 10-15% of time to link ceiling to race-pace durability. Training at or near lactate threshold bridges aerobic base with competitive output, improving the ability to sustain strong speeds without fading. Sessions often include cruise intervals, tempo blocks, or progression runs lasting 20-40 minutes.
  • Periodization layers: alternate blocks of aerobic focus with sharpening phases to maximize adaptation and avoid stagnation. By gradually increasing training stress, then tapering for peak events, athletes ensure steady long-term progress. Careful scheduling helps balance performance gains with necessary recovery across multiple races or competitive seasons.

Whereas endurance athletes focus heavily on long-term aerobic foundations, team-sport players must juggle energy system development with tactical and technical practice. Their training blends conditioning with game-specific decision-making.

Team Sports Training

  • Game-specific drills at high intensity integrate skill with aerobic/anaerobic stress. This approach ensures that conditioning directly translates to performance, preparing athletes for the unpredictable pace of competition while reinforcing technical execution under physical strain.
  • Small-sided games compress intensity and decision-making under fatigue. With fewer players and a smaller playing area, actions become faster and more frequent, forcing athletes to repeatedly accelerate, change direction, and maintain awareness while under continuous pressure.
  • Off-season aerobic base stabilizes in-season readiness and repeat-sprint ability. A well-developed aerobic system improves recovery between bursts and enhances tolerance of congested schedules. Athletes who invest in off-season conditioning generally handle higher workloads with reduced risk of burnout or soft-tissue injury.
  • Mixed conditioning: combine intervals, agility, and technical repetitions to simulate chaotic competition demands. Blending fitness with sport-specific tasks builds resilience for unpredictable matches. Training in this integrated style mirrors game reality better than isolated drills, reinforcing both physical capacity and tactical decision-making simultaneously.

Power and strength athletes, however, face a very different challenge: they must incorporate just enough aerobic work to aid recovery and training density without compromising explosive performance. Their conditioning philosophy reflects this balancing act.

Power Sports Considerations

  • Maintain vs improve: pursue modest aerobic gains that aid recovery, don't chase endurance volumes. The goal is efficiency, not maximal oxygen uptake, since overemphasizing endurance can interfere with muscle growth, neural drive, and explosive performance needed for lifts, jumps, and sprints.
  • Interference management: separate heavy strength from long cardio; keep easy sessions truly easy. Strategic scheduling preserves maximum strength and speed, while still offering recovery benefits. Even small misalignments in session order can reduce power output or increase injury risk.
  • Minimum effective dose: 2-3 × 20-30 min easy or 1-2 short tempo blocks weekly. This low time commitment still provides cardiovascular benefits like enhanced circulation and faster between-set recovery, without competing heavily against primary strength and power goals.
  • Energy system support: low-intensity aerobic work enhances between-set recovery and total training density. Athletes can sustain more quality lifts or sprints per session when supported by efficient oxygen delivery. This allows progress in strength programs while keeping recovery windows short and manageable.

How Your VO2 Max Compares

Once you know your discipline's range from the VO2 max by sport chart, you can place your current value in context. If you race an endurance event and sit at the bottom of your sport's band, the path forward is clear: add aerobic volume, protect sleep/nutrition, and sprinkle targeted intervals. If you compete in a mixed or power sport, ensure your VO2 max supports practice intensity while preserving your primary performance qualities.

Also weigh testing mode (treadmill vs bike vs erg), your training age, altitude, and seasonal timing. Two athletes with identical lab numbers may perform differently due to economy and tactics—your goal is alignment with the demands that decide outcomes in your sport. The chart should be seen not as a rigid ranking but as a reference point to check whether your physiology matches competitive norms. For instance, a cyclist with 65 ml/kg/min can still excel through superior pacing and tactical acumen, while another with 75 ml/kg/min might underperform if efficiency and mental resilience are lacking. Progress is relative, and marginal gains often matter more than raw scores. Monitoring trends across seasons, not just single readings, helps highlight adaptation and prevent stagnation. Integrating feedback from coaches, sports scientists, and even wearables ensures testing translates into a practical strategy. Ultimately, VO2 max is a tool—valuable, but most effective when placed within the broader picture of skills, execution, and recovery that drive true athletic performance.

Compare your results to the general population VO2 max norms