How to use the tool
1 • Cooper Test
- Select Cooper Test.
- Type the distance you covered in 12 min—e.g., 2 900 m or 3 150 m.
- Press calculate to view VO₂ max.
Formula
$$VO₂_{max}=rac{Distance\;(m)-504.9}{44.73}$$Example: 2 900 m ⇒ (2 900 − 504.9)/44.73 = 53.6 ml/kg/min.
2 • Rockport Walking Test
- Select Rockport Walking Test.
- Enter 170 lb, age 45 yr, male, walk time 15 min, HR 135 bpm.
Formula
$$VO₂_{max}=132.853-0.0769W-0.3877A+6.315G-3.2649T-0.1565HR$$G = 1 male, 0 female
Example: Inputs above give 38.5 ml/kg/min.
3 • Heart-Rate Method
- Select Heart Rate-Based Estimation.
- Age 30 yr, resting HR 58 bpm.
Formula
$$VO₂_{max}=15.3\timesrac{(220-Age)}{Resting\,HR}$$Example: 15.3 × 190/58 = 50.1 ml/kg/min.
4 • Non-Exercise Estimate
- Select Non-Exercise Estimation.
- Input: female, 40 yr, 68 kg, 165 cm, activity level 4.
Formulas
First compute $$BMI=rac{Weight\,(kg)}{(Height\,(m))^{2}}$$
Then
- Males: $$VO₂_{max}=60.0-0.55A-0.22BMI+6.4L$$
- Females: $$VO₂_{max}=48.0-0.37A-0.22BMI+6.4L$$
Example: BMI = 25.0; VO₂ max = 53.3 ml/kg/min.
Quick-Facts
- Healthy adult VO₂ max: 35–45 ml/kg/min (ACSM, 2021).
- Elite cyclists exceed 70 ml/kg/min (Joyner & Coyle, 2008).
- Cooper test correlates r = 0.91 with lab values (Cooper Institute, cooperinstitute.org).
- Normal resting HR: 60–100 bpm (Mayo Clinic, 2022).
- Non-exercise equation ± 5 ml/kg/min error (Jackson et al., 1990).
FAQ
What is VO₂ max?
VO₂ max expresses the highest rate at which your body uses oxygen during hard exercise, reported in ml/kg/min (ACSM, 2021).
Why choose the Cooper test?
It needs only a stopwatch and track, yet predicts lab VO₂ max with 91 % accuracy (Cooper Institute, cooperinstitute.org).
When is the Rockport test better?
Use it if you prefer brisk walking; it stresses joints less while giving reliable estimates for novices (Kline et al., 1987).
How accurate is the heart-rate method?
Its standard error is roughly ±7 ml/kg/min because it depends on resting HR variability (Uth et al., 2004).
What activity level should I pick?
ACSM defines level 3 as 150 min moderate or 75 min vigorous weekly (ACSM, 2021).
How often should I retest?
Every 4–6 weeks captures training adaptations without daily noise (“A change of 3.5 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ is clinically significant” — ACSM Guidelines, 2021).
Can medication affect results?
Beta-blockers lower heart rate and can under-predict VO₂ max by up to 10 % (Mayo Clinic, 2022).
How do I improve my VO₂ max?
Interval training at 90 % max HR raises VO₂ max ~5–15 % within eight weeks (Laursen & Jenkins, 2002).
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