Balke test.
10 articles.
Start with the Balke test guide and calculator ↗

1.5 Mile Run Test Alternatives: Cooper, Balke, Beep, Yoyo Ranked
Cooper, Balke, beep, Yoyo, and lab tests all replace the 1.5-mile run. Here is which of the alternatives I trust most, and when I use each one.
Read the guide ↗
Cooper Test Alternatives: Beep, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5mi Ranked
Beep, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5-mile run, and lab tests all replace the Cooper test. Here is which of the alternatives I trust most, and when I use each.
Read the guide ↗
Balke Test Alternatives: Cooper, Beep, Yoyo, 1.5mi Ranked
Cooper, beep, Yoyo, 1.5-mile run, and lab tests all replace the Balke test. Here is which of the alternatives I trust most, and when I use each.
Read the guide ↗
Yo-Yo Test Alternatives: Cooper, Balke, Beep, 1.5mi Ranked
Cooper, Balke, beep, 1.5-mile run, and lab tests all replace the Yo-Yo IR1 and IR2 test. Here is which I trust most, and when I use each.
Read the guide ↗
What Your Balke Test VO2 Max Score Actually Means
Just ran a Balke 15-minute test? Here is what your distance translates to in VO2 max, where you sit on the percentile chart, and what to do with the number.
Read the guide ↗
Is the Balke Test Outdated? The Case For and Against
The Balke treadmill and 15-minute field-test variants, what the original Balke 1959 research supports, and when the Balke still earns its slot in 2026.
Read the guide ↗
How to Run a Balke Test (Step-by-Step Guide)
Treadmill and 15-minute field versions of the Balke VO2 max test: full setup, pacing strategy, stop criteria, and the Horwill 1994 conversion formula.
Read the guide ↗
Balke Test World Records: Top 15-Minute Distances and VO2 Max
The fastest 15-minute Balke runs ever recorded, the treadmill protocol cousin, and the VO2 max the top distances actually imply.
Read the guide ↗
Beep Test Alternatives: Cooper, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5mi Ranked
Cooper, Balke, Yoyo, 1.5-mile run, and lab tests all replace the beep test. Here is which of the 5 alternatives I trust most, and when I use each one.
Read the guide ↗
Apple Watch Balke Test: Hands-Free VO2 Max
How to run the 15-minute Balke test on your Apple Watch. Hands-free pacing, no track measurement, plus the regression that turns distance into VO2 max.
Read the guide ↗