VO₂ Max Calculator

Cooper test: VO₂max = (metres run in 12 min − 504.9) / 44.73. Rockport walk test: a regression on weight, age, sex, 1-mile walk time, and ending heart rate. Your score is then rated against age- and sex-matched population norms.

Cooper KH (1968) JAMA; Kline GM et al. (1987) Rockport walk test; Cooper Institute VO₂max fitness norms.

Field-test estimates carry a ±10–15% spread versus lab metabolic testing. Repeat the same test under similar conditions to track change reliably.

People who shouldn't perform a maximal or near-maximal effort without medical clearance — check with your doctor before an all-out test.

VO₂ max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during hard exercise, measured in millilitres per kilogram of body weight per minute. It's the single best lab measure of aerobic fitness and correlates strongly with endurance performance and long-term health.

Field tests like the Cooper run and Rockport walk estimate VO₂ max from performance, so they carry a ±10–15% spread versus a lab metabolic cart. They're excellent for tracking change over time as long as you repeat the same test under similar conditions.

Wearables estimate VO₂ max from the relationship between your running pace and heart rate — faster running at a lower heart rate implies higher fitness. It's a modelled estimate, not a direct measurement, so treat the trend as more meaningful than any single number.

It drops with age and differs by sex. This calculator rates your number against age- and sex-matched population norms, from poor through superior, so you can see where you stand rather than comparing against an elite athlete.

A mix of high-volume easy aerobic work (zone 2) to build your aerobic base and short, hard intervals near your max to lift the ceiling. Consistency over months matters far more than any single session.