Free calculator
VO2 Max Calculator
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes on a flat course or track, then enter the distance.
The short answer
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can use during all-out exercise, measured in millilitres per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). The quickest estimate is the Cooper test: run as far as you can in 12 minutes, then VO2 max ≈ (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. Covering 2,400 m gives about 42 mL/kg/min, close to the median for men in their 30s.
01 / How it works
How the vo2 max calculator works
VO2 max is the gold-standard measure of cardiorespiratory (aerobic) fitness. In a lab it is measured by analysing the air you breathe out while you run or cycle to exhaustion. Field tests give a good estimate without the equipment, because how far or fast you can go, and how hard your heart works to do it, tracks closely with how much oxygen you can use.
The calculator offers three methods. The Cooper 12-minute run suits people who can run hard for 12 minutes. The Rockport 1-mile walk is safer for beginners, older adults and anyone who cannot run: walk a mile as fast as you can and note your time and heart rate at the finish. The resting heart rate method (Uth–Sørensen) needs no test at all, only your resting and maximum heart rate, but it is the least precise.
Your result is then compared with the FRIEND registry, a large US reference set of treadmill tests with measured oxygen uptake, to show where you sit for your age and sex. The registry starts at age 20, so younger users are compared with the 20–29 group.
02 / Formula
The VO2 max formulas
Cooper 12-minute run test
VO2 max = (d − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
= 22.351 × d(km) − 11.288- d = distance covered in 12 minutes, in metres (first line) or kilometres (second line)
- result in mL/kg/min
This is the commonly used metric form of Cooper’s regression, from his study of US Air Force men. Run on a flat, measured course such as a 400 m track, after a good warm-up. Pace it: going out too fast shortens the distance.
Rockport 1-mile walk test
VO2 max = 132.853 − 0.0769 × W − 0.3877 × A + 6.315 × S
− 3.2649 × T − 0.1565 × HR- W = body weight in pounds (the calculator converts from kg)
- A = age in years
- S = 1 for men, 0 for women
- T = time to walk 1 mile, in minutes (15:30 = 15.5)
- HR = heart rate in beats per minute at the end of the walk (the final quarter-mile)
Developed in 343 adults aged 30 to 69, so it is most reliable in that age range.
Resting heart rate method (Uth–Sørensen)
VO2 max ≈ 15.3 × HRmax ÷ HRrest
- HRmax = maximum heart rate (measured, or estimated as 208 − 0.7 × age)
- HRrest = resting heart rate, measured in the morning
Developed in a small group of 46 well-trained men; treat it as a rough guide for everyone else.
03 / Worked example
Worked examples
Cooper test: a 35-year-old man runs 2,600 m
He runs 6.5 laps of a 400 m track in 12 minutes.
- 1VO2 max = (2,600 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
- 2VO2 max = 2,095.1 ÷ 44.73 = 46.8 mL/kg/min
- 3FRIEND, men 30–39: median 42.4, 75th percentile 49.2
About 46.8 mL/kg/min: above average for his age, between the 50th and 75th percentile.
Rockport walk: a 45-year-old woman
She weighs 70 kg (154.3 lb), walks the mile in 15:30 and her heart rate at the finish is 140 bpm.
- 1132.853 − (0.0769 × 154.3) − (0.3877 × 45) + 0
- 2− (3.2649 × 15.5) − (0.1565 × 140)
- 3= 132.853 − 11.87 − 17.45 − 50.61 − 21.91 = 31.0
- 4FRIEND, women 40–49: median 26.7, 75th percentile 32.4
About 31.0 mL/kg/min: above average for her age group.
Resting heart rate: a 30-year-old with a resting pulse of 60
No measured maximum, so the calculator estimates it as 208 − 0.7 × 30 = 187 bpm.
- 1VO2 max ≈ 15.3 × 187 ÷ 60
- 2VO2 max ≈ 47.7 mL/kg/min
About 47.7 mL/kg/min, a rough estimate. A Cooper or Rockport test will be more reliable.
04 / Reference
VO2 max charts and tables
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 29.0 | 40.1 | 48.0 | 55.2 | 61.8 |
| 30–39 | 27.2 | 35.9 | 42.4 | 49.2 | 56.5 |
| 40–49 | 24.2 | 31.9 | 37.8 | 45.0 | 52.1 |
| 50–59 | 20.9 | 27.1 | 32.6 | 39.7 | 45.6 |
| 60–69 | 17.4 | 23.7 | 28.2 | 34.5 | 40.3 |
| 70–79 | 16.3 | 20.4 | 24.4 | 30.4 | 36.6 |
| Age | 10th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 21.7 | 30.5 | 37.6 | 44.7 | 51.3 |
| 30–39 | 19.0 | 25.3 | 30.2 | 36.1 | 41.4 |
| 40–49 | 17.0 | 21.1 | 26.7 | 32.4 | 38.4 |
| 50–59 | 16.0 | 19.1 | 23.4 | 27.6 | 32.0 |
| 60–69 | 13.4 | 16.5 | 20.0 | 23.8 | 27.0 |
| 70–79 | 13.1 | 15.4 | 18.3 | 20.8 | 23.1 |
Percentiles from US adults who had a maximal treadmill test with measured oxygen uptake. The calculator labels results under the 25th percentile as low, 25th–50th below average, 50th–75th above average, 75th–90th high, and above the 90th very high.
