VO2 max and MAS calculator
Enter the result of a Cooper test, a 6-minute run or the last stage of a progressive test: get your estimated VO2 max, your maximal aerobic speed and your training paces.
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Your test
Run as far as you can in 12 minutes, ideally on a 400 m track, after a good warm-up.
Run as far as you can in 6 minutes, at the fastest pace you can hold to the end.
The last stage you finished in full on a continuous test: VAMEVAL, Université de Montréal track test or treadmill. Not for the 20 m shuttle run (beep test), whose turns lower the final speed.
These tests are run flat out. Warm up first, and if you have a heart condition, are pregnant or haven’t exercised for a while, check with a doctor before a maximal test.
Your estimate
- Maximal aerobic speed (MAS)
- — km/h
- Estimated VO2 max
- — ml/kg/min
- Pace at MAS
- —
- MAS in miles per hour
- —
- 400 m at MAS
- —
Enter your test result to estimate your MAS and VO2 max.
How it’s calculated
MAS = distance (m) ÷ 200, the average speed over 12 minutes
VO2 max = (distance (m) − 504.9) ÷ 44.73
Field estimate, not a laboratory measurement. VO2 max formula: Cooper, JAMA, 1968.
Training paces
| % of MAS | Speed km/h | 200 m | 400 m | 1000 m pace /km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | — | — | — | — |
| 65% | — | — | — | — |
| 70% | — | — | — | — |
| 75% | — | — | — | — |
| 80% | — | — | — | — |
| 85% | — | — | — | — |
| 90% | — | — | — | — |
| 95% | — | — | — | — |
| 100% · your MAS | — | — | — | — |
| 105% | — | — | — | — |
Paces appear here once your MAS is known.
How it works
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Run a test
Choose the Cooper test (12 minutes), the half-Cooper (6 minutes) or a progressive test where the speed rises by stages until you stop.
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Enter your result
Type the distance you covered, or the speed of the last stage you completed in full, in kilometers or in miles.
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Train at the right pace
Read your estimated VO2 max and MAS, then use the table: speed, pace and split times over 200 m, 400 m and 1000 m from 60 to 105% of your MAS.
Frequently asked questions
What are VO2 max and maximal aerobic speed?
VO2 max is the largest amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, in milliliters per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Maximal aerobic speed (MAS, “VMA” in French) is the running speed at which you reach it. Most runners can hold it only for a few minutes, which makes it a handy reference for setting training paces.
How is VO2 max calculated from the Cooper test?
Kenneth Cooper published the formula in 1968 in the Journal of the American Medical Association: VO2 max = (distance in meters − 504.9) ÷ 44.73. For 3,000 m in 12 minutes: (3,000 − 504.9) ÷ 44.73 ≈ 55.8 ml/kg/min. The average speed of the test, 3,000 m ÷ 200 = 15 km/h, gives an estimate of your MAS.
How accurate are these estimates?
They are field estimates, not a laboratory measurement with gas analysis. Pacing, weather, the surface and motivation all change the result. The Cooper formula was developed with men of the US Air Force and is less precise for other groups. For the other tests, VO2 max ≈ MAS × 3.5 assumes an average running economy (Léger and Mercier, 1984): a very economical runner gets a value that is too low, a less economical one a value that is too high.
Which test should I choose?
The Cooper test is the classic for VO2 max. Since MAS can only be held for a few minutes, 12 minutes is a little long and tends to underestimate it; the 6-minute half-Cooper is closer. Progressive tests such as VAMEVAL (Cazorla and Léger) or the Université de Montréal track test (Léger and Boucher, 1980) raise the speed by stages until you stop: the last stage completed gives your MAS directly. The 20 m shuttle run is a different test and is not covered here.
How do I train with my MAS?
Coaches often use around 60 to 75% of MAS for easy endurance runs, around 80 to 90% for tempo and threshold work, and 95 to 105% for short intervals such as 30 seconds fast, 30 seconds easy. These are common guidelines, not rules: listen to your body, and ask a coach to build a plan that suits you.
Is my data stored?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. Only your choice of kilometers or miles is remembered on this device.