VO2 Max Calculator

Estimate your VO2 max — the top rate your body can use oxygen, and the single best number for aerobic fitness. Use the Cooper 12-minute run test, or a quick heart-rate estimate.

What VO2 Max Is

VO2 max is the maximum volume of oxygen your body can take in and use per minute, measured in milliliters per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). The higher it is, the more aerobic work you can sustain — it’s the best-known predictor of endurance performance.

The Cooper Test

Devised by Dr. Kenneth Cooper in 1968, the test measures how far you can run in 12 minutes on flat ground. The distance maps to VO2 max:

VO2 max = (distance in meters − 504.9) ÷ 44.73

Warm up first, run at a hard but even effort, and record the exact distance — the distance calculator or follow mode can track it for you.

The Heart Rate Method

If you’d rather not run flat out, VO2 max correlates with the ratio of your maximum to resting heart rate:

VO2 max ≈ 15.3 × (max HR ÷ resting HR)

It’s less accurate than a run test but needs no maximal effort — just a reliable resting pulse and an estimate of your max heart rate.

Improving Your Number

VO2 max responds to training, especially intervals near your max. Track your zones with the heart rate zones calculator, and use the race time predictor to see how gains translate into finish times.

Get Distance Measure

Download Distance Measure for iOS and start measuring in seconds.