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VO2 Max Calculator

Cooper Test, 1.5-Mile Run, Rockport Walk and Heart Rate

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How the VO2 Max Calculator works

This VO2 max calculator estimates your maximal oxygen uptake, the standard measure of aerobic fitness, from a simple field test. Use a Cooper 12-minute run, a timed 1.5-mile run, the Rockport 1-mile walk, or just your resting heart rate if you cannot do a test.

How the VO2 max calculator works

VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can use, in millilitres per kg of body weight per minute. Each test uses its own published formula:

First example. 2,400 m in a Cooper test gives (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 42.4 ml/kg/min.

Second example. A 1.5-mile run in 12:00 gives 3.5 + 483 ÷ 12 = 43.8 ml/kg/min.

How many METs is my VO2 max? Divide by 3.5, since 1 MET is 3.5 ml/kg/min. 42 ml/kg/min is 12 METs, the peak intensity you could sustain briefly.

Field tests have an error of about 10% against a laboratory treadmill test. Run tests depend on pacing well and the walk test on an honest brisk effort, so repeat the same test to track change.

Cooper 12-minute run distances, the VO2 max they predict and the matching 1.5-mile time

12-minute distance In miles VO2 max (ml/kg/min) Equal 1.5-mile time METs
1,600 m 0.99 miles 24.5 23:01 7.0
1,700 m 1.06 miles 26.7 20:48 7.6
1,800 m 1.12 miles 29.0 18:59 8.3
1,900 m 1.18 miles 31.2 17:27 8.9
2,000 m 1.24 miles 33.4 16:08 9.5
2,100 m 1.30 miles 35.7 15:01 10.2
2,200 m 1.37 miles 37.9 14:03 10.8
2,300 m 1.43 miles 40.1 13:11 11.5
2,400 m 1.49 miles 42.4 12:26 12.1
2,500 m 1.55 miles 44.6 11:45 12.7
2,600 m 1.62 miles 46.8 11:09 13.4
2,700 m 1.68 miles 49.1 10:36 14.0
2,800 m 1.74 miles 51.3 10:06 14.7
2,900 m 1.80 miles 53.5 9:39 15.3
3,000 m 1.86 miles 55.8 9:14 15.9
3,100 m 1.93 miles 58.0 8:52 16.6
3,200 m 1.99 miles 60.3 8:31 17.2
3,300 m 2.05 miles 62.5 8:11 17.9
3,400 m 2.11 miles 64.7 7:53 18.5
3,500 m 2.17 miles 67.0 7:37 19.1
3,600 m 2.24 miles 69.2 7:21 19.8

FAQ

What is a good VO2 max?

It falls with age and is higher in men on average. For adults in their 30s and 40s, a value in the mid 30s to mid 40s ml/kg/min is around average, over 50 is high, and elite endurance athletes reach 70 to 85.

How do I do the Cooper test?

Warm up, then run as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes, ideally on a 400 m track so the distance is easy to count. Enter the distance in km or miles. Pace evenly; starting too fast costs distance.

How do I do the Rockport walk test?

Walk 1 mile (1,609 m) as fast as you can without jogging, ideally on a flat track. Note the time and take your heart rate at once, from a monitor or a 15-second pulse count times 4.

How accurate is VO2 max from resting heart rate?

It is the roughest of the four. The Uth formula worked well in trained men but can be off by 15% or more for others, and it relies on an estimated maximum heart rate. Use it as a starting point only.

Can I improve my VO2 max?

Yes. Beginners often gain 15 to 20% in a few months of regular aerobic training. Intervals at 90–95% of maximum heart rate, such as 4 × 4 minutes, are among the most effective sessions.

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