Cooper's 12 minute running test. About special forces and the Cooper test. What is MIC and how to calculate it

The Cooper test is a famous test for assessing the aerobic endurance of an athlete, actively used in running, swimming and cycling.

Often athletes, when starting to grueling workouts, rely on a subjective assessment of their own aerobic capabilities. But is it possible to confidently judge the level of endurance based only on personal feelings and well-being?It is necessary to listen to the body, but even an experienced athlete will not always immediately assess the level of his preparedness. What then can beginners expect?

You can contact specialists and undergo a full medical examination using. But if this is not possible, the Cooper test is a simple method that has been proven for decades and will not require you to spend time or money.

History of the Cooper test

Initially, the test used today to assess the aerobic performance of an athlete was developed exclusively for US Army soldiers. The test is named after its creator, scientist Kenneth Cooper. In 1968, he came up with a universal 12-minute test to determine how well a person is prepared for grueling physical activity in comparison with the established norm.

At that time, testing included only running; later they began to use other aerobic disciplines included in the modern one, and even included strength training.

The scientist was prompted to create the test by his own health problems. The idea to develop a universal formula for checking general health came to Cooper at the age of thirty, when he, having lost his former physical fitness, decided to get rid of excess weight through physical exercise.

However, having loaded his body a little more than required, he felt unwell and noted a decrease in results. This observation led Kenneth Cooper to an ingenious solution: before starting training, it is necessary to conduct a test that determines the athlete’s initial level of training.

What does the Cooper test evaluate?

The original Cooper test is a running test that requires the subject to run at increased intensity for 12 minutes.

This type of load was not chosen by chance, because during running almost all muscle groups are involved, which is why the body actively consumes oxygen.

Together with the muscles, most of the musculoskeletal system is involved in the work, which allows us to assess the condition of the bones, joints and ligaments. Along with the musculoskeletal system, the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are checked.

How long does the Cooper test take?

The test lasts exactly 12 minutes: it is during this time that the average body begins to experience so-called oxygen starvation, after which energy resources begin to deplete. Since the task is not to bring the subject to exhaustion, the test is limited to the time limit that a person of almost any level of training can do.

How is the Cooper test performed?

Before starting the experiment, you must make sure that your physical and psychological condition is normal. The test is performed with such intensity that the cells make maximum use of the oxygen that is in them. Oxygen starvation is excluded; in this case, the test will not harm the health of the subject.

Test results directly depend on age, so the data obtained will be individual for each athlete. The test is suitable for athletes of all ages, although Cooper himself does not recommend participating in it unprepared people over 35 years old.

The fact is that a person who has not been involved in sports for a long time, in pursuit of results, may simply not independently calculate the level of his capabilities. In this case, the test must be carried out in the presence of a specialist.

Run

Let's start from the very beginning affordable option- Cooper running test. To do this you will need a treadmill, running shoes and a stopwatch.

Prepare your body for the load by doing a full warm-up. At the same time, try not to exhaust yourself even before testing begins. You can also walk briskly within 2-3 minutes.

Let's move on to the main part.

The rules here are extremely simple: in the allotted 12 minutes you need to “wind up” more kilometers. You can set a timer on the treadmill, or measure the interval with a stopwatch on your phone. If you are unable to find treadmill, you can use an arena or stadium with a fixed lap length.

Just don’t forget that you need to run along one path; if as you move you move closer and then further away from the center of the arena, the result will be inaccurate. Be careful when using special ones: it is not a fact that the GPS signal will allow you to calculate the most accurate distance.

Try to push yourself as hard as possible without causing harm to your health. If it becomes difficult to run, switch to a fast walk, but the test results will be significantly worse.

At the end of 12 minutes, note the distance traveled, but do not rush to stop suddenly.

Compare the result obtained with the standards given in the table.

Do not rush to be upset if you do not receive an “excellent” rating. This result is comparable only to the level of well-trained athletes. If you have jumped over the indicators in this table, you can safely be proud of your physical fitness!

To compare: the current holder of the world record for 5000 meters among men, Kenenise Bekele, runs 4800 meters in 12 minutes!

Swimming

A swimming pool is best for this test. In a natural body of water, measuring the distance traveled will be more difficult.

The swimming stage requires more preparation from the athlete. Many of us feel more confident on land than in water. If running is a universal activity for everyone, then not everyone can master the water version of the test, because you have to swim for a whole 12 minutes!

It is best to warm up directly in the water so that the body gets used to the temperature. Be sure to warm up first and prepare your shoulder girdle for work.

If you are not confident in your abilities, or there is still a fear of being in the water for a long time, it is better to carry out the test in more comfortable conditions, leaving swimming for later.

