Test and Calculation: Why and how to Calculate your Maximum Aerobic Speed?

Maximum Aerobic Speed, or MAS, is a performance measurement intended for runners, trail runners and other athletes, allowing the determination of maximum aerobic capacity for exercise. The calculation of the MAS is a basic measure to determine a state of performance at a given moment in order to improve or confirm a level of physical condition.

In this article you will find a set of information, calculation methods and advice for determining your MAS. Luc Léger, Vameval or Cooper test, the MAS tests are numerous and we will present the one most suited to your case.

MAS calculation tools

Cooper method :

Demi-Cooper method :

Astrand method:

What is MAS ? Definition of MAS

MAS, or Maximum Aerobic Speed, is an indicator of running performance. It corresponds to the running speed at which your maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) is reached. Calculated in km/h, this is a pace that you can maintain for 4 to 8 minutes, depending on your physical level.

More concretely, during a physical effort of running, the more your speed increases, the more oxygen you consume, until you reach your maximum consumption capacity. This speed level, where your muscles consume 100% of the stored oxygen transmitted by your cardiovascular system, is your Maximum Aerobic Speed ​​(MAS). Along with the endurance index and stride efficiency, the MAS test is a key element in measuring your running performance. 

Be careful not to confuse MAS with raw maximum speed, which is the maximum speed you can reach by sprinting for a few seconds. For example, if your MAS is 15 km/h, your gross maximum speed might be 22 km/h.

What is the average MAS ? A good average MAS is considered to be 10 km/h for beginners, 14 km/h for intermediate runners, and more than 24 km/h for athletes and champions. Although it differs according to physical and sporting profiles, MAS tends to remain stable until middle age.  

And here are the recommended average MASs for standard events:

85% of the MAS pace for a half-marathon (21 kilometers), 
80% of the MAS for a marathon (42 kilometers).

What is the difference between MAS and VO2max ?

The MAS and the VO2max are two complementary data, the MAS (maximum aerobic speed) representing the speed in km/h at which one reaches his VO2max (maximum oxygen consumption) during an effort. VO2max is therefore a parameter for measuring MAS. 

VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can consume and supply to the muscles to function during physical exercise. Calculated in milliliters per minute per kilo (ml/min/kg), it varies depending on the gender, age or physical condition of the individual. 

Like the MAS calculation, it is an indicator of performance and endurance. The calculation of VO2max is mainly done during exercise tests on a treadmill or bicycle, in specialized sports or medical centers. It can also be calculated using the formula VO2max = (22.35 X distance in km) – 11.288.

What is the purpose of the MAS ? Why take a MAS test? 

The MAS is a performance measurement tool intended for runners, trail runners, and other racing athletes. Taking a test to calculate your MAS allows you: 

to measure your performance and your current level (oxygen consumption during a running effort, cardiovascular capacity),  
to design tailor-made training according to the level measured (MAS pace) to progress, improve your results, improve your MAS, 
to have precise information to adjust your running pace to your abilities during your training and competitions, 
to predict or estimate your times in future races based on your MAS pace, and set goals accordingly.

Running at the wrong pace, over long distances, exposes you more quickly to injuries, and will not allow you to perform in competition. Calculating your MAS therefore allows you to know your ideal pace, your limits, and to avoid tiring too early, as your body does not lack oxygen to transport to your muscles.

For all athletes doing trail or running, calculating MAS is essential to create a good workout, helping to work at a good pace and predict which MAS pace to choose for certain events with an ideal rate.

How often should you calculate your MAS ?

In general, it is recommended to have a MAS test 2 or 3 times per year. If you compete regularly, plan a test at least every 2 months, especially at the start and end of training, to measure your progress. 

The frequency of testing will depend on your running level and your goals. A beginner trail runner will not need to regularly estimate his MAS, whereas a competitor will need to calculate his MAS each month to estimate his current level. 

Regularly calculating your MAS running pace is important because it provides you with precise data on your performance. After a period of injury, break, or in preparation for a competition, this data will be all the more important to resume or effectively adapt your training.

How to calculate MAS ? The different MAS tests

To calculate your MAS, there are two main types of MAS calculation tests: 

The continuous MAS test: tests where the running pace is fixed, 
The MAS test in progressive stages: tests where the running pace is not fixed, but increases gradually. 

These types of tests include several tests, such as the Vameval test, the half-Cooper test, or the MAS Luc Léger test, which offer different and more or less simple ways of calculating your MAS.

Continuous MAS test: Cooper, half-Cooper, Astrand

Continuous MAS tests are tests that require you to cover the greatest distance in a given time while maintaining a fixed running pace throughout the event. Most often carried out on an athletics track, this method of calculating MAS is made up of three main tests: 

• The Cooper test
• The half-Cooper test
• The Astrand test.

These tests to calculate MAS require a warm-up, of approximately 15 – 20 minutes, to raise the heart rate sufficiently to run efficiently for the given time. They end with a return to calm via a 10 – 15 minute jog.

The MAS Cooper Test

The Cooper test is a MAS test developed by an American doctor, Dr. Kenneth Cooper, consisting of running the longest distance possible in 12 minutes, without changing your running pace. Created for the evaluation of Air Force forces, this Cooper test provides a general estimate of its MAS. 

