Cooper test

Synonyms in the broadest sense

Endurance test, endurance run, 12 minute run

introduction

The Cooper Test is a 12 minute run. Named after the American sports doctor Kenneth H. Cooper, this test is used in schools, the army, in referee selection and various sports games to test endurance performance. The test is easy to perform and can be evaluated quickly.

execution

Of the Cooper test is usually carried out on the 400m tartan track. It is run for 12 minutes at a time. At the end of the Cooper test, the distance run is measured and the performance is read off using fixed tables. The individual values ​​are listed below.

swim

The Cooper Test is a particularly popular instrument at school to measure the Endurance of the students. A Cooper test can be performed in the To run, but also in swim be performed. In schools, however, it is not permitted in every state to replace the Cooper test in running with a Cooper test in swimming.

Especially people who prefer swim than to to run, can compensate for a possible disadvantage and still achieve a good result. For others, however, the Cooper test while running is much more interesting, because it doesn't focus on the Breathing technique must pay attention.

A distinction is made between two swimming styles among students, the Breaststroke and the Freestyle swimming. For students, breaststroke swim takes twelve minutes 550 meters Covered swimming distance to reach 15 points and thus get a 1+. With 300 meters distance traveled you get five points and thus a straight four. The distances are a little longer in freestyle. You need a 1+ smooth 600 meters, and if you want to get a straight four, you have to do freestyle 350 meters return.

A distinction is also made between breaststyle and freestyle swimming for the female students. In Chest position a student needs a covered distance of 500 metersto finish with 15 points and a 1+. For 250 covered meter in the chest position, at least a four can be achieved.Students who want to swim freestyle for the Cooper Test need 550 completed meterto get 15 points. Students get five points and thus a straight four 300 swam Meters in freestyle. The other point values ​​are graded downwards from the top values ​​for schoolchildren in 25 point steps.

To run

In a Cooper test while running, you have to cover as many meters as possible in twelve minutes. Above all, the endurance performance of the athletes is checked, and thus also the fitness level. Experienced runners can also use this test to determine their maximum oxygen uptake. The Cooper test is not a test for beginners, as you should be able to assess your capabilities well. Otherwise it can happen that you run too fast at the beginning and thus build up lactate too quickly. This can lead to a drastic drop in performance by the end of the twelve minutes.

The test execution should take place under controlled conditions in order to obtain repeatable and comparable results. You should have a standardized 400 meter tartan track, make sure that the temperatures are neither too high nor too low (approx. 20 - 25 ° C are recommended) and the test persons should be in good health and rested. Any previous illnesses should urgently be clarified with a doctor before taking a Cooper test.

The results are evaluated in the same way as with a Cooper test in swimming using a table. However, there is a graduation according to the age of the participants. A distinction is also made between normal athletes and juniors, as well as trained athletes. For a very good performance in the normal athletes and juniors, the group of 13 and 14 year olds needs more than 2700 meters for the boys and more than 2000 meters for the girls. The 15- and 16-year-olds each need an additional 100 meters (2800m and 2100m) in order to achieve a very good performance. The 17 to 20 year olds need at 3000 meters (male) and 2300 meters (female) 200m more than the younger age group. In the 20 to 29 year olds, the performance decreases again, with which one achieves a very good result. 2800m for men and 2700m for women are required. It is striking that the difference between the sexes becomes smaller with increasing age.

In the group of trained athletes, a distance of at least 3700 meters is required of the men for very good performance. For women it is also a high value of 3000 meters, which hardly any normal athlete will achieve.

In addition to athletes, the Cooper Test is also used by referees when it is necessary to check whether the physical requirements are met to lead a game. The Cooper test is also used in schools, in the army, in the Foreign Legion and in the federal police.

training

Before you start training for a Cooper Test, you should It's on determine, that is, determine how fit the test person is. For this purpose, the Cooper test is carried out without prior training and the performance is determined. Based on the result, a Training plan set up to achieve the desired goal.

A simple training option is to go running two to three times a week and switch between short and medium distances. If you start this simple running training around two months before the Cooper Test, you can already expect improved performance.

Another possibility is to break down the performance from the test over the current state in distances per minute. If you run as a student 225 m per minute, you will end up with a total of eight points and a straight three. If you want to improve to twelve points, you should be able to run at least 30-35m more per minute.

The associated training plan then looks Endurance runs and Interval training in front. The interval training should ensure that you get a Sense of tempo developed in order to assess yourself better later. In interval training you cover the same distance that you determined in the initial test using the current state, but it varies Speeds and thus trains the sense of tempo.

In a week, for example, the intervals can be such that you need seven times two minutes for a given distance and take a one-minute break from walking between the intervals. A week later you can shorten the walking phases and lengthen the running phases. For example, you can switch to running for five times three minutes and take shorter walking breaks in between.

