VO₂max calculator: estimate endurance from field tests
Estimate your maximum oxygen uptake using a standardized field test. Additional inputs only help when they belong to the chosen method.
Your details
Your test method
Your estimated VO₂max
ml/kg/min
Your approximate rating:
VO₂max shows how much oxygen your body can use under very high exertion. A higher value usually indicates better endurance. Your rating compares the estimated field test value with laboratory values for the same age group and sex category from the FRIEND study.
What does VO₂max tell you?
VO₂max means maximal oxygen uptake: how much oxygen your body can take in and use per minute and kilogram of body weight during endurance exercise. A higher value generally indicates better aerobic capacity. It is influenced by age, sex category, genetics, training, body composition and daily condition, so it is not a standalone measure of health or disease.
How accurate is this?
Field tests estimate VO₂max from performance and personal data. They do not measure respiratory gases. Daily condition, measurement error, weather, terrain, medication and the study population affect estimates. More inputs do not guarantee greater accuracy; results from different methods are not directly interchangeable.
Smartwatches also provide estimates and are not fundamentally more accurate. A cardiopulmonary exercise test measures oxygen uptake directly. The rating by age group is rough guidance. Individual clearance for training requires a separate assessment.
Maximal exercise tests are not appropriate for everyone. Consult a clinician first if you have a medical condition, symptoms or concerns. Stop for chest pain, dizziness or unusual shortness of breath. Input limits are technical plausibility checks.
Equations & sources
Cooper: (distance in metres − 504.9) / 44.73.
Rockport: 132.853 − 0.0769 × weight in pounds − 0.3877 × age + 6.315 × sex factor − 3.2649 × time in minutes − 0.1565 × final heart rate. Kilograms are converted to pounds internally.
Kline et al. (1987): One-mile walk test · Cooper (1968): field test
Go to the heart rate zone calculator →Questions and answers
Which test results can I enter?
For Cooper, enter the distance actually covered in twelve minutes. Rockport uses your walking time over 1,609 metres, finishing pulse, age, weight and the original equation category.
Does this estimate replace exercise testing?
No. Both methods estimate maximal oxygen uptake from field tests. Laboratory respiratory gas measurement is a different procedure. Enter existing test results; extrapolated running pace is not a completed Cooper test.