5 Tests to See How Well You Are Aging

Flexibility

Why it matters: “Staying flexible stimulates blood circulation, promotes better posture, relieves stress and postural-related pain, and allows your joints to move through their complete range of motion,” says Hensrud. That last benefit alone helps to improve your overall performance while simultaneously lowering your risk of injury during any activity.

Test yourself

2. The sit and reach assessment

This simple test measures your range of motion in the lower back, hips and hamstrings (the backs of your thighs).

Put a yardstick on the floor and hold it in place with a piece of painter’s tape at around the 15-inch mark. Sit on the floor with the yardstick between your legs, placing the soles of your feet even with the 15-inch mark. Extending your arms, exhale as you gently reach forward as far as possible, holding the position for at least one second. Repeat the test three times and record the farthest reach of the three.

Your flexibility is considered on target if your fingers reached the following distances.

Improve your score

“Implement a full-body stretching routine two to three times weekly,” says Hensrud. Include stretches for the neck, shoulders, chest, upper back, lower back, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and feet.

Muscular strength

Why it matters: “Your muscles do more than just make you more functional and able to participate in activities throughout the day. The amount of muscle you have also determines your basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories your body burns at rest,” says Hensrud. Here are two ways to judge.

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3. The push-up test (for upper-body-strength)

Men: Get into push-up position, hands shoulder-­width apart, legs extended and back straight. Slowly bend your elbows until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push back up. Do as many as you can with good form and without resting.

Women: Do the same, but from a kneeling push-up position.

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4. The squat test (for lower-body strength)

• Stand about 12 inches in front of a chair with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended straight out in front of you.
• Holding this posture, slowly push your hips back and bend your knees until your butt almost touches the seat of the chair. Slowly stand back up. Do as many as you can without using your arms to help.

Improve your score

For both the push-up test and the squat test, perform a mix of resistance exercises that work both the upper and lower body two to three times a week. Rest for 24 to 48 hours between workouts.

Balance

Why it matters: “Most people think of osteoporosis as the main cause of hip fractures when, in reality, it’s instability,” Hensrud says. “Having better balance leads to fewer injuries and greater independence.” A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine recently linked the ability to balance on one foot for at least 10 seconds to a reduced risk of mortality in people ages 51 to 75.

Test yourself

5. The one-legged balance test

Stand barefoot next to a wall or countertop. Lift one foot an inch or two off the floor to balance on one leg. See how long you can last before you need to put your foot back down or reach for support. Repeat the test on your other leg. Do the test three times with each leg; record the best of the three tries.

Now perform the test again with your eyes closed.

Improve your score

Simply repeating this test every day is a great place to start, but you can easily boost your balance by routinely engaging in activities that safely challenge your stability, such as walking outdoors (particularly on trails or grass), doing leg exercises that work one leg at a time (such as lunges), or taking core-strengthening classes like yoga, tai chi, dance and Pilates.