VO2max Calculator from Heart Rate (Uth Method)
Estimated maximal oxygen uptake from the ratio between your maximum and resting heart rate, with no running or cycling test.
Results
Estimated VO₂max
48.5
ml/kg/min
Same, for your whole body
3.39
L/min
Maximum aerobic capacity in METs
13.8
MET
Ratio of maximum to resting heart rate
3.17
What this tool does
Niels Uth and colleagues showed in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2004 that VO₂max is roughly 15.3 times the ratio of maximum to resting heart rate. The study was done on well-trained men between 21 and 51, so the estimate is weakest for other groups and the individual error can be large. It only works with a maximum heart rate you have actually seen, for example at the end of a hard hill sprint with a chest strap; the 220 − age formula can be wrong by more than 10 beats, which moves the result a lot. Take the resting rate lying down, just after waking, on a few mornings.
Formula
VO₂max ≈ 15.3 × HRmax ÷ HRrest
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
hm | Maximum heart rate (measured) | bpm |
hr | Resting heart rate | bpm |
w | Weight | kg |
VO | Estimated VO₂max | ml/kg/min |
AB | Same, for your whole body | L/min |
ME | Maximum aerobic capacity in METs | MET |
RT | Ratio of maximum to resting heart rate | — |
Worked example
- Maximum heart rate (measured)190 bpm
- Resting heart rate60 bpm
- Weight70 kg
- Estimated VO₂max48.5 ml/kg/min
- Same, for your whole body3.39 L/min
- Maximum aerobic capacity in METs13.8 MET
- Ratio of maximum to resting heart rate3.17
Limitations
- This tool is informational only. It does not diagnose, treat or replace a qualified health professional. Speak to a doctor before making decisions about your health.
- The result is an estimate based only on the values you type. Real situations often include factors this calculator does not know about.