The Cooper test MAS calculation formula is simple: 

MAS = (distance (in km) / 2) x 10,

Or your distance traveled in 12 minutes divided by 2 (for a MAS calculation over 6 minutes) and multiplied by 10 to get a result of km/h.  

For example, if you ran 3 km in 12 minutes, the calculation of your MAS is = (3 / 2) x 10, or 15 km/h. The MAS Cooper test also allows you to calculate your VO2max, with the formula: VO2max = (22.35 X distance in km) – 11.288.  

The main disadvantage of the Cooper MAS test is that it is very difficult to maintain, with most people only being able to maintain the fixed pace and rhythm for 4 – 8 minutes (average time to hold to assess the MAS). Consequently, this test is used less and less, in particular in favor of the half-Cooper test.

The half-Cooper test

The half-Cooper test is the most used MAS calculation test, because it is short and without the need for equipment. Basically identical to the Cooper test (covering the greatest distance possible, at a fixed pace, over a given time), it only lasts 6 minutes, however, making it more accessible.  

The formula for calculating the half-Cooper MAS test is similarly simpler:  

MAS = distance (in km) x 10, or MAS = distance (in m) / 100 

For example, for a distance of 1.7 km covered in 6 minutes, your MAS is 17 km/h.

The Astrand test

Even shorter than the half-Cooper test, the Astrand test consists of covering the greatest distance possible, at a fixed running pace, in 3 minutes. 

With this 3-minute MAS test, to carry out the calculation, we reduce the distance traveled over a period of 3 minutes 30 (corresponding to the time necessary to reach your VMA according to Astrand), i.e.: 

MAS = (distance (km) / 210) x 3600 (seconds)

For example, if you cover 850 meters in 3 minutes, your MAS will be = (850 / 210) x 3600, or 14.57 km/h.

Note that this Astrand test is based on statistical elements, which do not offer the most precise estimate of MAS.

While these three MAS calculation tests are practical, can be done alone and do not require equipment, they are not recommended for beginners, mainly because maintaining a fixed pace is difficult for a beginner. Indeed, it is necessary to know your physical abilities and your pace beforehand, so as not to go too quickly or too slowly. It may therefore be recommended to start with a MAS test in progressive stages to first estimate its level.

MAS test in progressive stages: Vameval, Léger, Léger-Boucher

Incremental MAS tests are tests where the pace speed increases gradually, until the runner can no longer maintain the pace. More precise in their operation, using audible signals, these stepwise MAS tests are more reliable than continuous tests because the execution precision is higher. They are also used in swimming and cycling. 

Carried out on an athletic track, in a club or individually, there are 2 main tests in stages: 

• Vameval test
• Test Luc Léger

Unlike continuous VMA tests, these tests do not require a lot of warming up.

The Vameval test

The Vameval test consists of reaching cones within a given time, placed every 20 m on a 400 m track, at a speed increasing in steps of 0.5 km/h per minute. Each point must be reached within the allotted time, indicated by an audible signal. The MAS then corresponds to the last speed level exceeded on time. 

In the MAS Vameval test, you start with a pace of 8 km/h for 2 minutes, which then increases by 0.5 km/h every minute. Each increase creates a new level, with level 1 starting at a speed of 8.5 km/h. For the test to be successful, you must reach each stud at the time of the beep, neither before nor after. The Vameval step test stops when you no longer keep up the pace and finish more than 2 meters from the point to reach.  

For example, at the time of stopping the test, if you have passed level 12 within the allotted time, but failed to reach a point at the next level, your MAS will be 14 km/h (8 km/h initially + 6 km/h from level 12).  

The Vameval test is a MAS calculation test which requires equipment (plot, sound signal) and which can be difficult to perform alone, but which offers the most reliable VMA results.

The Luc Léger test

The Luc Léger test, or shuttle test, is a MAS test in progressive levels widely used in middle and high schools. Similar to the Vameval test, it consists of going back and forth over a distance of 20 meters within a time limit indicated by sound signals and at a speed which gradually increases (0.5 km/h every minute). 

However, the Light test is more traumatic for the legs than the Vameval, forcing runners to stop and lock their legs to turn around. The MAS Luc Léger test is therefore more recommended for team sports, such as basketball. For track or trail runners, the Vameval test is more appropriate, allowing you to run without stopping. 

A variation of the MAS Luc Léger test exists, called the Léger – Boucher test, a MAS calculation test where the distance between the plots is 50 meters, with a speed increase of 1 km/h every 2 minutes. The starting speed remains the same, i.e. 8 km/h.  

The calculation also remains the same, the MAS corresponding to the running speed reached during the last successful passage of the block. So, if you pass the last block at level 8 (speed of 16 km/h) on time, but fail to reach a block at level 9 (17 km/h), your MAS will be 16 km/h.

