30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15 IFT) Calculator
Estimate VO2max from your final speed on the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (VIFT) with Buchheit's equation, plus the stage reached and interval running distances.
How it works
VO2max = 28.3 − 2.15 × G − 0.741 × A − 0.0357 × W + 0.0586 × A × VIFT + 1.03 × VIFT · G = 1 male, 2 female; A = age (years); W = weight (kg); VIFT in km/h
The 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (Buchheit, 2000–2008) alternates 30-second shuttle runs over 40 m with 15 seconds of walking recovery; the speed starts at 8 km/h and rises by 0.5 km/h every 45-second stage until the athlete can no longer reach the 3 m zone in time. The final speed, VIFT, combines aerobic power, change-of-direction ability and recovery, so it is widely used in team sports to set individual interval speeds — typically 85–95% of VIFT for 15 s on / 15 s off running.
Worked example
A 25-year-old, 75 kg male player reaches 19 km/h: VO2max = 28.3 − 2.15 − 0.741 × 25 − 0.0357 × 75 + 0.0586 × 25 × 19 + 1.03 × 19 = 28.3 − 2.15 − 18.53 − 2.68 + 27.84 + 19.57 = 52.4 ml/kg/min. That is stage 23; at 90% of VIFT he covers 71 m in 15 s.
Sources: Buchheit M (2008) The 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test: accuracy for individualizing interval training of young intermittent sport players. J Strength Cond Res 22:365–374 · Topend Sports — 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test
Frequently asked questions
What is a good 30-15 IFT score?
Professional male team-sport players usually reach 19.5–21 km/h and club players 15.5–17.5 km/h; elite female players typically reach 17–18.5 km/h. Values vary by sport and position.
Which speed do I enter?
Enter the speed of the last stage you completed correctly — that is VIFT. If you failed to reach the 3 m tolerance zone three times, the previous stage speed counts.
How do coaches use VIFT?
To prescribe individual high-intensity intervals: for example 15 s at 90–95% of VIFT with 15 s recovery. Because VIFT already includes changes of direction and recovery ability, it suits intermittent team-sport running better than a continuous-test speed.
How accurate is the VO2max estimate?
Buchheit's regression predicts VO2max with a standard error around 2.8 ml/kg/min in the validation group, but it can be less accurate in very young, older or untrained people.
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This calculator gives an estimate for general fitness and education only. It is not a diagnosis — field tests and prediction equations can differ from laboratory measurements, so talk to a doctor or qualified exercise professional before acting on the result, especially before maximal testing.