Balke Treadmill Test
Stage log, HR/incline chart, and field-estimated VO2max
Protocol Setup
Only used to pick a HRmax formula: Gulati (206.9 − 0.67×age) for female, Tanaka (208 − 0.7×age) for male, 220−age if unspecified. Doesn't affect the VO2max calculation.
Use this if the test stopped partway through a stage — enter the actual elapsed time.
A slot to note where this result falls on your own reference table (ACSM/Cooper Institute norms are sex- and age-specific) — not calculated here.
Stage Log
| Stage | Time (min) | Grade % | HR (bpm) | RPE | VO2 (ml/kg/min) |
|---|
Heart Rate Recovery
Log HR at each interval after the client stops. Recovery is measured as the drop from peak HR.
Defaults to the highest HR you logged in the stage table above — override if you took a peak reading right at termination.
| Time post-exercise | HR (bpm) | Drop from peak |
|---|---|---|
| 1 min | — | |
| 2 min | — | |
| 3 min | — |
Field marker referenced here: ≥30 bpm drop in the first minute is commonly cited as a sign of good cardiovascular conditioning. Separately, the clinical research literature (Cole et al.) flags <12 bpm drop in the first minute as an autonomic risk marker linked to higher all-cause mortality in studied populations — that's a different question than fitness level, and a genuinely low number here is a refer-out conversation, not a training-plan adjustment.
Scope note: This is a submaximal/maximal field-test estimate (ACSM metabolic equation applied at the grade reached at termination), not a directly measured VO2max — only indirect calorimetry / gas analysis measures that. Field estimates from graded protocols typically carry a standard error of roughly ±10–15%. Use standard pre-participation screening and test-termination criteria (volitional fatigue, symptoms, or your facility's stopping rules) — this tool doesn't replace clinical judgment about when to stop a test.
VO2max Reference Chart
Values in ml/kg/min. All cells stay editable — double check the flagged red cell against your source table.
Men
Women
Source: user-provided "Typical VO2 Max Fitness Scores by Age Group" table. The Women/Good/20-24 cell (marked red) appeared inverted in the original image (42-26) — filled here as 42-46 to match the surrounding pattern; verify against your source.