Are You Fit for Your Age?
Staying active as we get older begins with understanding just how fit we are at any given age. Our handy guide will help you safeguard your quality of life and keep pushing fitness boundaries for years to come.
We have bad news: Your body is going to age. And with it, your physical ability will gradually decline. Shocking, we know.
A study of 775 people aged 30–90+ in the Journals of Gerontology found that physical decline begins in our 50s—and only accelerates from there.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There is, of course, plenty to enjoy about aging. And, with some smart management, you can safeguard your physical fitness, too.
The same study found that decline happens faster and more dramatically for people who don’t exercise, while regular movement helps maintain the ability to function independently.
In other words, getting older is a challenge to be met head-on. Alongside chasing personal bests, we should aim to build better bodies now and for the future.
Here’s your expert guide to testing yourself against key fitness metrics—along with tips to maintain and even improve your scores as you age, keeping both body and mind young at heart.
Strength
“Strength comes down to the individual’s training history, overall health, and fitness levels, but the deadlift is a great indicator of strength across age groups,” explains Ollie Weguelin, director of Sustain Performance.
Lifting heavy things isn’t just about bragging rights. As we age, losses in muscle mass and bone density increase our risk of injury and impact overall health.
A Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care study found that muscle mass decreases by approximately 3–8% per decade after 30—and declines even faster after 60. This loss of muscle mass, strength, and function is a “fundamental” contributor to disability in older adults.
“In our 20s and 30s bone density and muscle mass will have peaked, but coming into our 40s and 50s our body’s ability to regenerate declines,” explains Weguelin.
The good news? Load-bearing activities can help slow this decline. “The sooner we start maintaining our strength, the stronger we’ll be as we age,” says Weguelin.
Test yourself
For the deadlift, Weguelin offers these benchmarks:
Men:
In your 20s: 1.5–2.5x bodyweight
In your 30s: 1.5–2.3x
In your 40s: 1.3–2.0x
If you’re 50+: 1.0–1.5x
Women:
In your 20s: 1.0–1.8x bodyweight
In your 30s: 0.9–1.6x
In your 40s: 0.8–1.4x
If you’re 50+: 0.7–1.2x
Of course, these numbers aren’t set in stone. With proper form and consistent training, Weguelin says there’s no reason you can’t outperform expectations—no matter your age.
Flexibility and Mobility
Flexibility and mobility go hand in hand as we age, but Weguelin explains they’re not the same.
“Flexibility refers to the ability of muscles and connective tissues to lengthen, and measures the range you can move a joint or muscle while static,” he says. “Mobility is a test of the ‘active’ range you can access.”
A good measure of flexibility? Touching your toes. A good test of mobility? Performing a squat.
“Active control of movement is by far the better predictor of health and longevity due to it encompassing strength, flexibility, and motor control,” Weguelin says.
According to the National Institute on Aging, mobility supports full range of motion, reduces stiffness, prevents injury, and helps us live independently longer. Conversely, a decline in mobility correlates with higher rates of disease, disability, and hospitalization in older adults.
Test yourself
When it comes to testing your own ability, the squat is your friend.
In your 20s: You should be able to manage a deep squat with your hips below the knee.
In your 30s: You should be able to do the same, although a little bit of stiffness is normal.
In your 40s: You should be able to manage a parallel squat, where your bum and knees are in line.
In your 50s: Achieving a half squat with support is great.
“The key is spending five minutes in a deep squat each day,” says Weguelin, “this opens up the hips and glutes, stretches the leg body muscles, and safeguards joint health.”
Coordination
Coordination brings flexibility and mobility together, allowing us to move with intention. Whether you’re climbing, running, swimming, or lifting, coordination is key.
“Coordination is defined by our ability to control our center of mass as we move,” explains Weguelin.
A 2013 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science acknowledged that motor performance is altered as we age, and sought to “investigate age-related changes in upper limb tasks” using 20 healthy elderly subjects and 20 young subjects.
Both groups underwent the same visuomotor function and joint reposition tests, with the authors finding that the older group scored “significantly lower” on both tests, highlighting the importance of focusing on coordination whatever your age.
Test yourself
The “Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test” is a fun way to challenge yourself. For this one, the emphasis is less on maintaining a certain score at a certain age, and more about pushing yourself to keep up, whatever your age. Here’s how to do it: 1. Mark a spot just above head height on a wall. Stand two meters away with a tennis ball.
2. Throw the ball underhand at the mark using one hand, then catch it with the opposite hand as it rebounds.
3. Repeat as many times as possible in 30 seconds.
The number of successful catches in 30 seconds gives you your score:
35+ catches: Excellent
30-35: Good
20-29: Average
15-19: Decent
Below 15: Needs work
Whatever your score, keep practicing to sharpen coordination at any age.
Aerobic Capacity
Cardiovascular fitness is essential for health at any age. Whether you’re running for the bus, chasing kids, or walking the dog, aerobic capacity plays a role.
Measured by VO2 max (the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to muscles), aerobic capacity declines with age. An Oxford University study of 339 women and 253 men ranging from ages 20 to their mid-80s found a key factor to be a reduced maximal heart rate.
To maintain fitness, Weguelin suggests steady, low-effort “Zone 2” workouts—like longer runs, swims, or bike rides—at 60–70% of your max effort. For optimal results, include one or two higher-intensity sessions weekly to boost anaerobic capacity.
Test yourself
The fitter you are, the faster you’ll be able to recover between sets of intense exercise, making HIIT sessions the best indicator of your ability. Unfortunately, this means spending time on the rowing machine…
Rowing 500m:
In your 20s: 1:30–1:45 mins
In your 30s: 1:45–2:00 mins
In your 40s: 2:00–2:15 mins
If you’re 50+: 2:15–2:30 mins
Prefer cycling? Try 4–6 sets of 20-second sprints with 40-second rests. Focus on consistent improvement, not perfection.
Power
Whether we’re throwing a ball at a wall, squatting, or running, our ability to move with intention comes down to power.
“The loss of fast-twitch muscle fibers as we age leads to a rapid decline in power as we age,” says Weguelin. Or, what we might call “an age-related slowing of muscles”, with a study review in Experimental Gerontology opining that “The age-related slowing of muscles suggests that older adults need more time to develop maximal velocity or power.”
Power is crucial, even for small tasks like standing up from the sofa. Let it slide, and you’ll risk losing independence later in life. Not only will your pride suffer as you hit middle age and can’t quite keep up with your younger self, but as you get even older you could be at even greater risk of trips and falls.
Test yourself
Your ability to complete a vertical jump from standing is a great indication of power. Regardless of gender, here’s what you should be aiming for:
In your 20s: 20–25 inches
In your 30s: 18–22 inches
In your 40s: 15–18 inches
If you’re 50+: 10–15 inches
Incorporating plyometric exercises—like box jumps—into your routine can help. Start small and build up gradually.
By testing yourself against these metrics, you’ll not only measure your fitness today but also set yourself up for a stronger, healthier tomorrow.
Age is just a number—your fitness is up to you.
Words by Tom Ward
