Training / Fitness tests
Cooper Test Calculator: VO2max from the 12-Minute Run
Enter how far you ran in 12 minutes to estimate your VO2max with Kenneth Cooper's formula, see your rating from his classic table for your age and sex, and your average pace per kilometre and per mile.
Cooper Test Calculator: VO2max from the 12-Minute Run: Cooper's 1968 formula estimates VO2max as (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73: 2,400 m gives 42.4 ml/kg/min, at a pace of 5:00 per km. For a 30-year-old man that is above average, from 2,300 to 2,700 m in Cooper's table. It is an estimate, not a laboratory result. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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| Rating | Distance in 12 minutes |
|---|---|
| Excellent | over 2,700 m |
| Above average | 2,300–2,700 m |
| Average | 1,900–2,299 m |
| Below average | 1,500–1,899 m |
| Poor | under 1,500 m |
Run or walk as far as you can in 12 minutes on a flat track, then enter the distance. Kenneth Cooper's 1968 formula, VO2max = (metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73, estimates your maximal oxygen uptake; it is an estimate, often several points off a laboratory test. The rating uses Cooper's classic table for adults by age and sex.
The test
Kenneth Cooper designed the 12-minute run for the US Air Force in 1968 as a field test of aerobic fitness. A 400 m track makes measuring easy: count the laps and add the part of the last one.
Ratings for ages 20 to 29
Men: excellent over 2,800 m, above average 2,400 to 2,800, average 2,200 to 2,399, below average 1,600 to 2,199. Women: excellent over 2,700 m, above average 2,200 to 2,700, average 1,800 to 2,199, below average 1,500 to 1,799.
How to use it
- Run or walk as far as you can in 12 minutes on a track or flat route.
- Enter the distance, your age, and your sex.
- Read your estimated VO2max, rating, and pace.
Privacy & limitations
Everything is calculated in your browser.
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Frequently asked questions
How accurate is it?
Cooper found a close link with laboratory VO2max in young men, but for an individual the estimate can be several points off, and pacing and motivation change the result.
Why are there no ratings under 20?
The classic table starts at 20; for younger runners the VO2max estimate is shown without a rating.
How should I pace it?
Start a little slower than you think and speed up in the last few minutes; going out too hard is the most common reason for a poor result.
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