Cooper test calculator
Enter the distance you covered in 12 minutes: the calculator returns your VO2max, your maximal aerobic speed and your training paces, then places the result on the reference scale for your age and sex.
About 30 seconds
The formulas used
VO2max (mL/kg/min) = (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
MAS (km/h) = VO2max ÷ 3.5. The speed actually held over the 12 minutes is shown separately: it differs from estimated MAS by a few percent, and coaches use both.
For a Cooper test of 2,600 metres in 12 minutes, estimated VO2max is 46.8 mL/kg/min and maximal aerobic speed about 13.4 km/h.
Regression from Kenneth H. Cooper (JAMA, 1968); age and sex scale from the same author's normative tables.
Reference scale for ages 20–29
| Rating | Distance covered |
|---|---|
| Excellent | From 2,800 m |
| Good | From 2,400 m |
| Average | From 2,200 m |
| Poor | From 1,600 m |
Your training paces
| Zone | Pace |
|---|---|
| Base endurance (65–75% MAS) | — |
| Tempo / threshold (80–88% MAS) | — |
| Short intervals (95–100% MAS) | — |
How to run the test properly
Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes, then run as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on flat ground — a 400 m track is ideal, because the distance is easy to read off.
Hold an even pace: setting off too fast is the main reason a Cooper test underestimates real fitness.
Record the distance to the nearest 10 metres, and repeat the test under the same conditions (same track, comparable weather, same time of day) so the results can be compared over time.
Read the full Cooper test guide · See all calculators
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about the Cooper test calculator.
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes, record the distance in metres, then apply VO2max = (distance − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. For 2,600 metres that gives roughly 46.8 mL/kg/min.
It depends on age and sex. For a man aged 20 to 29, 2,400 metres counts as good and 2,800 metres as excellent; for a woman of the same age the thresholds are 2,200 and 2,700 metres.
Divide VO2max by 3.5, the oxygen cost of running at one km/h. You can also take the average speed held during the 12 minutes, which is very close to MAS in practice.
It is an estimate, not a laboratory measurement. Accuracy depends on even pacing, surface, weather and motivation. Repeated under the same conditions, it remains an excellent progress marker.
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