Cooper's 12-minute physical performance test
Kenneth Cooper- a famous American medical practitioner who has developed numerous tests to evaluate physical condition body. Cooper's tests are simple and convenient, have been tested on thousands of enthusiasts and can be recommended to people of all ages and physical fitness.
An important feature of the assessment of physical performance, incorporated by Cooper in his tests, is the dependence of the final indicators on the age of the person being tested. The same number of points scored by people of different ages will in each case mean a different assessment of physical performance.
Most of the loads imposed on the body during Cooper tests can be classified as “aerobic” - that is, performed through the use of oxygen. The intensity of these loads is such that it allows the cells to use the oxygen available in them and in the incoming blood, rather than perform work in oxygen-free conditions, restoring the oxygen deficiency after its completion. Such loads are very beneficial for the body and can even be used by people with poor health.
In addition, the loads in Cooper tests are of a so-called “global” nature, that is, when they are performed, more than 2/3 muscle mass. Thus, these loads have a significant impact not only on the muscular system, but also on the systems that provide muscle activity, primarily the cardiovascular and respiratory. Therefore, when assessing load tolerance when performing Cooper tests, you can indirectly assess the functional state of the cardiovascular and respiratory system .
Below are Cooper's three 12-minute tests: running test, swimming test And cycling test.
Before performing any of the tests, you must spend 2-3 minutes warm-up to prepare the body for physical work, and after completion - a hitch.
To cool down, you can use calm walking.
General developmental exercises for the main muscle groups are suitable as a warm-up; you can also use walking and light running.
The purpose of the warm-up is to increase the temperature in the muscles of the body, which, among other things, prevents the development of injuries, as well as to cause an increase in the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems to ensure easier activation during the subsequent testing load.
It should be noted that test results will vary depending on the quality of the warm-up performed. Insufficient or no warm-up, as well as excessive warm-up that causes fatigue, will negatively affect the test results and its tolerability. Carrying out the test without preliminary warm-up can cause a sharp deterioration in well-being or provoke an exacerbation of an existing disease. An optimal warm-up will have a positive effect not only on the test results, but also on its tolerability.
12 minute running test
The Cooper 12-Minute Run Test evaluates the body's physical fitness based on the distance (in meters) a person can run (or walk) in 12 minutes.
It is assumed that the person is running throughout the test. If the test taker cannot cope with this requirement, you can go to a step, the stopwatch counting down 12 minutes does not stop. The longer a person walks rather than runs while performing the test, the more worse result test. After a 12-minute movement, the distance covered in meters is measured and physical fitness is assessed using the table.
Cooper 12-Minute Running Test Physical Fitness Assessment Chart
Physical | Distance covered, m |
|||||
| Girls 13-19 years old | Women 20-29 years old | Women 30-39 years old | Boys 13-19 years old | Men 20-29 years old | Men |
|
| very bad | < 1600 | < 1550 | < 1500 | < 2100 | < 1950 | < 1900 |
| bad | 1600-1900 | 1550-1800 | 1500-1700 | 2100-2200 | 1950-2100 | 1900-2100 |
| satisfactory | 1900-2100 | 1800-1900 | 1700-1900 | 2200-2500 | 2100-2400 | 2100-2300 |
| good | 2100-2300 | 1900-2100 | 1900-2000 | 2500-2750 | 2400-2600 | 2300-2500 |
| excellent | 2300-2400 | 2100-2300 | 2100-2200 | 2750-3000 | 2600-2800 | 2500-2700 |
| excellent | > 2400 | > 2300 | > 2200 | > 3000 | > 2800 | > 2700 |
12 minute swim test
The 12-Minute Swim Test evaluates the body's fitness level based on the distance (in meters) a person can swim in 12 minutes. The swimming style when performing the test is free. The test is best done in a swimming pool, where it is easier to measure the distance covered. During testing, you can take rest breaks, during which the stopwatch continues to count 12 minutes. The more breaks, the worse the test result will be.
Cooper 12-Minute Swim Test Physical Fitness Score Chart
| Physical preparedness | Distance covered, m | |||||
| Girls 13-19 years old | Women 20-29 years old | Women 30-39 years old | Boys 13-19 years old | Men 20-29 years old | Men 30-39 years old |
|
| very bad | < 350 | < 275 | < 225 | < 450 | < 350 | < 325 |
| bad | 350-450 | 275-350 | 225-325 | 450-550 | 350-450 | 325-400 |
| satisfactory | 450-550 | 350-450 | 325-400 | 550-650 | 450-550 | 400-500 |
| good | 550-650 | 450-550 | 400-500 | 650-725 | 550-650 | 500-600 |
| excellent | > 650 | > 550 | > 500 | > 725 | > 650 | > 600 |
12 minute cycling test
The 12-minute cycling test assesses the body's physical fitness based on the distance (in meters) covered by a person on a bicycle in 12 minutes. It is recommended to carry out the test in low windy weather on a road with good coverage, excluding steep ascents and descents.
