VO2 Max Calculator

Estimate your VO2 max with one of four tests, see how it compares for your age and sex, and what 12 weeks of Norwegian 4x4 could do.

Choose a test, then enter your result. No test today? The resting heart rate method needs no exercise.

An estimate for training, not a medical diagnosis. Talk to your doctor before starting hard exercise if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, take heart medication, or have symptoms when you exert yourself.

What VO2 max tells you

VO2 max is the most oxygen your body can take in and use during hard exercise, measured in millilitres per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It reflects how much blood your heart can pump and how well your muscles use oxygen. It is also one of the strongest predictors of long-term health: in a study of more than 120,000 adults, low fitness carried a mortality risk comparable to smoking or diabetes. More in our VO2 max guide.

The four tests

Test	What you do	Formula	Best for
Resting heart rate	Measure your pulse lying down in the morning	15.3 × HRmax ÷ HRrest	A quick, no-exercise estimate (least precise)
Cooper test	Run as far as you can in 12 minutes on a flat track	(metres − 504.9) ÷ 44.73	Runners; the most accurate field test here
1.5-mile run	Run 1.5 miles (2.4 km) as fast as you can	3.5 + 483 ÷ minutes	Runners who prefer a set distance
Rockport walk	Walk 1 mile as fast as you can; take your pulse at the finish	Kline et al. 1987 (age, sex, weight, time, HR)	Beginners, older adults, anyone who can't run hard

For all running tests: warm up for 10 minutes, use a flat track or a treadmill at 1% incline, and pace evenly. Your first attempt is often your slowest, because pacing improves with practice.

How your result is compared

You get two comparisons. The rating (below average, average, good, excellent) uses the same general-population table as our VO2 max by age chart. The percentile and fitness age compare you with healthy adults who were tested on a treadmill in Norway's HUNT 3 Fitness Study (Loe et al., 2013). That group is fitter than average, so a 50th percentile there is a good result.

Fitness age is the age at which the HUNT average equals your VO2 max. A 50-year-old with the VO2 max of an average 40-year-old has a fitness age of 40. For a fitness age without any test, try the fitness age calculator.

How to raise your VO2 max

VO2 max responds best to training close to it. The Norwegian 4x4, four 4-minute intervals at 85–95% of max heart rate, is one of the best-studied ways to do that: moderately trained men improved by about 7% in 8 weeks, and less-fit people often gain more. Pair 1–2 sessions a week with easy Zone 2 work, and retest every 6–12 weeks. How long it takes to increase VO2 max has the realistic timelines, and the 12-week plan generator puts the sessions in your calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is a VO2 max calculator?

Field tests are usually within about 3–5 ml/kg/min of a lab test when you give a true maximal effort, and the resting heart rate method is rougher. A lab test with gas analysis (CPET) is the gold standard. The value of a calculator is in tracking change: repeat the same test every 6–12 weeks under the same conditions.

Which VO2 max test should I use?

If you can run hard for 12 minutes, the Cooper test is the most accurate of the four. The 1.5-mile run is similar. If running hard isn’t safe or comfortable, use the Rockport 1-mile walk. The resting heart rate method needs no exercise at all but is the least precise.

What is a good VO2 max for my age?

For men aged 40–49, roughly 38 ml/kg/min is average and 44+ is good in general-population tables; for women of the same age, 32 is average and 37+ is good. Healthy, active Norwegians tested in the HUNT study averaged higher (47 for men and 38 for women in their 40s). See our VO2 max by age chart for every age group.

Why is my result different from my Apple Watch or Garmin?

Watches estimate VO2 max from heart rate and pace during normal runs or walks, using their own models. Field tests use a single all-out effort. Both are estimates, and differences of 3–6 ml/kg/min are common. Pick one method and follow the trend.

How much can the Norwegian 4x4 raise my VO2 max?

In NTNU studies, moderately trained men improved VO2 max by about 7% in 8 weeks of 4x4 training, and people starting from a low level often improve more. A realistic expectation for most adults is 5–10% over 8–12 weeks of 1–2 sessions a week.

Is it safe to do a maximal field test?

For healthy adults who already exercise, usually yes. If you are new to exercise, over 50 and inactive, or have a heart condition, high blood pressure or symptoms on exertion, talk to your doctor first and use the walk test or the resting heart rate method.

Sources

Uth N, Sørensen H, Overgaard K, Pedersen PK. Estimation of VO2max from the ratio between HRmax and HRrest – the Heart Rate Ratio Method. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004;91(1):111-5.
Cooper KH. A means of assessing maximal oxygen intake. JAMA 1968;203(3):201-4.
Kline GM et al. Estimation of VO2max from a one-mile track walk, gender, age, and body weight. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1987;19(3):253-9.
American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (1.5-mile run equation).
Loe H, Rognmo Ø, Saltin B, Wisløff U. Aerobic capacity reference data in 3816 healthy men and women 20–90 years. PLoS ONE 2013;8(5):e64319.
Helgerud J et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007;39(4):665-71.