Intermittent MAS testing

The MAS calculation tests described above, continuously and in progressive stages, are the main methods for evaluating your pace. However, there are other, more technical tests, such as intermittent tests. These tests impose specific running times, followed by recovery phases (active or passive). For example, there are: 

• MAS 45-15 Pradet Test: Consists of a running time of 45 seconds, followed by a walking time for 15 seconds, for a total effort of 7 minutes. The MAS = distance (m) / 100,
• Gacon Test 45 – 15: like the Pradet, it consists of running on a track for 45 seconds, with a walk or trot time of 15 seconds. Here, the track is marked every 6.25 m and the pace increases by 0.5 km/h per minute of running. The MAS is calculated as for the Vameval test, retaining the speed at the last point reached within the allotted time,
• Mercier test: consists of alternating 3 minutes of running and 3 minutes of active recovery, at an increasing speed each time. With each new speed level, the distance to be covered increases. The speed and distance to be achieved increases after each level of racing reached. The MAS is then calculated by referring to a specific table. 

These intermittent tests are easy to set up and are particularly suitable for younger or less fit people, thanks to the absence of excessively long continuous running and the presence of recovery phases. However, they still require mastering a regular pace.

Which VMA test to choose based on your profile? 

There is no right or wrong VMA test. All these tests are effective, with more or less precision. However, some will suit you more, depending on your profile, your level, and your objectives. 

If you are a beginner runner: start with a test in progressive stages, like the Vameval, which does not require you to already know your pace or to warm up a lot, and which gives precise results. You can also start with a Gacon intermittent test, which allows you to take active breaks between each run.
As a beginner, a test in an athletics club or surrounded by a specialized person allows you to have good testing conditions. Once your first VMA is known, you can perform a half-Cooper test and average the two tests to get the most accurate result possible. 
If you are an intermediate runner, and already know your VMA pace capabilities, the half-Cooper is ideal, because it is very close, or even identical, to the average time to reach the VMA (6 minutes). Easy to calculate, you can do it alone, without the need for equipment or support.

If you are an advanced runner, it is recommended to alternate between VMA tests according to your training, to have the most accurate measurements. Thus, a mixture between Cooper or half-Cooper and Vameval, with the addition of a Pradet or Gacon test, is ideal.

How to perform your VMA test in the laboratory, on a treadmill, or via an application?

The VMA calculation tests, whether continuous or in stages, are mostly carried out on an athletics track or in a straight line, offering the most direct and natural terrain to evaluate yourself. However, it is entirely possible to perform a VMA test in another context: on a treadmill, in a laboratory, or via an app. 

On the treadmill, in a gym or at home, you can easily do a half-Cooper or Astrand test over the set duration. For the Vameval test, you can then configure the speed increase of 0.5 km/h every minute. To best simulate outdoor running during your VMA test on a treadmill, set an incline of 1 to 2% on your machine (allows you to slightly correct the difference in the two terrains, and compensate for the lack of resistance to the treadmill). 'air).

Why improve your VMA?

Once you know your VMA, it is important to train accordingly to improve it. Improving your VMA means improving your speed, endurance and consistency, to run faster and longer.  

The higher your VMA, the longer and faster you run. In the same race, a runner with a good VMA will be able to run longer and faster than another runner with a low VMA, because he will consume more kilometers per hour, for a similar effort. 

Improving your VMA is therefore an essential objective for any running athlete, because it allows you to run longer, faster, improve your times in sporting events, or achieve similar times while being less tired.

How to improve your VMA? 

To improve your VMA, several running exercises exist. Interval sequences in particular are very effective, pushing your heart rate to its maximum, and often forcing you to run at a pace higher than your VMA.  

Here are some training methodologies to improve your VMA: 

Fartlek: exercise alternating phases of sprinting with breath holding and calm phases of running with breathing. It helps develop the ventilatory system and slows down the use of the anaerobic sector (which occurs once your VO2max is reached, temporarily renewing your energy with the supply of glycogen, glucose stored in the muscles and the liver). 
Interval 30 – 30 VMA: exercise alternating sets of fast running of 30 seconds at 100% - 110% of VMA and sets of jogging of 30 seconds at 65% of VMA. Each series is then followed by a recovery phase of 1 minute 30 to 3 minutes, depending on the level,

Repetitive exercises with intense running phases over 200m to 400m at 100% VMA with recovery phases over 500 – 1000m at 65% - 70% VMA. Possibility of including sprint phases at 105% - 110% VMA before the recovery phase, 
Interval 10x400 m: consists of running 10 times 400 m at 100% VMA, alternating between this running time and an active recovery time (lasting 15 seconds less), 
Jogging sequences with more or less short acceleration phases. 

You can perform these exercises during specific VMA sessions or reserved sequences during your training. To optimize your training, it is recommended to organize a VMA session approximately once a week to increase your VMA. 

The important thing, to gain in VMA, is to accustom your body to running at a pace at 100% of your VMA, and this over an increasingly long time, in order to gradually reach plateaus. 

Finally, increasing your VMA requires improving your technique and your stride. By working on your stride, it will become less and less energy intensive. You will then be less tired and will be able to run longer at 100% of your VMA. 

You now know everything about VMA, its importance and how to calculate it. All you have to do is choose the VMA test that suits you best and you are well armed to prepare for your next race or competition.