Free tool
VO2max calculator
Estimate your VO2max from a race time, a 12-minute run, a 1.5-mile run, a 1-mile walk or your heart rate — and see where you stand for your age and sex.
Most accurate for runners: a recent all-out race of 5 km to half marathon.
for men aged 30–39 · Excellent starts at 48.3
Estimates have an error of several points. Compare with the norms by age.
The formulas
| Method | Formula | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Race time | Daniels' VDOT from speed and race duration | Daniels & Gilbert, 1979 |
| Cooper 12 min | (distance m − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 | Cooper, JAMA 1968 |
| 1.5-mile run | 3.5 + 483 ÷ time (min) | Field-test standard |
| 1-mile walk | Rockport equation (age, sex, weight, time, heart rate) | Kline et al., MSSE 1987 |
| Heart rate | 15.3 × max HR ÷ resting HR | Uth et al., Eur J Appl Physiol 2004 |
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a VO2max calculator?
Field-test formulas are typically within a few ml/kg/min of a lab test for groups of people, but individual results can be further off. A race-based estimate is usually the most useful for runners; the heart-rate ratio method is the least precise.
Which test should I use?
If you race, use a recent all-out 5 km to half-marathon time. Otherwise the Cooper 12-minute run or the 1.5-mile run work well for fit people, and the Rockport 1-mile walk for beginners.
What is a good VO2max?
It depends on age and sex. For men aged 30–39, above about 48 ml/kg/min is excellent; for women of the same age, above about 42.
Next: what VO2max is, how to raise it with 4×4 intervals, and why it matters for health. VO2max Health tracks it automatically from your watch.
General information, not medical advice. Don't do maximal tests if you have a heart condition or symptoms such as chest pain — ask a doctor first.