The rules remain the same: swim the maximum number of meters in 12 minutes. You are allowed to swim freestyle, but as quickly as possible. For accurate results, try to swim to the end of the pool, pushing off from the side.

Add up the resulting number of segments passed from side to side, and compare the results with the table.

Bike

First, you need to decide on the location of the test. The track must be dry, without descents or ascents. For these purposes, it is best to choose a stadium or park with a bike path. Schemes of many parks are available on the Internet, so you can find out the length of all the paths.

Pay attention to weather conditions: headwinds may reduce results. There should be no frost or puddles on the site that will have to be avoided. If you have the opportunity to go to a cycle track, it will be the best option, eliminating any interference. You can use an exercise bike, but make sure it is properly set up before doing the test.

Select the neutral speed that suits you. Don't complicate your task by creating unnecessary interference and additional resistance.

You can measure the distance traveled in circles, the radius of which must be known in advance, or use an application with GPS.

The task remains the same: you have to pedal for 12 minutes and record the distance traveled. Check your result with the table.

Your physical and psychological condition must be normal - otherwise, the results will be biased. Under no circumstances should you start exercising if you feel unwell.

If you have excluded any unpleasant symptoms, but during the test you feel a sharp malaise, you should stop the experiment. Most often, untrained subjects experience arrhythmia, tachycardia, weakness, dizziness, nausea and tingling in the side and chest. U experienced athletes Such symptoms may indicate the presence of inflammatory processes in the body.

Before you start exercising, take your heart rate at rest and after warming up to make sure your heart is ready for the load and you haven't over-prepared. The ideal option would be to measure your pulse during all training process, this will give you the opportunity to track progress or stop.

For the purity of the experiment, do not use aids: for example, fins can make your task much easier when swimming, and descents will help when running and cycling. At the same time, comfortable equipment and protective equipment, such as tapes or knee pads, will not interfere with the test results.

While driving, avoid any factors that could affect your heart rate, breathing, or safety. To do this, try not to talk, not worry, and eliminate sudden stress. Don't commit sudden movements that raise your heart rate, try to move at the same pace, accelerating gradually, without jerking.

Take care of your nutrition in advance: the stomach should be empty during the distance, but there should be enough glycogen in the muscles and liver for intensive work. Therefore, the last meal is taken 2-3 hours before the start of the load. Food should not be fatty, heavy or create a fermentation effect (brown bread, grapes, pickles). It's best to eat slow carbohydrates, and after completing the test, eat protein food.

Cooper strength test

The Cooper strength test is designed to involve almost all muscle groups. Universal exercises allow you to identify which muscles are toned and which need to be strengthened.

First, warm up by working all your joints. Special attention give pectoral muscle, quadriceps and back surface hips.

For the test, you will need a small space to perform the exercises and a comfortable form. No equipment other than a mat is required here.

You have to do four simple exercises, each of which must be repeated 10 times:

• Push ups. Lying push-ups with maximum amplitude. Try to get as low as possible to the floor, keep your head straight, do not bend your lower back, lowering your pelvis. After ten repetitions, remain in the prone position.

• Jumping from a prone position (pulling the knees to the chest in a prone position).

• Abs exercise. Roll over onto your back and do 10 reps of abdominal crunches in any way you feel comfortable, such as crunches.

• Squats. Last exercise intended for lower group muscles. Represents regular squats without weight. If you want to make it more challenging, you can use jump squats.

At the end of the complex, stop the stopwatch and compare the data obtained:

• 3 min. - Great
• 3.3 min. - Fine
• 4 min. – satisfactory
• 4.5 min. - Badly

If the result bothers you, it's time to start improving. For training, it is enough to use a set of the listed exercises in different versions.

Such a workout will not take much time and will not even require you to have a gym membership: you can easily improve your physical fitness at home. The main condition is regularity and a gradual increase in load. Repeat the test in a month. Perhaps the new result will surprise you.

It is enough to carry out the test once a month. After it, be sure to allow the body to recover by abandoning intense aerobic and anaerobic training.

Frequent use of the test can lead to disruption of the cardiovascular system: the athlete simply will not notice how he “drives” his body. If this happens, you will notice a gradual decline in results, loss of energy, worsening mood and loss of motivation. In other words, you will bring yourself to the effect of overtraining.

Record your results in one place: keep a training journal or create a folder with monthly calculations in your phone. This way you can track changes in the functioning of your body's systems.

Do not rely on a subjective assessment, use proven methods, because now you understand this issue!

How far can you run/swim/drive in 12 minutes? Share in the comments to this article.

How easy and simple it is to determine the level of your physical training? You can, of course, try to perform all sorts of tests on your body, go to the doctor and undergo a medical examination, but in reality it is enough just to pass the Cooper test.

