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The Cooper Test: An Endurance Test
The Cooper Test is an endurance test (not a workout) that involves running the greatest possible distance in a 12-minute period at a constant speed on flat and even ground. During the test, you can also get the partial times (of 3, 6, and 9 minutes) to know your rhythm.
With this simple test, you can obtain a lot of information about your aerobic capacity, check if you are evolving with training, indirectly estimate your maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max), adapt the loads of your training plans, and more!
Origins of the Cooper Test
The Cooper Test was first introduced by Kenneth H. Cooper in 1968 in an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Cooper, a colonel and a doctor in the United States Air Force at the time, created this simple and inexpensive test to evaluate his soldiers. He also designed tables with the approximate values or scales that would correlate with 90% of VO2 max.
What is VO2 max?
VO2 max (aka oxygen uptake) measures the maximum amount of oxygen the body utilizes during exercise. V stands for volume, O2 for oxygen, and max for maximum. This parameter can be obtained directly with a cardiopulmonary exercise test. Since not everyone has access to this equipment, tests like the Cooper Test can provide us with similar information indirectly. Keep in mind that measuring something indirectly will likely cause greater variability in the results.
How to Estimate the VO2 max with the Cooper Test?
Here are 3 ways of estimating the VO2 max:
- VO2 max = (meters - 504.9) / 44.73
- VO2 max = (22.351 x km) - 11.288
- VO2 max = (35.97 x miles) - 11.288
Cooper Test Results Table
In the Cooper Test table, different categories are distinguished: first, qualifying the physical conditions of the subject, and second, by age and sex.
You can also check out this calculator.