Cooper 12-Minute Cycling Test Physical Fitness Score Chart
| Physical preparedness | Distance covered, m | |||||
| Girls 13-19 years old | Women 20-29 years old | Women 30-39 years old | Boys 13-19 years old | Men 20-29 years old | Men 30-39 years old |
|
| very bad | < 2800 | < 2400 | < 2000 | < 4200 | < 4000 | < 3600 |
| bad | 2800-4200 | 2400-4000 | 2000-3500 | 4200-6000 | 4000-5500 | 3600-5100 |
| satisfactory | 4200-6000 | 4000-5500 | 3600-5500 | 6000-7500 | 5600-7100 | 2000-3500 |
| good | 6000-7600 | 5600-7200 | 5200-6800 | 7600-9200 | 7200-8800 | 6800-8400 |
| excellent | > 7600 | > 7200 | > 6800 | > 9200 | > 8800 | > 8400 |
Speaking about the merits of his tests, Kenneth Cooper names the following, among others:
1. Test results serve as motivation to exercise.
Observations of the dynamics of test scores are a good incentive to continue studying and increase interest in them.
2. Test helps determine risk of heart disease.
As already mentioned, the Cooper tests are based on physical exercise that place sufficient demands on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, if the body copes well with such loads, we can talk about good things. functional state cardiovascular system and its high resistance to the development of diseases. On the contrary, an organism that does not cope well with these loads has a weakened, poorly trained cardiovascular system, which is susceptible to various pathologies.
Healthy people can perform Cooper tests on their own.
Track growth results physical training necessary for complete clarity in which direction to move next, what needs to be changed in training process and whether it is worth making changes. A popular way to determine the effectiveness of training is testing, one of which was invented by Kenneth Cooper in 1968 to determine the running fitness of soldiers. To apply the Cooper test, you do not need complex equipment or additional knowledge, just a stopwatch or a running application.
Cooper test standards
The Cooper Running Test is a table of standards that indicates time and distance. The results depend on the age of the person tested, so the positive result for 20 and 30 year old runners will be different. In total, there are about 30 tests that were invented by an American scientist. However, it was the running test that brought worldwide fame.
The essence of the test is to run continuously for 12 minutes. That is, to test your running level of fitness, it is enough to run the longest distance possible in 12 minutes. Then compare the result with the table.
Floor Excellent Great Good Normal Bad Very bad Women more than 1900 1700 — 1900 1500 — 1700 1300 -1500 1100 — 1300
Pay attention to the age column - find your range of years. The table also takes into account gender in the “gender” column. Having selected the characteristics, compare the result with the proposed range in the line. If the result is at a good level, then we can say that your physical development is higher than that of half the population.
Especially to cover the topic, I went for a run just like I did for and tried to pass the test.
Cooper running test results
Having found the data that I fit in the table (age - 20 years, gender - male), the result of 2830 meters in 12 minutes is equated to an excellent level of running training according to the Cooper system. Try it too, and write the results in the comments. If necessary, we will find a way to improve the result.
The research in preparing the test was carried out for ages from 18 to 40 years old and there are two reasons for this:
- The maximum age of a military personnel rarely reaches 40 years
- According to Cooper, after 40 the human body undergoes serious changes that can affect test results
After a while, the table of standards was nevertheless expanded, but without the participation of its inventor. Data after 40 years are not 100% accurate because they were obtained from a study of a small number of subjects. As an example, Kenneth Cooper had an entire army to study.
Why exactly 12 minutes of running?
The duration of the run was not chosen randomly, but on the basis of the body’s transition to anaerobic mode approximately 12 minutes after the start of intense running. That is, the test is aimed at obtaining results at the moment of aerobic endurance. If the result is bad, it means that the anaerobic endurance mechanism turned on early, which indicates insufficient readiness.
History and Contents of the Cooper Running Test
In the 1960-1970s, an acute problem of monitoring results arose in the United States. physical development from the military. If there were ways to record the results of shooting training, then physical abilities military personnel were determined by a number of primitive standards: the number of push-ups and pull-ups, throwing range, speed and duration of running. These standards contained a minimum of information content.
As a result, Kenneth Cooper developed 30 tests to track physical fitness, which subsequently went beyond the military and became popular among the masses. Of course, not everyone can fulfill the standard in the same way as a special forces soldier can, but that is precisely what the test is for.
