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As we age, it’s common knowledge that muscle mass tends to decrease. After 40, many individuals observe shifts in their endurance, balance, coordination, and strength. However, while some level of decline is a natural part of aging, the pace at which it occurs can be influenced by you. In truth, with proper training, you can maintain a level of strength, mobility, and overall fitness that equals or even surpasses those of much younger individuals.
A great method to assess your physical age is to evaluate your strength through functional exercises. That’s why we consulted with Amanda Dvorak, CPT, a certified personal trainer from Garage Gym Reviews, to introduce three assessments for individuals over 40. These will help you measure your true fitness level. Functional strength is about your capability to perform daily tasks safely and effectively, like bending, pushing up, or standing with good posture. These abilities rely on muscle strength, joint stability, coordination, and endurance, all of which can be developed and assessed.
The tests mentioned below target various aspects of your body, such as the core, upper, and lower body, while also demonstrating how efficiently your muscles function together. Continue reading to discover which assessments can show your strength is comparable to someone much younger. After completing them, be sure to check out The 30-Day Core Challenge to Achieve Your Strongest Abs Yet.
Hold a Plank for 60 Seconds with Good Form
The plank is one of the best measures of core endurance because it forces your entire body to stabilize. Your shoulders, back, glutes, and legs all work together to keep your spine in alignment while your deep core muscles engage to prevent sagging or arching.
“This test checks your core endurance and postural strength,” Dvorak explains. “If you can hold a full plank with a neutral spine and steady breath for a minute, your core is aging well. Most people lose deep core strength with age, so passing this means you’re ahead.”
How to do it:
- Lie face down on the floor, resting on your forearms with elbows under your shoulders.
- Extend your legs behind you with your toes on the floor.
- Engage your core and glutes to keep your body in a straight line.
- Hold for up to 60 seconds without letting your hips sag or rise.
Pass standard: Maintain perfect form for the full 60 seconds while breathing steadily.
10 Full Push-ups Without Collapsing Your Form
Push-ups are a true test of functional upper-body strength because they require your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core to work together in a coordinated movement. “Push-ups measure upper-body strength, core control, and joint stability,” Dvorak says. “If you can hit 10 solid reps without sagging your hips or flaring elbows, you’ve held on to strength that tends to drop off after 40.”
How to do it:
- Get in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe.
- Lower your chest toward the floor with your elbows at about 45 degrees from your torso.
- Push back up to the starting position.
Pass standard: Complete 10 consecutive full-range push-ups with no hip sagging, elbow flaring, or collapsing at the top.
“Sit-to-Stand” Test
The sit-to-stand test is simple but revealing. It mimics one of the most basic daily movements of getting up from a seated position, but doing it without using your hands shows you have strong, well-coordinated lower-body muscles, good hip mobility, and the balance needed to avoid falls.
“This ‘sit-to-stand’ test tells you a lot about mobility, coordination, balance, and lower-body strength,” Dvorak says. “If you can do it smoothly, without pushing off your thighs or bracing with your arms, your functional strength is in great shape.”
How to do it:
- Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet flat and knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Cross your arms over your chest.
- Stand up without using your hands or pushing off your thighs.
- Sit back down with control.
Pass standard: Stand up and sit down smoothly without momentum or assistance from your arms.
How to Train for These Tests
Passing these tests once is an excellent milestone, but to keep your strength “decades younger,” you need to train regularly. Do exercises that mirror the movements in each test while also building overall functional fitness:
- For the plank: Add core exercises like dead bugs, bird dogs, and side planks.
- For push-ups: Practice incline push-ups, dips, and banded chest presses.
- For sit-to-stand: Do bodyweight squats, step-ups, and glute bridges.
Aim for two to three strength sessions per week, with active recovery days in between. Research shows that adults who perform regular resistance training maintain more muscle mass, better balance, and higher functional capacity well into older age.
The Bottom Line
These three tests cover the essentials of functional strength, including core endurance, upper-body pushing power, and lower-body mobility and stability. If you can pass all three, you’re already ahead of the curve for your age group. If not, use them as motivation to start training consistently so you can move, feel, and live better for decades to come.
Looking for more easy ways to lose fat? Here’s How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
