As you get older, your muscle mass decreases, particularly the fast-twitch fibers that are crucial for smooth movements and quick reactions in stressful situations, according to Luke Jones, a certified personal trainer at HERO Movement. The decline in muscle mass can sneak up on you, affecting your capacity to react swiftly in situations like falling or changing direction rapidly. The positive aspect is that Luke has developed a quick strength assessment for individuals aged 40 and above to assess the condition of their muscles.

“Training and testing our explosiveness can help us stay sharp, responsive, and ready—not just in the gym, but in the trials of everyday life,” Luke says.

If You Can Jump This High, Your Lower Body Power Is Off the Charts

A Fast-Paced Strength Test To Assess Muscle Power After 40

“The standing broad jump is a solid go-to for testing lower-body power—no kit required,” Luke explains. “The broad jump [shows] how quickly we can create force and control the body through space. It’s an expression of coordination, balance, and how well the nervous system and muscles work together. These are the qualities that help us move confidently, remain upright if we stumble, or lift something quickly without strain. In short: functional strength, at real-world speeds.”

Here’s how to do it after completing a solid warm-up:

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart and toes behind a line.
2. Swing both arms back and slightly bend your knees and hips.
3. Explode forward into a jump, keeping your landing soft and stable.
4. Practice a few times, then on your best jump, measure the distance between the take-off line and where the back of your back heel landed.

Luke tends to avoid giving benchmarks, as they’re not always “well established” and can result in unnecessary comparison. They can also vary greatly depending on personal experience. That said, Top End Sports provides a rough overview of assessing your scoring.

• Excellent = greater than 8′ 2.5″ for males; greater than 6′ 6.5′ for females
• Very good = 7′ 11″ — 8′ 2.5″ for males; 6′ 3″ — 6′ 6.5′ for females
• Above average = 7′ 7″ — 7′ 10.5″ for males; 5′ 11.5″ — 6′ 2.5″ for females
• Average = 7′ 3″ — 7′ 6.5″ for males; 5′ 7.5″ — 5′ 11″ for females
• Below average = 6′ 11″ — 7′ 2.5″ for males; 5′ 3.5″ — 5′ 7″ for females

“What’s more important is noticing your own progress,” Luke stresses. “If you can improve or maintain your jump distance over time, through a combination of strength training and other power work, you’re doing something right! Practicing the broad jump itself will lead to improvements, but compound exercises like kettlebell swings, split squats, cleans, snatches and sprints can also have massive carryover.”

Alexa Mellardo