VO2 Max Calculator
Pick a test, enter your result and get your estimated VO2 max in ml/kg/min, with METs and the steps of the formula.
Count your pulse for a full minute, sitting or lying quietly just after waking.
The Rockport formula adds 6.315 for men.
From a hard, safe test. It replaces the formula.
Type mm:ss, like 12:30. A plain number means minutes. 1.5 miles = 2,414 m (6 laps of a 400 m track, plus 14 m).
Walk 1 mile (1,609 m) as fast as you can without jogging. Type mm:ss.
Right as you finish, or count 15 seconds and × 4.
Type h:mm:ss or mm:ss, like 52:10 or 1:55:00. Use a recent, all-out race on a flat course.
Equal race times for your VDOT
| Race | Time | Pace |
|---|
Daniels–Gilbert equal-effort times. They assume you have trained for each distance; marathon times in particular need the long runs behind them.
How your VO2 max is worked out
Take your test result, run it through the published formula for that test, then turn it into METs.
- 1
Max heart rate
220 − 35= 185 bpm
- 2
Heart rate ratio
185 ÷ 60= 3.08
- 3
Your VO2 max
15.3 × 185 ÷ 60= 47.2 ml/kg/min
- 4
In METs
47.2 ÷ 3.5= 13.5 METs
Read more: every formula, a worked example and what the number means
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can use per minute in all-out exercise, divided by your weight. A lab measures it directly with a gas mask; every method here is a field estimate from a published study, so expect an error of a few ml/kg/min either way. This is general fitness information, not medical advice: if you have a heart condition, are new to hard exercise or feel unwell, talk to a doctor before a maximal test.
The formula
Heart rate ratio (Uth 2004): VO2 max = 15.3 × max heart rate ÷ resting heart rate
Cooper 12-minute run (1968): VO2 max = (metres covered − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
1.5-mile run: VO2 max = 483 ÷ time in minutes + 3.5
Rockport 1-mile walk (Kline 1987): VO2 max = 132.853 − 0.0769 × weight in lb − 0.3877 × age + 6.315 if male − 3.2649 × time in minutes − 0.1565 × finish heart rate
Daniels VDOT: speed v = metres ÷ minutes; oxygen cost = −4.60 + 0.182258 × v + 0.000104 × v²; share held = 0.8 + 0.1894393 × e^(−0.012778 × minutes) + 0.2989558 × e^(−0.1932605 × minutes); VDOT = cost ÷ share
METs = VO2 max ÷ 3.5 · litres per minute = VO2 max × kg ÷ 1000
Worked example
You are 35 with a resting heart rate of 60 bpm. Your estimated max heart rate is 220 − 35 = 185 bpm. The ratio is 185 ÷ 60 = 3.083, so VO2 max = 15.3 × 185 ÷ 60 = 2,830.5 ÷ 60 = 47.175, about 47.2 ml/kg/min. In METs that is 47.175 ÷ 3.5 = 13.5 METs. At 70 kg, your body uses up to 47.175 × 70 ÷ 1000 = 3.30 litres of oxygen a minute.
The same person on the other tests
| Test | Result | Sum | VO2 max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper 12 min | 2,400 m | (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 | 42.4 |
| 1.5-mile run | 12:00 | 483 ÷ 12 + 3.5 | 43.8 |
| Rockport walk (man, 70 kg = 154.32 lb) | 15:00, 120 bpm | 132.853 − 11.8675 − 13.5695 + 6.315 − 48.9735 − 18.78 = 45.98 | 46.0 |
| 5K race (VDOT) | 25:00 | 36.012 ÷ 0.9400 | 38.3 |
For the 5K: speed = 5,000 ÷ 25 = 200 m per minute; oxygen cost = −4.60 + 0.182258 × 200 + 0.000104 × 200² = −4.60 + 36.452 + 4.16 = 36.012; the share of VO2 max you can hold for 25 minutes is 0.8 + 0.1894393 × e^(−0.31945) + 0.2989558 × e^(−4.83151) = 0.9400; VDOT = 36.012 ÷ 0.9400 = 38.3.
How to do each test
- Resting heart rate: count your pulse for 60 seconds lying or sitting still, just after waking. Uth's study used trained men aged 21–51, so treat other results as a rough guide.
- Cooper 12-minute run: warm up, then run (or run-walk) as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes on a flat, measured track. Count laps of a 400 m track.
- 1.5-mile run: run 2,414 m as fast as you can, steady from the start. Used by many armed forces and police fitness tests.
- Rockport 1-mile walk: walk 1 mile (1,609 m) as fast as you can without jogging, then take your heart rate right away. Made with healthy adults aged 30–69; a good choice if you can't run.
- Race time (VDOT): use a recent, all-out race from about 1,500 m to the marathon. It reflects running fitness, including how economical your stride is.
What the number means
VO2 max norms differ by age, sex, the test used and the study, so this calculator shows your number without a rating. In general it peaks in your 20s, falls by roughly 10% per decade after about 30 (less if you keep training), and is higher on average in men. Elite endurance athletes reach 70–90 ml/kg/min. The most useful comparison is with yourself: repeat the same test every 6–8 weeks under the same conditions.
1 MET (3.5 ml/kg/min) is the oxygen you use sitting quietly, so a VO2 max of 13.5 METs means your body can work at up to 13.5 times its resting rate. Smartwatch VO2 max figures use their own models from heart rate and pace, and may differ from these tests.
Common questions
What is VO2 max?
VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can take in and use per minute during hard exercise, per kilogram of body weight. It is written in ml/kg/min. It is one of the best single measures of aerobic (cardio) fitness. A lab measures it with a mask on a treadmill or bike; field tests like the ones here estimate it.
How can I estimate VO2 max without a lab?
Pick a test you can do safely. Resting: 15.3 × max heart rate ÷ resting heart rate (Uth 2004). Running: the distance you cover in 12 minutes (Cooper) or your 1.5-mile time. Walking: the Rockport 1-mile walk test with your heart rate at the end. Racing: your recent 5K or 10K time through Daniels' VDOT formula.
How do I work out VO2 max from resting heart rate?
Divide your max heart rate by your resting heart rate and multiply by 15.3. At 35 with a resting rate of 60, max is 220 − 35 = 185, so VO2 max ≈ 15.3 × 185 ÷ 60 = 47.2 ml/kg/min. It is the quickest method, but also the roughest, because max heart rate formulas can be 10 bpm or more out.
What is the Cooper test formula?
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes on a flat track, then VO2 max = (distance in metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. 2,400 m gives (2,400 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 = 42.4 ml/kg/min. It was published by Kenneth Cooper in 1968.
What is VDOT?
VDOT is Jack Daniels' running fitness number. It works out the oxygen cost of your race pace and divides it by the share of VO2 max you can hold for that long. A 25:00 5K gives a VDOT of about 38.3. It also predicts equal race times at other distances.
What is a good VO2 max?
It depends a lot on age, sex and the test used, so this calculator doesn't show a rating table. As a broad guide, VO2 max falls by roughly 10% per decade after about 30, men tend to score higher than women, and top endurance athletes reach 70–90 ml/kg/min. The best use is to track your own number with the same test over time.
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