| Distance in 12 minutes | Miles | Estimated VO2 max |
|---|---|---|
| 1,600 m | 0.99 | 24.5 |
| 2,000 m | 1.24 | 33.4 |
| 2,400 m | 1.49 | 42.4 |
| 2,800 m | 1.74 | 51.3 |
| 3,200 m | 1.99 | 60.3 |
Calculated with the Cooper equation. Each extra 100 m adds about 2.2 mL/kg/min.
05 / Training
How to improve your VO2 max
VO2 max responds well to training, especially if you are starting from a low or average level. Both steady endurance work and high-intensity intervals raise it; intervals tend to raise it a little more in the same time.
- Build an easy aerobic base. Two or three sessions a week of 30 to 60 minutes in heart rate zone 2, where you can still talk, on the treadmill, rowing machine, spin bike or outdoors.
- Add one interval session a week. For example, 4 × 4 minutes hard (zone 4–5) with 3 minutes easy between, or 6 to 10 × 1 minute hard. See HIIT vs steady-state cardio.
- Retest every 6 to 8 weeks with the same test, course and conditions, so the numbers are comparable.
- Keep lifting. Strength training does not lower VO2 max, and it helps you run and ride with better economy. How to minimise cardio and strength interference.
- More ideas in how to boost VO2 max for all-round fitness.
06 / Limitations
Limitations and safety
Every field test estimates VO2 max. Pacing, weather, the running surface and motivation all move the result, and the equations were built from specific groups of people, so individual errors of several mL/kg/min are normal. Fitness watches estimate VO2 max too, and their numbers can also differ from a lab test.
The Cooper test is a maximal effort. If you are inactive, over 40 with risk factors, or have heart, lung or joint problems, start with the Rockport walk and check with a doctor before any all-out test.
This calculator gives an estimate for general fitness education. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are new to hard exercise, check with a doctor first.
07 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a good VO2 max for my age?
Around the median is typical: in the FRIEND registry that is about 48 mL/kg/min for men in their 20s and 42 in their 30s, and about 38 for women in their 20s and 30 in their 30s. Values above the 75th percentile, such as 49 for a man in his 30s or 36 for a woman in her 30s, are good.
How do I calculate VO2 max from the Cooper test?
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes and measure the distance in metres. Then VO2 max = (distance − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. For example, 2,400 m gives (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 ≈ 42.4 mL/kg/min.
Can I estimate VO2 max by walking?
Yes. The Rockport 1-mile walk test uses your time to walk one mile as fast as you can, your heart rate at the finish, age, sex and body weight. It is a good choice if you are new to exercise or cannot run.
How accurate is a VO2 max calculator?
Field tests give a reasonable estimate for groups of people, but any one person’s result can be several mL/kg/min away from a lab measurement. Use the same test under the same conditions to track change over time; that trend is more useful than a single number.
What does VO2 max mean?
VO2 max is the maximum rate at which your body can take in and use oxygen during intense exercise, usually given in mL of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute. It is the standard measure of aerobic fitness.
How can I increase my VO2 max?
Train your aerobic system regularly: several easy sessions a week plus one session of hard intervals, such as 4 × 4 minutes. Losing excess body fat also raises VO2 max per kilogram. Training studies commonly show measurable gains within 6 to 12 weeks, especially in people starting from a low level.
Why does VO2 max matter for health?
Higher cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly linked with a lower risk of heart disease and of dying early from any cause, and the American Heart Association recommends treating fitness as a clinical vital sign.
Sources
- Cooper KH. A means of assessing maximal oxygen intake. Correlation between field and treadmill testing. JAMA. 1968;203(3):201-204.
- Kline GM, Porcari JP, Hintermeister R, et al. Estimation of VO2max from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987;19(3):253-259.
- Uth N, Sørensen H, Overgaard K, Pedersen PK. Estimation of VO2max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest: the Heart Rate Ratio Method. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004;91(1):111-115.
- Kaminsky LA, Arena R, Myers J. Reference standards for cardiorespiratory fitness measured with cardiopulmonary exercise testing: data from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise National Database. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(11):1515-1523.
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(1):153-156.
- Milanović Z, Sporiš G, Weston M. Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training (HIT) and continuous endurance training for VO2max improvements: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2015;45(10):1469-1481.
- Ross R, Blair SN, Arena R, et al. Importance of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in clinical practice: a case for fitness as a clinical vital sign. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2016;134(24):e653-e699.
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- Spin BikeBeginner cardio on the spin bike, for heart and lung fitness.
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- Jumping JacksBeginner compound bodyweight exercise for the calves, glutes, shoulders, adductors and abductors.
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Train your cardio with a plan
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