VO2max Calculator

Method

Distance in 12 minutes, m

Age, years

Result

VO2max, ml/kg/min46.8
Levelgood aerobic fitness
In METs13.4
Estimated maximum heart rate185
MethodCooper test, 12 minutes
What mattersThis is an estimate: a laboratory test with gas analysis gives a different and more accurate figure.

This result is informational only and is not professional advice.

The headline number for endurance

Estimates maximal oxygen uptake three ways: from the Cooper test, from resting heart rate, and from a 2.4 kilometre time trial.

VO2max is how many millilitres of oxygen the body can take up per minute per kilogram of body weight at maximal effort. Of every measure of aerobic fitness it is the most informative, and it predicts longevity better than most.

Measuring it properly needs a laboratory and a gas analyser, but field estimates exist. The Cooper test — run as far as you can in twelve minutes — remains the best known; the resting heart rate method needs no exertion at all and is correspondingly less accurate.

What this calculator shows

An estimate of VO2max in millilitres per kilogram per minute
The same result in metabolic equivalents
A qualitative band and the estimated maximum heart rate

What to keep in mind

Field formulas carry an error of 10 to 15 percent against a laboratory measurement.
The Cooper test requires full effort: pace yourself and the result comes out low. A maximal test is worth discussing with a doctor first.

FAQs

What is VO2max?

Maximal oxygen uptake — millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute at peak effort. It reflects heart, lungs and muscle working together.

What is a normal VO2max?

About 35 for an untrained adult, 45 to 55 for someone training regularly, and 70 or more for professional endurance athletes. It declines by roughly one percent a year with age.

How do I run a Cooper test?

After warming up, run for twelve minutes on a flat track at the hardest pace you can hold, then measure the distance. The formula converts metres into VO2max.

Can VO2max be improved?

Yes — regular aerobic training lifts it 15 to 20 percent over a few months. Interval work at 90 to 95 percent of maximum heart rate gives the largest gains.

Worked example

A Cooper test by a recreational runner

Input: 2,600 metres in 12 minutes, age 35

Output: VO2max around 46.8 — good aerobic fitness

Note: That is 13.4 METs: at full effort the body is working thirteen times harder than at rest. Elite marathon runners reach the eighties; an untrained adult sits around 35.

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VO2max Calculator

Result

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