Between the interval training units, you should do an endurance run once a week and increase the load week after week. At the beginning of the first week, the endurance run can be 20 minutes. It is then extended week by week by five minutes of running length, so that four to five days before the Cooper test you can do another 40-minute endurance run.

You should definitely take a day's break between training days so that the body can recover accordingly. Before the Cooper Test, you should stop exercising for three days in order to be able to go into the competition one hundred percent rested and to perform at your best.

Tips

In order to make the Cooper test as successful as possible, you should pay attention to a few points. For example, you should take two to three hours before a Cooper test no solid food eat more, otherwise the stomach would be too busy. This then allows a little less blood for the Muscles provided and the level of service may be lower. You can also make sure to go to bed early enough the night before the run so that you can rested can go to the start.

When running you should pay attention to to breathe evenlyso you don't have Stitch gets. In addition, you should divide your strength so that you can really accelerate the last minute and your last Energy reserves mobilized. In addition, it is always worthwhile to walk all the way inside on the tartan track, as this saves a few meters.

In advance when it comes to training, you should find a healthy mix of endurance training, speed training and recovery.

Criticism of the Cooper test

The Cooper test is only partially suitable for checking endurance performance. Only the ability to run a distance of 12 minutes is tested. The test does not provide any information Lactate levels and maximum oxygen uptake. The energy supply in the muscle cell cannot therefore be determined with the Cooper test. Since the Cooper test does not provide any information about the actual strain on the muscles, it is not possible to determine whether the test person ran in the aerobic or anaerobic range. It is therefore advisable to check the heart rate regularly during this test so that it can at least be evaluated.

Inexperienced endurance athletes will have significant problems with this test because they do not know what pace to start with. The art in this test is in the field of anaerobic threshold to run.

To determine the endurance capacity more precisely, a Lactate level test or the Coconi test significantly better, but are associated with greater effort and can hardly be carried out in larger groups.

Evaluation of the Cooper test

Boys

  • 12 years
    • very good: 2650
    • good: 2250
    • satisfactory: 1850
    • sufficient: 1550
    • poor: 1250
  • 13 years
    • very good: 2700
    • good: 2300
    • satisfactory: 1900
    • sufficient: 1600
    • poor: 1300
  • 14 years
    • very good: 2750
    • good: 2350
    • satisfactory: 1950
    • sufficient: 1650
    • poor: 1350
  • 15 years
    • very good: 2800
    • good: 2400
    • satisfactory: 2000
    • sufficient: 1700
    • poor: 1400
  • 16 years
    • very good: 2850
    • good: 2450
    • satisfactory: 2050
    • sufficient: 1750
    • poor: 1450
  • 17 years
    • very good: 2900
    • good: 2500
    • satisfactory: 2100
    • sufficient: 1800
    • poor: 1500

girl

  • 12 years
    • very good: 2450
    • good: 2050
    • satisfactory: 1650
    • poor: 1050
  • 13 years
    • very good: 2500
    • good: 2100
    • satisfactory: 1700
    • poor: 1100
  • 14 years
    • very good: 2550
    • good: 2150
    • satisfactory: 1750
    • poor: 1150
  • 15 years
    • very good: 2600
    • good: 2200
    • satisfactory: 1800
    • poor: 1200
  • 16 years
    • very good: 2650
    • good: 2250
    • satisfactory: 1850
    • poor: 1250
  • 17 years
    • very good: 2700
    • good: 2300
    • satisfactory: 1900
    • poor: 1300

Men

  • 18-30 years
    • very good: 3000
    • good: 2600
    • satisfactory: 2200
    • poor: 1800
    • bad: <1800
  • 30-39 years
    • very good: 2700
    • good: 2300
    • satisfactory: 1900
    • poor: 1600
    • bad: <1600
  • 40-49 years
    • very good: 2500
    • good: 2100
    • satisfactory: 1700
    • poor: 1400
    • bad: <1400
  • 50 years
    • very good: 2400
    • good: 2000
    • satisfactory: 1600
    • poor: 1300
    • bad: <1300

Women

  • 18-30 years
    • very good: 2650
    • good: 2200
    • satisfactory: 1900
    • poor: 1550
    • bad: <1550
  • 30-39 years
    • very good: 2550
    • good: 2050
    • satisfactory: 1700
    • poor: 1400
    • bad: <1400
  • 40-49 years
    • very good: 2300
    • good: 1900
    • satisfactory: 1500
    • poor: 1200
    • bad: <1200
  • 50 years
    • very good: 2150
    • good: 1650
    • satisfactory: 1350
    • poor: 1050
    • bad: <1050