Simple, but far from easy for this week’s #GutcheckThursday!
Intended Stimulus
Metabolic discomfort. This test was created by LTC Kenneth Cooper, MD, in 1968 as a way for the United States Army & the United States Air Force to test the cardiovascular fitness of large groups of military members with minimal equipment via a submaximal VO2max calculation. Prior to the creation of this test, aerobic fitness was not valued & not quantified in military members. This test is so reliable and so well validated that militaries across the planet still use it or some variation of it today, 55 years later. The United States Army utilizes a 2 mile run, the United States Marine Corps uses a 3 mile run, the British Army utilizes a 1.5 mile run, and the Australian Army uses a 2.4 km run.
Movement Standards
Try to use a running space that limits stopping. If possible, perform this test on a track or with only one out-and-back style stop (run 6 minutes out and 6 minutes back). If using a treadmill, use a 1.0% grade on the incline to simulate the uneven nature of outdoor “flat” running. Record the distance you ran in miles or kilometers and use the following equations to estimate your VO2max:
1) Miles – VO2max = (35.97 x miles) – 11.29
2) Kilometers – VO2max = (22.351 x km) – 11.288
Save this number for future retesting. Swipe to see standardized tables based on gender & age group (to convert miles to meters, multiple miles ran by 1609).
Adaptations / Modifications / Scales
This test needs minimal modification as it is self-limiting by nature. If 12 minutes may be too much for you, your patient, or your athlete, considering reducing to 10 minutes, 8 minutes, 6 minutes, etc.
If needed, sub the run for a row, bike, or ski, but be aware that these calculations & tables will not have as much value as they do not work as much muscle as running.
