VO2 Max Calculator (Cooper 12-Minute Run Test)

Estimate your VO2 max — the maximum oxygen your body can use — from how far you run in 12 minutes, and see where it ranks for your age and sex.

metres

Quick Facts

Formula
VO2max = (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
Cooper (1968) 12-minute run field test for aerobic capacity.

Your Results

Calculated
Estimated VO2 max
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ml/kg/min
Fitness rating
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For your age and sex
Average 12-min pace
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Per kilometre

Ready

Enter the distance you covered in 12 minutes and run the estimate.

About this VO2 max calculator

VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can take in, transport, and use oxygen during hard exercise, expressed in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is the single best physiological measure of aerobic (cardiorespiratory) fitness. A true VO2 max is measured in a lab with a gas-analysis mask on a treadmill or bike ramp test, but you can estimate it well from a simple field test. This calculator uses the Cooper 12-minute run test, published by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper in 1968.

The formula

You run as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes, record the distance in metres, and apply:

  • VO2max (ml/kg/min) = (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73

For example, covering 2,400 m gives (2400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 1895.1 ÷ 44.73 ≈ 42.4 ml/kg/min. Covering 3,000 m gives (3000 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 2495.1 ÷ 44.73 ≈ 55.8 ml/kg/min. The relationship is linear: every additional 100 m in 12 minutes adds about 2.24 ml/kg/min (100 ÷ 44.73).

Why VO2 max matters

Higher VO2 max means your heart, lungs, and muscles can deliver and burn more oxygen, which supports faster sustainable running speeds and better endurance. It is also a strong independent predictor of long-term health: large cohort studies link higher cardiorespiratory fitness with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Endurance training raises it, and it declines roughly 1% per year after the mid-20s if you stop training.

Reference values

Typical VO2 max for a healthy but untrained adult is about 30–40 ml/kg/min. Recreational endurance athletes commonly sit in the 45–60 range. Elite distance runners, cyclists, and cross-country skiers reach 70–85+ ml/kg/min, with a few of the highest recorded human values near 90. Women average roughly 10–15% lower than men of the same age and training status, largely due to differences in haemoglobin and lean body mass. This calculator's fitness rating compares your estimate against age- and sex-specific norms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good VO2 max?
It depends on age and sex. For a man aged 20–29, roughly 43–52 ml/kg/min is average and above 52 is excellent; for a woman the same age, roughly 37–44 ml/kg/min is average and above 44 is excellent. Values decline about 1% per year after age 25. Elite endurance athletes reach 70–85+ ml/kg/min. This tool grades your result against those age/sex bands automatically.
How accurate is the Cooper test estimate?
The Cooper 12-minute run correlates with laboratory-measured VO2 max at roughly r = 0.90, with a typical error of a few ml/kg/min. It is an indirect estimate from distance, so accuracy depends on running an even, near-maximal effort on a flat, accurately measured course. Poor pacing, wind, heat, and altitude all pull the estimate away from your true value.
How do I run the test correctly?
Warm up thoroughly, then run — or run/walk — as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on a flat, measured course such as a 400 m running track (six laps in lane 1 is 2,400 m). Aim for an even, hard-but-sustainable effort rather than sprinting early and fading. Record total distance in metres and enter it above. Do the test rested, not after a hard session.
Can I use the mile or kilometre instead of metres?
Convert to metres first: 1 mile = 1,609 m and 1 km = 1,000 m. The formula's constants (504.9 and 44.73) are defined for distance in metres, so entering miles or laps directly will give a wildly wrong number.

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