The running test has become the most popular because it is as simple as possible to understand and perform and does not require special knowledge or equipment. Perhaps this is one of the few tests in which a sports fan and a special forces soldier can compete.
For many, the test became an additional motivation to engage in sports, since completing it was considered prestigious. Despite the age of the invention, the table of standards is still used in the army, and also serves as a good guide for coaches of children's athletics schools.
The Cooper test is the general name of a series of tests for the physical fitness of the human body, created by the American doctor Kenneth Cooper in 1968 for the US Army. The most famous variety consists of a 12-minute run: the distance covered is recorded, and based on this data, conclusions are drawn for sports or medical purposes. Kenneth Cooper has created more than 30 similar tests, but this one is widely used in professional sports, for example, football.
Kenneth Cooper does not recommend using these tests to assess physical fitness for anyone over 35 unless they are in good physical condition. Before performing the test, you need to do a 2-3 minute warm-up (general developmental exercises for the main muscle groups are suitable, you can also use walking and light jogging), and after doing it, a cool-down (use calm walking).
The purpose of the warm-up is to increase the temperature in the muscles of the body, which, among other things, prevents the development of injuries, as well as to cause an increase in the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems to ensure easier activation during the subsequent testing load.
Test results will vary depending on the quality of the warm-up performed. Insufficient or no warm-up, as well as excessive warm-up that causes fatigue, will negatively affect the test results and its tolerability. Carrying out the test without preliminary warm-up can cause a sharp deterioration in well-being or provoke an exacerbation of an existing disease.
The 12-minute running test, developed by the American doctor Cooper, is designed to determine the capabilities of the person being examined in endurance exercises. During the test, you need to cover (run or walk) as much distance as possible. The trickiness of the test lies in the fact that it requires maximum effort from the runner. Without motivation, the test will certainly give worse results. The test is stopped if the subject has signs of overload (severe shortness of breath, tachyarrhythmia, dizziness, pain in the heart, etc.).
The test should not be done too often. When starting the test, a person should feel good. and after the test you need to spend at least a day without training for recovery. The Cooper test should be regarded as a stress load on the body - for 12 minutes you work at the limit of your capabilities.
It is advisable to conduct the test on a stadium treadmill, where it is easy to calculate the distance covered. If you use a GPS device, then on the contrary it is advisable to find a flat, straight section of road 3.5 - 4 km long. Given that the world record for the 5000m is held by Kenenisa Bekele and is 12:37.35, if he ran for 12 minutes he would have covered about 4800m.
Football players do not like this test. But for a track and field athlete - a discharge athlete, this test should not present any special problems, since the third category at a distance of 3000 meters is a time of 10:20. The master of sports runs this distance in 8:05!
Knowing your results in the Cooper test, you can indirectly calculate the maximum oxygen consumption (MOC) using the formula.
MIC ml/min/kg = (distance (m) - 505)/45
MIC ml/min/kg = (22.351 x km) - 11.288
Maximum oxygen consumption is perhaps one of the most objective indicators by which one can judge human health. The following table shows the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for VO2 max values. By determining your MOC, you will get a general idea of aerobic performance. These data are a good guide for athletes. There is a direct relationship between VO2 max and the speed that a runner can develop. The higher the athlete’s MPC, the faster average speed when passing the distance. The following figure shows the proportional dependence of performance (running speed at marathon distance) from IPC.
People at any age think about their state of health - how to check how physically developed a person is? No one wants to go to the doctor with such a strange question, but, fortunately, this is not necessary - there is effective method determine the athletic state of the body.
Thanks to Kenneth Cooper, there is a method on how you can test your own endurance. He developed it to test physical endurance of US soldiers, however, it is often used by ordinary people around the world to test their strength. Let's figure out what the Cooper test is?
Testing consists of thirty exercises. For the average person, the test is quite suitable, it is not difficult to carry out, but not everyone finds it easy to meet the norm. This test is a running test. Since anyone with a little time and shoes can try it, this test is one of the most popular.
Note that this test is absolutely harmless to health - running creates aerobic exercise, body cells receive oxygen, so the exercise will be useful for the vast majority. During the test, you can learn about the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the subject, since during running these systems are used more than others. If you can't wait anymore, learn how you can do the Cooper Running Test, let's get down to business.
If you decide to take the test, you will need to do a warm-up of five to fifteen minutes. Be sure to stretch to avoid possible injuries such as muscle and ligament strains, stretch both your legs and top part body, all muscles must prepare for running. Do a short jog - this will allow the body to tune in to a serious run and prepare the respiratory and cardiovascular system to work in running mode. It is important not to get tired during the warm-up - the body must prepare for the work, and not do it before the test. So, 12 minutes are timed on the stopwatch, and the subject begins to run.
