Fitness Level Test

How is cardiovascular fitness measured?

Cardiovascular fitness reflects how efficiently your heart, lungs, and circulatory system deliver oxygen to working muscles during exercise. It is one of the strongest predictors of longevity and overall health. Rather than relying on a single number, a comprehensive assessment combines multiple metrics to paint a fuller picture of your aerobic capacity and cardiac health.

The three most important cardiovascular metrics are VO2 Max (maximal oxygen uptake), resting heart rate, and heart rate recovery. VO2 Max measures the upper ceiling of your aerobic system and carries the most weight in fitness assessments. Your resting heart rate reflects baseline cardiac efficiency, since a stronger heart pumps more blood per beat and can afford to beat less frequently. Heart rate recovery, the drop in heart rate during the first minute after intense exercise, indicates how quickly your parasympathetic nervous system regains control and is strongly linked to cardiovascular mortality risk.

This tool uses a weighted composite scoring system. When all three metrics are available, VO2 Max receives 50% of the weight, heart rate recovery receives 30%, and resting heart rate receives 20%. When fewer metrics are provided, the weights redistribute proportionally so you still get an accurate assessment. The system also applies a weakness penalty: if any single metric falls significantly behind your others, your overall score is adjusted downward, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

What the 10 fitness levels mean

Your composite score maps to one of ten fitness levels. At the top, Elite (90th percentile and above) represents competitive athletes and highly trained individuals. Excellent (80th-89th percentile) indicates someone who trains consistently with a strong cardiovascular base. Advanced (70th-79th) reflects dedicated regular exercisers who are above average in all metrics. Solid (60th-69th) means you are in good shape and clearly active. Good (50th-59th) is right at the median, where consistent exercisers typically land.

Below the midpoint, Fair (40th-49th) suggests room for improvement but a reasonable baseline. Okay (30th-39th) indicates below-average fitness that would benefit from more regular cardiovascular training. Developing (20th-29th) is common for people just starting an exercise routine. Building (10th-19th) suggests significant room for growth, often seen in sedentary individuals beginning their fitness journey. Starting (below 10th percentile) means your cardiovascular system needs attention, but the good news is that beginners see the fastest improvements.

How to improve your cardiovascular fitness

The most effective way to improve your composite fitness score is through consistent aerobic training. Zone 2 cardio (exercising at a conversational pace for 30 to 60 minutes) builds your aerobic base and improves both VO2 Max and resting heart rate over time. Aim for 150 or more minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week as a foundation.

To push your VO2 Max higher, add one to two sessions of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) per week. Intervals of 3 to 5 minutes at 90-95% of max heart rate, followed by equal rest periods, are particularly effective. For resting heart rate, consistency matters more than intensity. Regular exercise of any kind, combined with quality sleep and stress management, will gradually lower your resting heart rate over weeks and months.

Heart rate recovery improves as your overall fitness improves, but cooldown practices help too. Gradually reducing intensity at the end of workouts rather than stopping abruptly trains your autonomic nervous system to shift gears more efficiently. If you want to track your progress automatically, Cora measures all three metrics using your Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, Whoop, or Oura Ring data and updates your fitness level over time.

Related tools

Use our VO2 Max Calculator to estimate your VO2 Max if you do not know it. Check your Resting Heart Rate assessment for detailed guidance on that metric. And see our Heart Rate Recovery tool to understand your post-exercise recovery speed.