Rowing VO2max Estimator

By the Watta Team · Updated 9 October 2026

Enter a 2K time, your weight, sex and training level to estimate VO2max with the formulas Concept2 publishes from Fritz Hagerman's data. A 7:00 2K at 80 kg gives about 55.0 mL/kg/min for a male who is not highly trained.

VO2max Estimator from 2K Time

2K time:minsec

Body weight:kg

Sex:

Training:

Estimated VO2max58.7 mL/kg/min4.40 L/min absolute · 302W average at 1:45.0Excellent

Uses the regressions Concept2 publishes from Fritz Hagerman's rowing data (Y = 10.7 − 0.9 × time (min), VO2max = Y × 1000 ÷ kg). An estimate from a 2K time — only a laboratory gas-exchange test measures VO2max.

Rowing this later? Watta logs the real piece from a photo of your PM5 — free on iPhone.

Estimated VO2max from a 2K, for an 80 kg man and a 65 kg woman

Computed with the same functions as the calculator above, so the two cannot disagree.

2K time	Male, 80 kg	Band	Female, 65 kg	Band
6:30	60.6 mL/kg/min	Elite	64.8 mL/kg/min	Elite
7:00	55.0 mL/kg/min	Excellent	57.7 mL/kg/min	Elite
7:30	49.4 mL/kg/min	Good	50.5 mL/kg/min	Excellent
8:00	43.7 mL/kg/min	Average	43.4 mL/kg/min	Good
8:30	38.1 mL/kg/min	Average	36.2 mL/kg/min	Average
9:00	32.5 mL/kg/min	Below Average	29.1 mL/kg/min	Below Average

Hagerman’s regressions of 2K performance against laboratory VO2max in rowers, using the general (not highly trained) coefficients — ticking “highly trained” in the calculator switches to the athlete regression and raises the estimate for fast times. An estimate from one number, not a measurement: a lab test on the same athlete can land several points either side.

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About This Calculator

The rowing VO2max estimator predicts maximal oxygen uptake from a 2,000-metre ergometer time using the regressions Concept2 publishes, which were fitted by Dr Fritz Hagerman (Ohio University) against laboratory VO2max tests of rowers. VO2max, measured in mL/kg/min, is the standard index of aerobic capacity; the 2K is a useful field predictor because it demands near-maximal aerobic output for 6–8 minutes. The formulas take the form Y = a − b × time (in decimal minutes), where Y is absolute VO2 in litres per minute, with different coefficients for sex, weight class and whether the athlete is highly trained; relative VO2max is Y × 1000 ÷ body weight. It is an estimate: only a gas-exchange test in a laboratory measures VO2max.

How This Works

Enter your 2K time, body weight, sex and whether you would describe yourself as a highly trained rower (Concept2 uses separate regressions for highly trained and not highly trained athletes). The calculator picks the matching coefficients — for example Y = 15.7 − 1.5 × time for highly trained men over 75 kg, or Y = 10.7 − 0.9 × time for men who are not highly trained — computes absolute VO2 in L/min, divides by body weight for mL/kg/min, and shows an indicative fitness band.

Formula

Y (L/min) = a − b × 2K time in minutes (coefficients by sex, weight class and training level); VO2max (mL/kg/min) = Y × 1000 ÷ weight_kg

Examples

2K of 7:00 at 80 kg, male, not highly trained

Y = 10.7 − 0.9 × 7.0 = 4.40 L/min; relative VO2max ≈ 55.0 mL/kg/min — "Excellent" on general adult norms.

2K of 6:20 at 90 kg, male, highly trained

Y = 15.7 − 1.5 × 6.33 = 6.20 L/min; relative VO2max ≈ 68.9 mL/kg/min — "Elite".

2K of 7:40 at 65 kg, female, highly trained

Y = 14.9 − 1.5 × 7.67 = 3.40 L/min; relative VO2max ≈ 52.3 mL/kg/min — "Excellent".

Worked examples are generated from the same formulas as the calculator above.

Benchmarks

Level	Value
Elite male	60+ mL/kg/min
Excellent male	52–60 mL/kg/min
Good male	45–52 mL/kg/min
Elite female	56+ mL/kg/min
Excellent female	47–56 mL/kg/min

More reference tables — 2K, 5K and 500m standards, watts by level, stroke rates and a split-to-watts table — are on the Stats & Benchmarks page.

In the Watta App

Watta keeps your 2K personal best per machine, so you can re-run this estimate whenever you set a new one. The app does not calculate VO2max itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is VO2max from a 2K erg test?

It is an estimate from a regression, not a measurement. Hagerman's formulas were fitted on rowers whose 2K results were compared with laboratory gas-exchange tests, so they are reasonable for trained rowers doing a genuine maximal 2K. Individual results can differ from a lab value by several mL/kg/min, and the estimate is less reliable for non-rowers or sub-maximal efforts.

What VO2max do elite rowers have?

Elite male rowers are typically reported around 60–75 mL/kg/min with absolute values of 6–7.5 L/min; elite female rowers around 55–65 mL/kg/min. Rowers tend to have lower relative values than elite distance runners because they carry more muscle mass, which is an advantage on the erg but counts against them per kilogram.

Can I improve my VO2max with rowing?

Yes. Rowing is one of the most effective activities for aerobic capacity because it uses most of the body's large muscle groups. A programme built mainly on steady state (UT2) with a smaller share of high-intensity intervals is the usual approach; how much any individual improves depends on training history and genetics.

Why does body weight matter for VO2max?

Absolute VO2 (L/min) measures total oxygen-processing capacity. Relative VO2max (mL/kg/min) divides that by body weight. A 100 kg rower with 5.5 L/min has 55 mL/kg/min; a 70 kg rower with the same 5.5 L/min has 78.6 mL/kg/min — the same engine, but far more capacity per kilogram.

Which Rowing App Should You Use?

Best Rowing Apps for Concept2Watta, ErgData, the Concept2 Logbook and Strava compared for logging, rankings and analytics.Best Rowing Apps 2026Every rowing app worth using, sorted by what you actually want from it.Concept2 Logbook AlternativesWhat the official logbook records, what it misses, and whether to run both.ErgData AlternativeLog your erg from a photo of the PM5 — no Bluetooth pairing needed.

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