What is my VO2 max?
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes, then enter the distance. The calculator estimates your VO2 max with Cooper's equation.
- VO2 max (mL/kg/min)
- 42.7
Running 1.5 mi in 12 minutes gives an estimated VO2 max of 42.7 mL/kg/min.
VO2 max (mL/kg/min): 42.7. Running 1.5 mi in 12 minutes gives an estimated VO2 max of 42.7 mL/kg/min.
How to calculate
Estimates maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max, mL/kg/min) from the distance run in the Cooper 12-minute test, or the distance needed for a target VO2 max.
Example with the default inputs (Distance in 12 minutes 1.5 mi): Running 1.5 mi in 12 minutes gives an estimated VO2 max of 42.7 mL/kg/min.
Formula: VO2max (mL/kg/min) = (d − 504.9) ÷ 44.73, where d is the distance in meters covered in 12 minutes (Cooper 1968).
- You ran or walked as far as you could in exactly 12 minutes, on a flat course such as a track.
- The equation is a regression from 115 male US Air Force officers and airmen (Cooper 1968; correlation 0.897 with treadmill tests). It is an estimate, not a lab measurement.
- Distances that give a VO2 max of 0 or less (504.9 m or less) or above 100 mL/kg/min have no answer.
Worked examples
Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.
- Distance in 12 minutes 1.491 mi gives VO2 max (mL/kg/min) 42.367539.Source: Cooper (1968) regression, hand calculation in content.mdx: (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 42.37 mL/kg/min
- Distance in 12 minutes 1.5 mi gives VO2 max (mL/kg/min) 42.680885.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: 1.5 mi = 2,414.016 m (NIST SP 811); (2,414.016 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 42.68 mL/kg/min
- VO2 max (mL/kg/min) 50 gives Distance in 12 minutes 1.703 mi.Source: hand calculation in content.mdx: 50 × 44.73 + 504.9 = 2,741.4 m
How it works
The Cooper test is a 12-minute run for distance. Cooper (1968) fitted a straight line between the distance and the VO2 max measured on a treadmill. In meters:
- VO2max = (d − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
- d = 44.73 × VO2max + 504.9
Here d is the distance in meters covered in 12 minutes, and VO2max is in mL/kg/min. Miles, kilometers and yards are converted to meters first (1 mi = 1,609.344 m, 1 yd = 0.9144 m).
Assumptions
- You covered as much distance as you could in exactly 12 minutes, on a flat course.
- The line was fitted on 115 men of the US Air Force. It is an estimate for other groups too, but less certain.
- A distance of 504.9 m or less gives no answer (the line would give a VO2 max of 0 or less), and so does a VO2 max above 100 mL/kg/min.
Worked examples by hand
2,400 meters in 12 minutes. VO2max = (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 1,895.1 ÷ 44.73 = 42.37 mL/kg/min.
1.5 miles in 12 minutes. 1.5 × 1,609.344 = 2,414.016 m. VO2max = (2,414.016 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 1,909.116 ÷ 44.73 = 42.68 mL/kg/min.
The distance for a VO2 max of 50. d = 50 × 44.73 + 504.9 = 2,236.5 + 504.9 = 2,741.4 m.
Other questions people ask
What is VO2 max?
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can take in and use per minute during hard exercise, per kilogram of body weight, in mL/kg/min. It is a common measure of aerobic (cardio) fitness.
How is VO2 max estimated from the Cooper test?
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes, then use VO2max = (distance in meters − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. For 2,400 m: (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 42.4 mL/kg/min.
How accurate is the Cooper test?
In Cooper's 1968 study of 115 male US Air Force officers and airmen, the 12-minute distance and treadmill VO2 max had a correlation of 0.897. That is good for a field test, but your own result can differ from a lab test, especially if you did not pace the run well.
How do I do the Cooper test?
Warm up, then run (or walk when you need to) as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on a flat, measured course such as a 400 m track. Count the laps and add the last part of a lap. Stop if you feel pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.
What distance do I need for a VO2 max of 50?
Enter 50 and leave the distance empty. Distance = 50 × 44.73 + 504.9 = 2,741 meters, about 1.7 miles, in 12 minutes.