Fitness / Field estimates
VO2 Max Calculator: Three Field Estimates
Estimate aerobic oxygen uptake from a measured 12-minute run, a brisk 1-mile walk, or the ratio of measured maximal and resting heart rates. Results are estimates in ml/kg/min.
VO2 Max Calculator: Three Field Estimates: Applies the Cooper distance equation, Kline's Rockport walking equation, or Uth's heart-rate-ratio equation. The walking method converts kilograms to pounds before calculation. Each test has its own assumptions and study population. No fitness category is assigned. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Run as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on a measured course. Cooper's test dates from 1968. Distance and pacing affect the estimate.
Use the same method and conditions to compare repeated tests. These equations estimate oxygen uptake; no fitness category is assigned. Sources and equations are listed below.
Cooper run
VO2 max = (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. Cooper KH (1968), A Means of Assessing Maximal Oxygen Intake, JAMA 203:201–204, DOI 10.1001/jama.1968.03140030033008. Original study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/337382
Rockport walk
VO2 max = 132.853 − 0.0769 × weight in lb − 0.3877 × age + 6.315 × sex code − 3.2649 × minutes − 0.1565 × finish heart rate; male code 1, female code 0. Kline et al. (1987), Estimation of VO2max from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3600239/ . Equation and protocol published by the University of New Mexico: https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Extras4/RockportLab16.pdf. Use the walking time and heart rate from that protocol.
Heart-rate ratio
VO2 max = 15.3 × measured HRmax ÷ HRrest. Uth et al. (2004), European Journal of Applied Physiology 91:111–115, DOI 10.1007/s00421-003-0988-y. The authors caution that applicability to other populations requires study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14624296/
How to use it
- Choose the test whose measurements you have.
- Enter distance, walking measurements, or measured heart rates.
- Read the estimate and the method's limits before comparing repeated tests.
Privacy & limitations
Measurements stay in your browser and are not uploaded or saved.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this a measured VO2 max?
No. These equations estimate oxygen uptake from field measurements. A laboratory test measures respiratory gases during graded exercise.
Which test should I use?
Use the test you performed with its stated protocol. Cooper uses a measured 12-minute run; Rockport uses a brisk level 1-mile walk with heart rate taken immediately afterwards. The HR-ratio method needs measured resting and maximal rates.
Who were the equations studied in?
Cooper's original study involved male Air Force personnel. Kline's walking study involved adults aged 30–69. Uth's study involved healthy men aged 21–51. Estimates may differ outside those populations.
How is this different from the Cooper calculator?
The Cooper test calculator focuses on the 12-minute run and distance ratings. This page starts with an oxygen-uptake estimate and also offers walking and heart-rate methods.
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