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VO₂ Max Calculator (Cooper Test)

Estimate your VO₂ max from the Cooper test.

Result

42.4 ml/kg/min

How it is calculated

The Cooper test estimates aerobic fitness from how far you can run in 12 minutes. The tool uses VO₂max = (Distance − 504.9) / 44.73, with distance in metres and the result in ml of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute. Distance must be above zero, and if the formula would go below zero (a very short distance) the result is shown as 0. The result is rounded to one decimal. It assumes you ran at the best steady effort on a flat track for the full 12 minutes. It is an estimate and does not replace a laboratory test, and it does not account for age or sex.

Worked example

You ran 2,400 m in the 12-minute test. Subtract the constant: 2,400 − 504.9 = 1,895.1. Divide by 44.73: 1,895.1 / 44.73 ≈ 42.4. The estimated VO₂max is 42.4 ml/kg/min. Each extra 100 m in the 12 minutes adds about 2.2 to the estimate, because 100 / 44.73 ≈ 2.2.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering the distance in kilometres (2.4) or miles; the field expects metres.
  • Using a time other than 12 minutes, such as a 1.5 mile run; the formula fits the 12-minute test only.
  • Running on a hilly or soft surface, which lowers the distance and the estimate.
  • Comparing the number across age or sex groups without the matching norm tables.
  • Starting too fast and fading; an even pace gives the most meaningful distance.

Sources

About this calculator

This calculator estimates VO₂ max using the Cooper test formula — VO₂max = (distance in meters run in 12 minutes − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 — a field test developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper that correlates closely with lab-measured aerobic capacity without needing a treadmill or gas analyzer.

It's used by runners and athletes tracking cardiovascular fitness over time, by coaches doing baseline fitness testing for a team, and by military and fire academy fitness assessments where the 12-minute run is a standard test.

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Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    One VO₂max point corresponds to only about 45 m in the 12 minutes, so a small gain between two attempts can come from pacing, wind or the surface rather than fitness. For a fair comparison, repeat the test on the same track, at a similar time of day, with even lap times. What distance did you cover, and how did you pace the 12 minutes?

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