Your fitness age isn’t necessarily the same as the number of birthdays you’ve celebrated. Instead, it reflects how well your body performs basic movements, according to Stewart Parnacott, PhD CPT, the chief clinical officer at Ready Wellness. Consider two individuals in their 50s: one may easily jump up, while the other may find it tough just to rise from a chair. Stewart suggests four key bodyweight tests to help you determine your real fitness age after 40, assessing your strength, balance, and coordination.

“Once you hit 40, what really matters becomes quite straightforward. It’s about muscle mass, balance, joint mobility, and the speed at which your body can respond and recover,” Stewart notes. “While strength is certainly important, it’s not the only factor. Control and stability are equally crucial. Most people don’t realize this until they notice these abilities diminishing.”

According to Stewart, the four tests below together will give you a clear understanding of your fitness age.

“These tests can reveal if you’re maintaining your strength, coordination, and mobility, or if there are areas where you’re lagging,” he states. “They clearly indicate where to begin if you want to feel younger than what your birth certificate implies.”

Deep Squat

“If you can sit [in this position] without tipping forward or grabbing for balance, your hips, knees, and ankles are working together. Most people can’t. Usually, it is the ankles or core that give out,” Stewart explains.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Bend your knees and squat as low as you’re comfortably able to, keeping your chest tall and heels down.
3. Hold for 30 seconds.

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Single-Leg Balance

“[This exercise] sounds easy until you try it. When it is shaky, it shows the stabilizers and the nervous system are not firing like they used to,” Stewart points out.

1. Stand tall.
2. Balance on one foot without holding onto anything for support.
3. Hold the position for 30 seconds without wobbling.

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Pushups

“If you can [complete the prescribed number of reps with solid form], you still have decent upper-body strength and core control,” Stewart says. “Less than five, and you’re losing muscle endurance quicker than you should be.”

1. Begin in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body straight.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Maintain a long, straight body as you lower.
4. Press back up, straightening your arms.
5. Complete 10 smooth reps, going through the full range of motion—chest down and arms locked at the top.

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Sit-to-Stand

“If you can pull [the sit-to-stand] off, your strength, balance, and flexibility are all in good shape. If not, that’s the first thing to train,” says Stewart.

1. Begin seated cross-legged on the floor.
2. Stand up completely with as little support from your hands as possible.
3. Sit back down with control and without using your hands.

Alexa Mellardo