VO2 Max Calculator
Estimate VO2 max from a Cooper run, Rockport walk or resting heart rate.
About this tool
Choose a test. For the Cooper test, enter the distance you ran in 12 minutes. For the Rockport walk, enter your weight, age, sex, the time it took to walk one mile and your heart rate at the finish. For the resting heart rate method, enter your age and resting pulse, plus your maximum heart rate if you know it. The calculator gives an estimated VO2 max in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.
How VO2 max is estimated
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can use during all-out exercise, and it is one of the best single measures of aerobic fitness. A lab measures it with a mask on a treadmill. Field tests estimate it from performance. The Cooper test uses (metres in 12 minutes โ 504.9) รท 44.73, so running 2,400 m gives about 42. The Rockport test suits walkers. A 40-year-old man weighing 70 kg who walks a mile in 15 minutes and finishes at 120 beats a minute scores about 44. The resting heart rate method multiplies maximum heart rate รท resting heart rate by 15.3. Using 208 โ 0.7 ร age for the maximum, a 40-year-old with a resting pulse of 60 gets about 46. As a rough guide for adults, below about 30 is low, 35โ45 is average to good for many people, above 50 is excellent, and elite endurance athletes reach 70โ85. Values fall gradually with age and are typically higher in men. Honest limits: field estimates can be 10% or more out, and the resting method is the roughest. Check with a doctor before an all-out test if you have a heart condition or have not exercised for a while. Not medical advice. The heart rate zones calculator sets training zones, the pace calculator plans runs and the calories burned calculator estimates energy use. Heart rate zones explained: how they're calculated and what each one trains and Running pace explained: converting pace, speed and race times, and what pace to train at go further.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good VO2 max?
It depends on age and sex. Roughly, 35โ45 ml/kg/min is average to good for many adults, above 50 is excellent and elite endurance athletes reach 70โ85.
How do I do the Cooper test?
Warm up, then run as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on a flat, measured route such as a running track. VO2 max โ (metres โ 504.9) รท 44.73.
Can I improve my VO2 max?
Yes. Regular endurance training, especially intervals at high intensity, typically raises it, most quickly in people who are starting out.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent.