Cooper Test

The Cooper Test is a maximum effort, 12-minute run designed by Kenneth Cooper, MD to test your cardiorespiratory fitness. The test has a very high correlation with VO2 max lab testing, which makes the 12-minute run or the 1.5-mile run version of the Cooper Test the most accurate self-test for VO2 max (1, 3).  If you want to know whether your cardio fitness level is optimal for athletic performance and overall health benefits, this test will give you a reliable answer. If the test shows you need to improve, you'll have a specific target time or distance to aim for next time.

The Cooper Institute tested tens of thousands of participants and developed fitness performance standards beginning in 1968 that continue to be used today in the military, law enforcement, and pro sports. To see how you measure up, here are 1.5-mile run standards for the Navy Seals and FBI, with age group standards for men and women from the Cooper Institute.

A thorough warm-up is essential before maximum effort if you're looking for your best possible performance. I recommend starting with a brisk walk or a brief light jog, followed by calisthenics and stretching exercises to wake up and activate your running muscles. 

Running drills mixed with leg swings and stride cycles are also helpful. My drills are A-skips, carioca, high knees, and backward running.  Click on the Why I exercise YouTube video for a demo of my recommended warm-up exercises.

When you know your pace, you can get through the gauntlet of the Cooper Test with your best result.  To find your best pace, I recommend a prep workout a week before the test. Trained athletes run interval workouts to practice their racing pace over shorter distances with rest breaks between runs. (4-5) We can use the same method to identify your pace for the Cooper test.  

After warming up, run two 1/2 mile runs and two 1/4 mile runs at your expected pace for the test. Take a recovery jog of equal time after each run.  For the first 1/2 mile, take your best guess at your pace. When you finish, jog or walk/jog the same amount of time you ran, then run half mile number two. The second run should come out near an optimal target pace for the Cooper Test. Focus on holding that pace for the 1/4 mile runs as you finish the workout.  

If you’re going to run the 12-minute test, you can do the same workout by running 4 minutes x 2 plus 2 minutes x 2 at the pace you expect to run for the test, with equal time jogs between your runs. 

If you have a track available when you run this workout it will help a lot with pacing.  Same thing for the test itself. You'll be able to check on your pace halfway through the first lap of each run and adjust if needed.  

After you finish the workout, make note of the average pace you could run in the later stages of the workout so you can aim for this pace in the test. Divide your 1/4 mile pace by two so you know your goal pace for the first 1/2 lap of the test.   

Now that we have a solid warm-up session and a road map for the test, we’ll look at the tips to stay on pace during the run. Efficiency is king in the Cooper Test. The better you can mentally adjust during the test to keep yourself near a constant speed, the better your finish time will be.  Click on the Why I Exercise YouTube video to hear my coaching tips and personal experience with the test.

Using Cleveland Clinic VO2 max research data, we can see the Cooper test scores associated with lower health risks and better survival rates.  Find your age group on the left and scan to the right for your target time. The better your fitness, the higher your survival rate. (2)

When you finish the test, you’ll know where you stand and how much you may need to improve for a better survival rate.

For example, if you are a 57-year-old male who ran the test at 16:00, your score is associated with a 10-year survival rate of 91%. And your risk of premature death from any cause is 49% lower than your peers with poor fitness.

If you were to train for 6-12 weeks and improve your time by 40 seconds, you would meet the standards to improve your 10-year survival rate to 93.5%, and then your death risk is 64% lower than your peers with poor fitness.*

Health and Fitness Calculators

You can calculate your VO2 max directly from your 1.5-Mile run or the 12-Minute Run results using this free e-book from Why I Exercise.  Click the link below to check out this training resource!  Calculate your most important fitness metrics privately, all in one place: VO2 max, Waist-Hip Ratio, Waist-Height Ratio, and BMI. 

Here are the target distances in miles for the 12-minute run, also organized by age group, health risk and survival rate by VO2 max standards.  A treadmill (set at a 1% grade) or a fitness watch with GPS would work to measure the distance, or you can use a track and the kilometer charts.  

When you finish the test, you’ll know where you stand and how much you may need to improve for a better survival rate.

Suppose you are a 52-year-old female who ran 1.20 miles in 12 minutes. Your score is associated with a 10-year survival rate of 91%. And your risk of premature death from any cause is 49% lower than your peers with poor fitness.

If you were to train for 6-12 weeks and improve your distance by 0.09 miles (less than one tenth of a mile), you would meet the standards to improve your survival rate to 93.5%, and then your death risk is 64% lower than your peers with poor fitness.

If you're using a track and a stopwatch for the 12-minute run, be sure to count your laps and notice your finish line position at the end of the run so you can add up your meters for the test.  For example, 6 complete laps + 100 meters equals 1700 meters. Then convert the meters you ran to kilometers by putting a decimal between the first two digits. 1700 meters is 1.7 km.

Here are the kilometer charts. Your results show exactly how much you need to improve if your score doesn’t meet your goal.

A 50-year-old man who runs 1.70 km in 12 minutes has a score in the poor fitness group. Poor fitness means a 10-year survival rate of just 77% and the highest risk of premature death.

If he trains enough to improve his distance by 0.10 km, he joins the group associated with a 91% 10-year survival rate. He also lowers his death risk by 49%. One-tenth of a km further is a very doable target and worth the effort for such a substantial improvement in potential health benefits!

Next, we'll review the tips to get your best score on the Cooper test.

VO2 Max, the #1 survival indicator?

For a deeper dive on VO2 max research and other testing options, see our article and YouTube video on VO2 max. 

Rockport Walking Test 
This simple test makes it possible for non-athletes to find their VO2 Max. Walk 1 mile for time, and enter your heart rate into the fitness calculator. The better your score, the lower your risk for future health issues.

VO2 Max
Analyze your results from the Cooper Test and the Rockport Walking Test. See the average VO2 Max for your age group and find out how much you need to improve your fitness to lower your health risk significantly.

Abdominal muscle strength
Try the most scientific and accurate abdominal test you can perform at home. (1). For best results, be sure to follow the illustrations and instructions.

Body mass index
Are you obese, overweight, or normal weight? How do you compare with men and women of the same height? Health risk charts are included for your reference.