Kenneth Cooper in 1968 developed a program of thirty tests to assess the physical condition of US Army soldiers.

The most popular of them was the treadmill, as it turned out to be simple and accessible to perform. It consists in the fact that you need to walk or run as much distance as possible in 12 minutes. The most convenient place to hold it is the stadium.

This test was developed for people aged 18 to 35 years. But this does not mean at all that a 50-year-old man will not be able to overcome it; he just needs to have good physical training. During a 12-minute run, the body receives aerobic exercise and all cells of the body are saturated with oxygen, so it cannot cause any harm to health.

Kenneth Cooper himself was against the test being carried out among people over 35 years of age. It is important to understand that an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old man cannot perform this task in the same way, and the results clearly show the influence of the subject’s age on his physical condition.

The Cooper test includes more than 2/3 muscle mass human body. Therefore, it can be used to assess the performance of the entire organism. During running, the main systems involved are: respiratory and cardiovascular; it is quite easy to understand the level of training and their condition after this test.

Stages of the Cooper test

Before starting testing, a person must warm up. Warm-up can last from 5 to 15 minutes. You need to do the following exercises:

• Jogging- will help launch all the necessary systems in the body, warm it up and prepare it for the upcoming work;
• Different kinds general developmental exercises which will be aimed at all muscle groups;
• Mandatory stretching, which avoids injuries and prepares muscles and ligaments for work.

It is important to understand that you cannot overdo the warm-up, as the subject will already be tired and show worse result than I could. But if there is insufficient warm-up, the body will also not be ready for testing and an injury or a poor test result may result.

The test starts with regular commands: Reade set Go. After the last command, the stopwatch starts and the person begins the test. It is possible to overcome it both by running and on foot. But, of course, if you go the entire distance, the result will be disastrous.

After 12 minutes, the stopwatch stops and the distance covered is measured. The results are compared with a table of standards for this test.

"Cooper test standards"

After comparing the results, a conclusion is made about the person’s physical fitness.

We must not forget about the mandatory cool down after the test. It is done in order to restore breathing and bring all body systems back to normal. It can include just 5 minutes of jogging or walking.

Video: Coaches love it and athletes hate it - Cooper test

Cooper tests are a scientifically based test physical capabilities person with the help simple exercises, performed for 12 minutes. Running, swimming and cycling are commonly used for testing. You need to run, swim or drive the maximum distance in 12 minutes. The distance traveled is used to judge a person's level of physical fitness. It is important that the test results are tied to the person’s age. This excludes the influence of age-related changes on the level of assessment of test results.

General information about tests and their creator

Kenneth Cooper is a famous American medical practitioner who has developed numerous tests to assess the physical condition of the body. Cooper's tests are simple and convenient, have been tested on thousands of enthusiasts and can be recommended to people of various ages and physical fitness.

An important feature of the assessment physical performance, laid down by Cooper in his tests, is the dependence of the final indicators on the age of the test taker. Same number of points scored by people of different ages, in each case will 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 of the muscle mass is included in the work. Thus, these loads have a significant impact not only on muscular apparatus, but also on the systems that provide muscle activity, primarily cardiovascular and respiratory. Therefore, by assessing exercise tolerance when performing Cooper tests, it is possible to indirectly assess the functional state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems s.

Below are three of Cooper's 12-minute tests: a running test, a swimming test, and a cycling test.
Kenneth Cooper himself does not recommend the use of these tests to assess physical fitness for persons over 35 years of age if they do not have good physical fitness (Cooper K. 1989).

How to run tests

Before performing any of the tests, it is necessary to do a 2-3 minute warm-up to prepare the body for physical work, and after completion - a cool-down.
To cool down, you can use calm walking.

General developmental exercises on the basics are suitable as a warm-up. muscle groups, 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 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 worse the test result. After a 12-minute movement, the distance covered in meters is measured and physical fitness is assessed using the table.

according to Cooper's 12-minute running test

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 during the test is free. This Kenneth Cooper 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.

Physical fitness assessment table
according to Cooper's 12-minute swim test

12 minute cycling test

The 12-minute cycling test assesses the state of physical fitness of the body and its body based on the distance (in meters) covered by a person on a bicycle in 12 minutes. This Cooper test is recommended to be carried out in low wind conditions on a well-surfaced route that excludes steep ascents and descents.

Physical fitness assessment table
by Cooper's 12-minute cycling test

Speaking about the merits of his tests, Kenneth Cooper names the following, among others:

Cooper test results provide motivation to exercise

Observing the dynamics of test scores is a good incentive to continue studying and increases interest in them.

