VO2 Max Calculator (Cooper Test)
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes and enter the distance. The calculator estimates your maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) with the equation based on Kenneth Cooper’s study.
How it is calculated
How VO2max is estimated
VO2max (ml/kg/min) = (distance covered in 12 minutes in meters − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
The equation is based on the study by Kenneth H. Cooper (JAMA, 1968). He had 115 men of the US Air Force run for 12 minutes and compared the distance with the maximal oxygen uptake measured on a treadmill in the lab; the two were closely related (correlation 0.897).
Worked example
You cover 2,400 m in 12 minutes: (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 1,895.1 ÷ 44.73 = 42.4 ml/kg/min. If you enter miles, the calculator converts first (1 mile = 1,609.344 m): 1.5 miles are 2,414 m and give 42.7 ml/kg/min.
How to do the Cooper test
- Warm up well, then run as far as possible for 12 minutes on a flat, measured course (ideally a 400 m track); walking breaks are allowed.
- Even pacing pays off: starting too fast costs a lot of distance at the end.
- Note the distance to about 10 m, then cool down with an easy jog.
Limits of the estimate
The equation was derived from 115 men of the US Air Force; no women were included. Running economy, motivation, weather, surface and pacing change the distance without changing oxygen uptake. That is why the calculator deliberately gives no rating such as “good” or “poor”. An exact VO2max requires measuring breathing gases in a lab.
The test is an all-out effort. Only do it if you are healthy, and see a doctor first if you have heart or circulatory disease, symptoms, or have not exercised for a long time.
Frequently asked questions
What does VO2max mean?
VO2max is the largest amount of oxygen your body can take up and use per minute during maximal exercise, usually given in milliliters per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is a measure of aerobic endurance capacity.
How accurate is the Cooper test?
In Cooper’s study the distance was closely related to lab-measured VO2max (correlation 0.897). For an individual it is still an estimate; pacing, running style and daily form shift the result.
Can I walk during the Cooper test?
Yes. Only the distance after 12 minutes counts. If you need to walk, walk and then keep running.
Why is there no rating like “good” or “excellent”?
The equation only provides an estimate. Rating tables come from other sources and depend on age, sex and reference group, so we do not give a classification without a solid source.
Who should not do the test?
Anyone with heart, circulatory or lung disease, symptoms during exertion, or who has not exercised for a long time should check with a doctor first whether a maximal effort is safe.
Sources and legal basis
- doi:10.1001/jama.1968.03140030033008: Cooper KH: A means of assessing maximal oxygen intake. Correlation between field and treadmill testing. JAMA 1968;203(3):201–204
- Gleichung VO2max = (Strecke − 504,9) / 44,73 nach Cooper (1968), zitiert in: Int J Exerc Sci 2017;10(4), PMC5466411 (Sekundärquelle)
As of:
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