The Cooper Test Calculator helps you measure your cardiovascular fitness and endurance based on the distance you can cover in 12 minutes. Simply enter your running distance to estimate your VO2 max and assess your aerobic fitness level. Whether you’re a football player, runner, or fitness enthusiast, this calculator makes it easy to track your stamina, monitor your progress, and improve your overall athletic performance.
Cooper Test Calculator
Enter how far you ran in 12 minutes and get your Cooper test rating for your age and sex, your estimated VO2max, your pace and how far you need to run to reach the next level.
The calculator is still loading. If this message stays, please refresh the page.
- About You
- Your Run
- Your Rating
Tell Us About You
Cooper test ratings are different for men and women and change with age.
How Far Did You Run In 12 Minutes?
Enter your distance in metres, track laps or miles.
Ratings and VO2max are estimates from a field test. If you have any health concerns, check with a doctor before doing a maximal running test.
What Is A Good Cooper Test Score?
Ratings for men and women aged 20 to 29, by distance covered in 12 minutes.
How The Cooper Test Calculator Works
Four quick steps from your run to your rating.
Run For 12 Minutes
Cover as much distance as you can.
Enter Your Details
Your sex and age.
Add Your Distance
In metres, track laps or miles.
Get Your Rating
Rating, VO2max, pace and a PDF.
What Is The Cooper Test?
The Cooper test is a simple fitness test created by Dr Kenneth Cooper in 1968 for the US Air Force. You run, or run and walk, as far as you can in exactly 12 minutes. The distance you cover shows how good your aerobic fitness is, which is your body’s ability to take in and use oxygen.
Because it only needs a track and a stopwatch, the Cooper test is popular with football clubs, schools, the military and anyone who wants to track their fitness. Footballers cover long distances in a match, so a strong aerobic base helps you keep running and recover between sprints.
The GlobeHour Cooper Test Calculator compares your distance with the standard rating table for your age and sex, estimates your VO2max, and shows your pace, speed and lap times.
How Your Cooper Test Result Is Calculated
Example: a 25-year-old man who runs 2,600 metres in 12 minutes.
| Result | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | Distance compared with the table for your age and sex | 2,600 m → Good (men 20–29) |
| VO2max | 22.351 × distance in km − 11.288 | 22.351 × 2.6 − 11.288 = 46.8 ml/kg/min |
| Average Pace | 12 minutes ÷ distance in km | 12 ÷ 2.6 = 4:37 per km |
| Average Speed | Distance in km × 5 | 2.6 × 5 = 13.0 km/h |
| 400 m Lap Time | 720 seconds ÷ (distance ÷ 400) | 720 ÷ 6.5 = 1:51 per lap |
| To Next Rating | Next rating distance − your distance | Over 2,800 m for Excellent → 201 m more |
The VO2max formula is the standard Cooper equation. It is an estimate, so your real VO2max measured in a lab may be different.
Cooper Test Ratings For Men
Distance covered in 12 minutes.
| Age | Excellent | Good | Average | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13–19 | Over 2,800 m | 2,400–2,800 m | 2,000–2,400 m | 1,600–2,000 m | Under 1,600 m |
| 20–29 | Over 2,800 m | 2,400–2,800 m | 2,000–2,400 m | 1,600–2,000 m | Under 1,600 m |
| 30–39 | Over 2,600 m | 2,200–2,600 m | 1,800–2,200 m | 1,500–1,800 m | Under 1,500 m |
| 40–49 | Over 2,500 m | 2,100–2,500 m | 1,700–2,100 m | 1,400–1,700 m | Under 1,400 m |
| 50+ | Over 2,400 m | 2,000–2,400 m | 1,600–2,000 m | 1,300–1,600 m | Under 1,300 m |
Cooper Test Ratings For Women
Distance covered in 12 minutes.
| Age | Excellent | Good | Average | Fair | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13–19 | Over 2,300 m | 2,000–2,300 m | 1,700–2,000 m | 1,400–1,700 m | Under 1,400 m |
| 20–29 | Over 2,400 m | 2,000–2,400 m | 1,700–2,000 m | 1,400–1,700 m | Under 1,400 m |
| 30–39 | Over 2,300 m | 1,900–2,300 m | 1,600–1,900 m | 1,300–1,600 m | Under 1,300 m |
| 40–49 | Over 2,200 m | 1,800–2,200 m | 1,500–1,800 m | 1,200–1,500 m | Under 1,200 m |
| 50+ | Over 2,100 m | 1,700–2,100 m | 1,400–1,700 m | 1,100–1,400 m | Under 1,100 m |
When a distance sits exactly on a boundary, the calculator gives you the higher rating, except for Excellent, which needs more than the top distance.
How To Do The Cooper Test
- Find a flat 400 m track so you can count laps and measure the distance easily.
- Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes with easy jogging and a few short strides.
- Start the stopwatch and run as far as you can in 12 minutes. Walking is allowed if you need it.
- Stop when the 12 minutes are up and note how far you went: full laps plus the extra metres.
- Cool down with a few minutes of easy walking.
How To Improve Your Cooper Test Score
- Run at an even pace instead of sprinting the first lap.
- Add one interval session a week, such as 400 m repeats.
- Build your base with longer, easy runs.
- Practise the test pace using your target lap time.
- Sleep well and eat enough carbohydrate before test day.
- Retest every 6 to 8 weeks to track progress.
- Test in similar weather and at a similar time of day.
- Rest properly the day before the test.
Cooper Test Calculator FAQ
What Is A Good Cooper Test Score?
For men aged 20 to 29, 2,400 to 2,800 m is Good and over 2,800 m is Excellent. For women aged 20 to 29, 2,000 to 2,400 m is Good and over 2,400 m is Excellent.
Is The Cooper Test Calculator Free?
Yes. It is completely free, needs no sign-up and works on phones, tablets and computers. You can also download your result as a PDF.
How Is VO2max Calculated From The Cooper Test?
The calculator uses VO2max = 22.351 × distance in km − 11.288. For 2,600 m that gives about 46.8 ml/kg/min.
What Is A Good Cooper Test Score For Footballers?
Topend Sports gives 2.4 to 2.8 km in 12 minutes as a competition standard for team sports such as football.
How Many Laps Is The Cooper Test?
There is no set number of laps. You run for 12 minutes and count how many 400 m laps you complete, plus any extra metres.
Can I Walk During The Cooper Test?
Yes. You can walk if you need to, but your rating is based on the total distance you cover in 12 minutes.
Can I Do The Cooper Test On A Treadmill?
You can, but results may differ from running on a track. Set a 1% incline to make it closer to outdoor running.
How Often Should I Do The Cooper Test?
Every 6 to 8 weeks is a good gap to see real changes in your fitness.
Is My Information Saved?
Your details are saved only in your own browser. Nothing is sent to GlobeHour.
Related GlobeHour Tools
Ready To Test Your Fitness?
Run for 12 minutes, enter your distance and see your Cooper test rating and VO2max in seconds.
Open The Cooper Test Calculator