After the time has passed, the distance that the person managed to run is measured, and the result is checked against the table . Cooper table by columns assessment categories are distributed - there are five of them: very good, good, average, low, very low result. The lines are distributed according to age categories (13-14 years old, 15-16 years old, and so on), and within each age category there is also a breakdown by gender of the subject - it is no secret that the physical abilities of men and women differ.
An important point in the Cooper rating system— the assessment depends not only on the result, but also on age. The same result at 20 and 30 years old will show a different level of functioning of the subject’s body systems.
It is convenient to measure the distance at the stadium, but it is not always possible to count the exact number of meters traveled, so the author also developed a modification of this test, thanks to which it is much more convenient to carry out measurements, and it is also possible to evaluate a whole group of subjects at the same time. It is not the distance that is measured for this purpose., and the time it takes a person to run 1.5 miles (that's about 2,415 meters). The results are assessed according to a simplified scheme - for men under 30 years of age excellent result- less than 10 minutes 15 seconds, good - from 12 to 10 minutes 15 seconds, normal - 14.30 - 12 minutes, from 16 to 14 minutes 30 seconds - low result, more than 16 minutes - very low.
Exercise Testing
For those who have bad weather outside and are unable to run a distance, but want to test their endurance, we suggest trying another exercise from the Cooper complex. Do a full warm-up, then get started. Don't forget to time yourself before starting the test..
After completion, similar to other exercises, the results are checked against the standards. For this exercise:
- 3 minutes - very good
- 3 minutes 30 seconds - good
- 4 minutes is normal
- More than four minutes - low result, it’s worth working on the exercises
- If you doubt that you are doing the exercises correctly, watch the Cooper test video from an expert
Swimming testing
For the more experienced, the Cooper complex includes an exercise such as swimming. Just like running, you need to warm up before swimming. Warming up will be a necessary activity before each endurance exercise in Cooper's assessment. 12 minutes are timed on a stopwatch and the distance in meters that the subject managed to swim is measured. Similar, as in running, the results are compared with the table: Cooper test standards are different for different ages, as in other exercises.
Cooper test - cycling
Cycling enthusiasts will appreciate it next exercise- testing physical endurance through a twelve-minute bicycle ride. It is important to carry out the test on a bicycle in calm weather on a track without sharp descents and ascents, and a good surface will be important factor to obtain an adequate assessment, otherwise the result will be incorrectly assessed according to Cooper standards. The standards are also presented in table form:
Thanks to the Cooper test, anyone can evaluate their fitness. Note that Cooper himself recommended that people over 35 years of age not use his test if they do not have good physical fitness.
Cooper test is a series of tests to determine the level of physical fitness and general assessment of the physical condition of the human body. The author of the technique is Kenneth H. Cooper. In 1968, an American scientist and physician, a former military man, developed a set of endurance tests for various sports areas. Today, in international sports practice, Cooper tests are used for runners, swimmers and cyclists.
The testing program includes about 30 tests, which are designed for people under the age of 35. As the editors share with us, people over this age can also get tested, but only if they follow the recommendations for taking the test.
The main condition for performing the test is good health.
When passing Cooper tests, a person performs aerobic types of exercise. At this moment, all cells of the body use the oxygen that is in them to the maximum. With this type of load, oxygen starvation of the body is excluded. During Cooper's tests, two-thirds of a person's muscles are used, and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are stressed.
Cooper running test
To test yourself in running using the American scientist’s method, you need to run as far as possible in 12 minutes. Note that 12 minutes is the standard for passing each Cooper test. It is most convenient to conduct a running test at a stadium. Read about other equally interesting articles on this topic in the section
After the command “Start!” The subject begins to move on a flat treadmill.
Stages of the Cooper test
- Warm-up is required from 3 to 15 minutes;
- Basic load (12 minutes of running, swimming or cycling);
- Hitch.
How to perform the Cooper test
Run: Run on a flat running surface for 12 minutes.
Swimming: swim freestyle as much as possible long distance in 12 minutes
Bike: on a flat track without changes in height and surface, cover the distance in 12 minutes. To show the best results, you need to perform it in good weather without natural distractions.
The test results obtained must be correlated with the standard table.
Kenneth Cooper developed certain standards for each of the tests, taking into account the gender and age of the person taking the test. Regulatory tables will help assess the state of the body of men and women from 13 to 29 years old.
Distances are indicated in meters.
Running standards
Swimming standards
Cycling standards
Cooper tests are one of the diagnostic methods physical level preparation. It is not the result itself that is valuable, but its dynamics over time.
