Health
VO2 Max Calculator
Pick a field test (Cooper, 1.5-mile run, or Rockport walk). Enter your test result; the calculator estimates VO2 max in mL/kg/min and shows a rough fitness category.
Field test
Sex
A standard 400 m track lap x 6 = 2,400 m.
Educational disclaimer
These field tests give a population-level VO2 max estimate. They assume a hard but reasonable effort by a healthy person. Lab tests (treadmill plus gas analyzer) are more accurate. Categories are directional only; ACSM and other organizations publish more detailed age- and sex-specific tables.
Not a diagnostic tool. If you are new to exercise, have heart disease risk factors, or are over 40 and unconditioned, talk to a clinician before performing maximal-effort tests.
Estimated VO2 max
42.4 mL/kg/min
Category: Good
Higher VO2 max generally tracks with better aerobic fitness, but the categories above are population-level. Use the estimate as a baseline to compare against your own progress over time.
Examples
Cooper: 2,400 m in 12 min
≈ 42.4 mL/kg/min
1.5-mile run in 12:00
≈ 43.8 mL/kg/min
1.5-mile run in 9:30
≈ 54.4 mL/kg/min
Rockport: 160 lb, age 30, M, 15:00 walk, HR 140
≈ 49.3 mL/kg/min
How it works
Each field test maps performance to an estimated VO2 max using a published regression.
Cooper · VO2 = (distance_m − 504.9) / 44.73
1.5-mile run · VO2 = 483 / time_min + 3.5
Rockport walk · VO2 = 132.853 − 0.0769·lb − 0.3877·age + 6.315·sex − 3.2649·t − 0.1565·HR
Rockport sex = 1 for male, 0 for female. Time is in minutes.
Related fitness calculators
- Pace calculator for translating your test pace into per-mile and per-kilometer numbers.
- Target heart rate calculator for training-zone heart rates that develop aerobic capacity.
- One rep max calculator for the strength counterpart (maximal lift estimate from a submaximal set).
- Calories burned calculator for the energy cost of the test itself.
- All health calculators.
Frequently asked questions
VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can use oxygen during intense exercise, measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). It is widely used as a marker of aerobic fitness.
Cooper (run as far as possible in 12 minutes) is the most widely used field test. 1.5-mile run gives a similar reading and is shorter to administer. Rockport 1-mile walk is for people who cannot run, and uses age, weight, sex, walk time, and end-of-walk heart rate.
Field tests come within roughly 10 to 15 percent of lab values (treadmill with gas analyzer). Effort level matters; if you do not push close to your true maximum, the estimate will be low. Wind, temperature, and surface also affect outdoor results.
Categories vary by age and sex. As a rough guide for a 30-year-old: male 'good' is above ~45 mL/kg/min; female 'good' is above ~38 mL/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes can exceed 70 to 80. The calculator's category is directional only.
Yes. Aerobic training (steady runs, intervals, and tempo work) improves VO2 max in most people, especially if you start from an untrained baseline. Improvements of 10 to 20 percent over 6 to 12 months are common with consistent training.
Field VO2 max tests require near-maximum effort. They are safe for healthy active people but riskier for unconditioned adults with cardiovascular risk factors. If you are not regularly active, consult a clinician before performing maximal-effort tests.
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