VO2 Max Calculator (2026)

VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise, measured in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). It is one of the best single indicators of aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness — the higher, the fitter your heart, lungs, and muscles are at using oxygen.

A 2.4 km run is almost exactly 1.5 miles, so we use the well-established 1.5-mile run-test formula: VO2max ≈ 483 ÷ time(min) + 3.5. Faster times give higher estimates. It is an estimate — a true VO2 max requires lab testing with a gas-analysis treadmill protocol.

The 2.4 km run is the cardio station of Singapore's Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT). Improving your VO2 max directly improves your run timing and points. Use this alongside our IPPT calculator to see how a faster run translates into your overall IPPT score and award.

It varies a lot by age and sex. As a broad guide for the formula above: 56+ is superior, 51–55 excellent, 45–50 good, 38–44 fair, and below 38 needs improvement. Younger adults and trained endurance athletes sit at the higher end; the figure naturally declines with age, so compare against your own age band.