The Cooper 12-minute test, developed by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, estimates VO2 max from the distance covered running flat-out for exactly 12 minutes.
Mechanism — Distance correlates linearly with VO2 max because 12 minutes is long enough that aerobic capacity dominates and short enough that pacing errors are limited. Formula: VO2 max (mL/kg/min) = (distance in meters - 504.9) / 44.73.
Use case — Periodic VO2 max estimation without lab access. Re-test every 8-12 weeks to track aerobic progress. Track or treadmill is fine.
Caveats — Pacing matters — first time will underestimate. Hot weather, hills, and motivation skew results. Pair with a heart-rate-derived estimate for cross-check.