What is a good Cooper Test score?

A good Cooper Test score varies by age and gender. For men aged 20-29, a good score is 2400-2800 meters (VO2 max 44-52). For women aged 20-29, a good score is 2000-2300 meters (VO2 max 35-43). Elite athletes typically cover 3000+ meters.

How accurate is the Cooper Test for VO2 max?

The Cooper Test has a correlation of 0.89-0.92 with laboratory VO2 max testing. This makes it accurate within approximately 10-15% of lab values when performed correctly with proper pacing and maximal effort.

What is an average Cooper Test distance?

The average Cooper Test distance is approximately 2200-2400 meters for men and 1800-2000 meters for women. These averages represent moderate fitness levels for adults aged 20-40.

How do I improve my Cooper Test score?

Improve your Cooper Test score by: 1) Running 3-4 times per week including one tempo run, 2) Adding interval training (800m repeats), 3) Building aerobic base with easy runs, 4) Practicing test pacing strategy. Most people can improve 200-400 meters in 6-8 weeks.

What VO2 max is good for my age?

Good VO2 max values by age: 20s: Men 42-46, Women 33-37; 30s: Men 39-43, Women 31-35; 40s: Men 36-40, Women 28-32; 50s: Men 33-37, Women 25-29. Excellent scores are typically 10+ ml/kg/min higher.

Cooper Test Results by Age: Complete VO2 Max Chart 2026

What is the Cooper Test?

The Cooper Test is a 12-minute run test developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper in 1968 to estimate VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake). You simply run as far as possible in 12 minutes, and your distance covered correlates with your aerobic fitness level.

Cooper Test Formula

VO2 max (ml/kg/min) = (Distance in meters - 504.9) / 44.73

Example: 2500m run = (2500 - 504.9) / 44.73 = 44.6 ml/kg/min

Cooper Test Results: Men by Age

Age	Excellent	Good	Average	Below Avg	Poor
13-14	>2700m	2400-2700m	2200-2399m	2100-2199m	<2100m
15-16	>2800m	2500-2800m	2300-2499m	2200-2299m	<2200m
17-19	>3000m	2700-3000m	2500-2699m	2300-2499m	<2300m
20-29	>2800m	2400-2800m	2200-2399m	1600-2199m	<1600m
30-39	>2700m	2300-2700m	1900-2299m	1500-1899m	<1500m
40-49	>2500m	2100-2500m	1700-2099m	1400-1699m	<1400m
50-59	>2400m	2000-2400m	1600-1999m	1300-1599m	<1300m
60+	>2200m	1800-2200m	1400-1799m	1100-1399m	<1100m

Cooper Test Results: Women by Age

Age	Excellent	Good	Average	Below Avg	Poor
13-14	>2000m	1900-2000m	1600-1899m	1500-1599m	<1500m
15-16	>2100m	2000-2100m	1700-1999m	1600-1699m	<1600m
17-19	>2300m	2100-2300m	1800-2099m	1700-1799m	<1700m
20-29	>2300m	2000-2300m	1800-1999m	1500-1799m	<1500m
30-39	>2200m	1900-2200m	1700-1899m	1400-1699m	<1400m
40-49	>2100m	1800-2100m	1500-1799m	1200-1499m	<1200m
50-59	>1900m	1600-1900m	1400-1599m	1100-1399m	<1100m
60+	>1700m	1400-1700m	1200-1399m	900-1199m	<900m

VO2 Max Classification by Age

Men - VO2 Max (ml/kg/min)

Age	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
20-29	<38	38-41	42-46	>46
30-39	<35	35-38	39-43	>43
40-49	<32	32-35	36-40	>40
50-59	<29	29-32	33-37	>37
60+	<26	26-29	30-34	>34

Women - VO2 Max (ml/kg/min)

Age	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
20-29	<29	29-32	33-37	>37
30-39	<27	27-30	31-35	>35
40-49	<24	24-27	28-32	>32
50-59	<21	21-24	25-29	>29
60+	<18	18-21	22-26	>26

Distance to VO2 Max Quick Reference

Common Distances

1600m24.5 ml/kg/min

1800m28.9 ml/kg/min

2000m33.4 ml/kg/min

2200m37.9 ml/kg/min

2400m42.4 ml/kg/min

2600m46.8 ml/kg/min

2800m51.3 ml/kg/min

3000m55.8 ml/kg/min

Elite Standards

3200m (Elite)60.3 ml/kg/min

3400m (Pro)64.7 ml/kg/min

3600m (World Class)69.2 ml/kg/min

Note: Elite distance runners typically have VO2 max values of 70-85 ml/kg/min. The world record Cooper Test distance is approximately 4,000m+.

How to Improve Your Cooper Test Score

1. Build Aerobic Base

Run 3-4 easy runs per week at conversational pace. Aim for 30-45 minutes each. This builds the foundation for all other training.

2. Add Tempo Runs

Once weekly, run 20-30 minutes at "comfortably hard" pace. This improves lactate threshold and running economy.

3. Include Intervals

Weekly session of 6-8 × 800m at goal Cooper Test pace with 90-second jog recovery. Teaches your body to sustain faster speeds.

4. Practice Pacing

Do test simulations. Learn to start at sustainable pace rather than sprinting. Even splits or slight negative splits work best.

Expected Improvement: With consistent training, most people can improve their Cooper Test score by 200-400 meters (3-6 ml/kg/min VO2 max) in 6-8 weeks.

Cooper Test Results by Age: Complete VO2 Max Chart