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APPENDIX F

CALCULATION OF O2max This appendix gives a step-by-step example of how a soldier can calculate O2max using his all-out, 2-mile-run time. This lets interested soldiers compare their fitness levels with others such as athletes whose O2max values are published in magazines or journals. The two equations below convert the 2-mile-run times of males and females to maximum oxygen uptake values. The O2max values obtained are shown as the maximum amount of oxygen in milliliters used per kilogram of the person’s body weight in one minute during maximum aerobic exercise. O2max values are generally expressed more succinctly as ml O2/kg x min. For males, the following equation is used to calculate O2max: O2max = 99.7 - [3.35 x (2-mile-run time in decimal form)].

For females, the following equation is used:

O2max = 72.9 - [1.77 x (2-mile-run time in decimal form)].

The example below shows how to use the equation for males. The data is for a 21-year-old male whose all-out, 2-mile-run time is 12 minutes and 36 seconds.

STEP1. Express the 2-mile-run time as a decimal, and insert it into the equation. When 12 minutes 36 seconds is written as decimal, it becomes 12.60 minutes. (To determine what fraction of a minute 36 seconds is, divide 36 seconds by the number of seconds in one minute, that is, 60 seconds. Thus, 36/60 = 0.60. This fraction is added to the minute value to give 12.60 as the run time expressed as a decimal.) After putting the decimal form into the equation, the equation should resemble the one below.

O2max = 99.7 -[3.35 (12.60)]

STEP 2. Multiply the decimal form of the 2-mile-run time by 3.35. In this case, we get [3.35 x (12.60)], which equals 42.21. At this point, the equation should resemble the one below.

O2max = 99.7 -[42.21].

STEP 3. Subtract the product obtained in Step 2 from 99.7. For our example, we make the following subtraction: 99.7 -[42.21]. This gives a value of 57.49. Thus, the equation should look like the one below.

O2max = 57.49 This calculation reveals that a male whose all-out, 2-mile-run time is 12 minutes 36 seconds will have a O2max of approximately 57.49 ml O2/kg x min. To determine how this value or others translates into fitness ratings, refer to Table F-1. It presents information for finding one’s level of CR fitness based on O2max. By matching a soldier’s value for maximum oxygen uptake with those in the table corresponding to his age group and sex, one gets a adjectival rating (fair, good, superior, etc.). Table F-1 lists some values for O2max along with their associated CR fitness levels. This table was obtained from the Institute for Aerobic Research in Dallas, Texas. These values can be used to classify a soldier’s level of CR fitness based on his O2max.