Cooper 12-Minute Run Test
Distance covered → estimated VO2max, age/sex fitness category, and HR recovery
Test Entry
Results
Heart Rate Recovery (optional)
If you tracked HR during the run, log peak HR and post-run readings.
| Time post-exercise | HR (bpm) | Drop from peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1 min | — | |
| 2 min | — | |
| 3 min | — |
≥30 bpm drop in the first minute is commonly cited as a sign of good aerobic conditioning. Separately, the clinical literature (Cole et al.) flags <12 bpm drop at 1 minute as an autonomic risk marker linked to higher all-cause mortality in studied populations — a genuinely low number here is a refer-out conversation, not a training-plan adjustment.
Age/Sex Reference Chart
Distance in meters. Your client's row highlights automatically based on age/sex entered above.
Men
| Age | Excellent | Above Avg | Average | Below Avg | Poor |
|---|
Women
| Age | Excellent | Above Avg | Average | Below Avg | Poor |
|---|
Source: Cooper, K.H. (1968), "A means of assessing maximal oxygen uptake," JAMA, 203:201-204.
Scope note: VO2max here is estimated from a running-field-test formula (Cooper, 1968), not directly measured — accuracy depends heavily on even pacing (going out too fast and fading understates true aerobic capacity more than it would in a graded protocol). Correlation with lab-measured VO2max is good for trained runners but weakens for untrained or older, less pacing-experienced clients. Use standard pre-participation screening before a maximal-effort field test like this one.