The Aerobic Fitness Test
You can test your aerobic fitness level with this simple test, developed by the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research. The purpose of this test is to see how fast you can run, jog, or walk at a steady pace for 1.5 miles on a flat surface. Your finish time will be used to approximate your aerobic fitness.
You must be between the ages of 19 and 70 in order to take this test. If you are a smoker or have heart disease or another
medical condition, you should check with your doctor before starting or changing your exercise program.
This is an outdoor fitness test. If you are unable for some reason to take this test, you can still estimate your fitness level with our online questionnaire.
Procedure
Do not eat for two hours before this test. Pick a safe flat path or track and use a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand to see how long it takes you to cover 1.5 miles (six laps around a typical quarter-mile running track). If you don't think you can run the entire distance, start out walking and then try to build up to running later in the course. Pace yourself and use caution in how hard you push yourself. Although you want to do your best, you should feel tired at the end, rather than nauseous or weak. Before you begin, warm up for a few minutes by walking around; you should also walk for a few minutes after finishing the test.
