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VO2 max calculator
Do one home test, type the result, read your estimate. Four validated field methods, the same ones our guide explains step by step.
The formulas
- Cooper 12-minute run: VO₂max = (metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73.
- 1.5-mile run: VO₂max = 3.5 + 483 ÷ time in minutes.
- Rockport walk: 132.853 − 0.0769 × weight in lb − 0.3877 × age + 6.315 × sex (1 for men) − 3.2649 × time in minutes − 0.1565 × finishing heart rate. The calculator converts kilograms for you.
- Heart-rate ratio: 15.3 × maximum ÷ resting heart rate. Without a measured maximum it uses 208 − 0.7 × age, which adds error.
How accurate is it?
Every field test is an estimate, usually within a few ml/kg/min of a lab measurement. Use the same test, route and time of day each time, retest every six weeks, and read the trend rather than one number.
PeakVital does this from your own data, every day. Three tests. One number. Your real age. Join the free beta →
Questions
Which test should I do?
If you run, the Cooper 12-minute run or the 1.5-mile run. If you cannot or should not run, the Rockport walk. The heart-rate ratio needs no test but works best with a measured maximum heart rate.
Is a watch estimate better than this?
Not necessarily. Garmin and Apple Watch fit a model to your heart rate and pace on outdoor runs; studies find errors of roughly 7 to 13 percent. A repeatable field test is a good cross-check.
What is a good VO2 max?
It depends on your age and sex. Being out of the bottom quarter for your age is the first goal; the top quarter is where the largest health benefit sits.
Sources
- Cooper Institute. 50 years of the Cooper 12-minute run. https://www.cooperinstitute.org/blog/50-years-of-the-cooper-12-minute-run
- Kline G.M. et al. (1987). Estimation of VO₂max from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight. Med Sci Sports Exerc. https://www.humankinetics.com/AcuCustom/Sitename/Documents/DocumentItem/183.pdf
- Irvine Valley College physiology lab manual. 1.5-mile run test. https://med.libretexts.org/Courses/Irvine_Valley_College/Physiology_Labs_at_Home/08%3A_Circulatory/8.02%3A_Part_B-_Aerobic_Capacity_Estimation/8.2.03%3A_1.5_mile_Run_Test
- Uth N. et al. (2004). Estimation of VO₂max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest. Eur J Appl Physiol. https://www.springermedizin.de/estimation-of-vo2max-from-the-ratio-between-hrmax-and-hrrest-the/8478242
- Tanaka H., Monahan K.D., Seals D.R. (2001). Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11153730/
The research behind it