Rockport walk test – cardiovascular fitness test

The rockport is a common aerobic fitness test for those of low fitness level. This test is suitable for both males and females of poor fitness who would not be able to complete a similar distance run test. The test is suitable for people of all ages, from very young to the elderly.

  1. Stopwatch
  2. Smoothed and level marked 1 mile track
  3. Paper and pencil
  4. Heart rate monitor (optional)
  5. Body weight scales
  1. Choose a good weather day i.e. avoid windy days.
  2. Walk one mile (1.6 km. or 4 laps of 400 m. track) as fast as possible (you must warm up first) and time your walk with a stopwatch or digital watch.
  3. Record the time to complete the measured walk.
  4. Take your heart rate immediately at the end of the measured walk. you can use a heart rate monitor or take your pulse for 10 seconds and then multiply by 6 to give beats per minute.
  5. Now, enter your age, weight, heart rate at the end of the test, and the time to complete the walk.

Scoring of rockport walk test (vo2 calculator)

The formula used to calculate VO2 max is

132.853 – (0.0769 * weight) – (0.3877 * age) + (6.315 * gender) – (3.2649 * time) – (0.1565 * heart rate)

Where, weight is in pounds (lbs), gender male = 1 and female = 0, time is expressed in minutes and 100ths of minutes, heart rate is in beats per minute (b/m), age is in years.

Computation example

Assume the following reading of a person Age : 42 years Body weight : 160 lbs Time : 13 minutes and 54 seconds = 13.9 minutes Heart rate : 140 beats/minute Gender : male = 1

By putting the values in the equation given above the VO2 max is calculated as below

VO2 max = 132.853 – 0.0769(160) – 0.3877(42) + 6.315(1) – 3.2649(13.9) + 0.1565(140)

VO2 max = 132.853 – 12.304 – 16.2834 – 6.315 + 45.38211 – 21.91
VO2 max = 43.28849
VO2 max = 43.29 (rounded off)

Age Very poor Poor Fair Average Good Very good Excellent
20-24 < 32 32-37 38-43 44-50 51-56 57-62 >62
25-29 < 31 32-37 38-43 44-50 51-56 57-62 > 59
30-34 < 29 29-34 35-40 41-45 46-51 52-56 > 56
35-39 < 28 28-32 33-38 39-43 44-48 49-54 > 54
40-44 < 26 26-31 32-35 36-41 42-46 47-51 > 51
45-49 < 25 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-43 44-48 > 48
50-54 < 24 24-27 28-32 33-36 37-41 42-46 > 46
55-59 < 22 22-26 27-30 31-34 35-39 40-43 > 43
60-65 < 21 21-24 25-28 29-32 33-36 37-40 > 40
Age Very poor Poor Fair Average Good Very good Excellent
20-24 < 27 27-31 32-36 37-41 42-46 47-51 > 51
25-29 < 26 26-30 31-35 36-40 41-44 45-49 > 49
30-34 < 25 25-29 30-33 34-37 38-42 43-46 > 46
35-39 < 24 24-27 28-31 32-35 36-40 41-44 > 44
40-44 < 22 22-25 26-29 30-33 34-37 38-41 > 41
45-49 < 21 21-23 24-27 28-31 32-35 36-38 > 38
50-54 < 19 19-22 23-25 26-29 30-32 33-36 > 36
55-59 < 18 18-20 21-23 24-27 28-30 31-33 > 33
60-65 < 16 16-18 19-21 22-24 25-27 28-30 > 30

Tags fitness test health rockport walk test