Test helps determine risk of heart disease

As already mentioned, 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 the good functional state of the 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 susceptible to various pathologies.

Healthy people can perform Cooper tests on their own.

Cooper's 12-minute physical performance test

Kenneth Cooper- a famous American medical practitioner who has developed numerous tests to assess the physical condition of the body. Cooper's tests are simple and convenient, have been tested on thousands of enthusiasts and can be recommended to people of various 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 of the muscle mass is included in the work. 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 systems.

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 cool-down.

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 in order 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 worse the test result. 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

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

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

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 activity that places sufficient demands on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, if the body copes well with such loads, we can talk about the good functional state of the 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.

Back in December, Sanya told me that he tried to pass Cooper's test for strength endurance. In short: the test consists of alternately performing 4 exercises (push-ups, moving from a squat to a lying position and back, jumping ups and something on the abs). Perform 10 repetitions of the first exercise, then without stopping, 10 repetitions of the second, third and fourth. This is one cycle. Then, without rest, again 10 repetitions of the first exercise, then the second, and so on. The result is assessed in two ways: you must either complete a certain number of cycles before you fall from fatigue, or perform a specific number of cycles in a minimum time.
After Googling about this topic, I came across the website of the special forces “Vityaz” and became interested in the requirements for recruits. There are only 7 tests (tests), each is estimated at a maximum of 50 points, the minimum acceptable total result is 295 points, that is, on average 42-43 points for each test.
Now I want to fulfill some of these standards, not during the selection process, of course, but for myself. I’m not eager to join the special forces, so I simplify my tasks somewhat. I will write about each test separately.
Test No. 1. Endurance.
Continuous running for 12 minutes is assessed by the distance that the subject covered in the specified time. By the way, this is also called the Cooper test. 42 points is 3200 meters. Considering that at school I ran 3 km in 13 and a half minutes, the standard seems unrealistic. We need to start running. In summer. Yeah.
Test No. 2. Strength endurance.
The same Cooper test for strength endurance. For 40 points you need to complete 5 cycles, time is not taken into account. As a “something for the abs”, the following exercise: “from the starting position, lie down on your stomach and roll over onto your back, raise your legs without bending your knees, touch your toes to the floor behind your head, return your legs to the starting position.” I seriously doubt that I can do even one repetition of this abdominal exercise. Normally, without being out of breath and without crunching in my joints, I can only do push-ups for now.
Test No. 3. Force.
Out of some fright, it is assessed only by the number of pull-ups. This will not work. Instead, let there be force standards of the FSB special forces (they, by the way, are stricter):
pull-ups – 25 (10-11);
push-ups – 90 (40-50, probably);
abs (lying on your back, flexion-extension of the torso) – 100 (I have no idea);
bench press, body weight – 10 (2);
jumping up with a change of legs – 90 (some kind of crap, I won’t do it).
In brackets are my approximate figures for today.
It seems that everything is very complicated, but it is not. For example, a bench press of 75 kg for 10 times is a hundred times (according to the online calculator). Now I bench press 80 at a time, so a hundred is quite achievable.
Test No. 4. Speed.
They offer a 10 to 10 shuttle run. Never liked it. So instead, the 100-meter dash with the same FSB standards is 12.7 seconds. At school, and even at university, I ran at 14. I wonder if it’s not too late to try to improve the result?
I will not take tests No. 5 (flexibility, splits, etc.) and No. 6 (agility, somersaults, walking on hands, etc.). Although I would like to learn to walk on my hands. Well, test No. 7 (courage, yeah) - training matches according to the rules of boxing - I, too, naturally, will not pass.
These are the requirements, although truncated, but very difficult for me. I already go to the rocking chair, all I have to do is start running. It will be interesting to see what changes, say, over the next six months.
PS. Yes, I'm weak, don't make fun of me

FSB special forces standards

Combat and physical training requirements for newly arrived employees

1. Pull-up - 25

2. Push-ups - 90

3. Press (lying on your back, flexion-extension of the torso) - 100

4. Run 100 m (shuttle run 10 to 10) - 12.7 s (25 sec)

5. Cross 3000 m - 11.00 min

6. Bench press (own weight, but not more than 100 kg) - 10 times

7. Hand-to-hand combat
-Demonstration of punching and kicking techniques - 2 min. On a punching bag
- Sparring according to free rules with throws and painful techniques- 3 battles of 3 minutes each.

8. Jumping up with changing legs - 90

9. Complex strength exercise (performed sequentially 8 times: - 10 push-ups from the floor, 10 presses, 10 times squatting, 10 jumping ups from the squatting position). 8 reps (no pause)

All exercises are done one after another without interruption.