How to interpret your results: For older adults 60+, the typical gait speed is around 0.8 to 1.2 meters per second. Adults in midlife aiming to age well should aim for at least 1.3 at a comfortable pace, and up to ~1.9 at maximum speed (though women may trend slightly lower).
Sit-to-stand test
What it tells you: Lower body strength and day-to-day functioning.
Lower-body strength starts declining earlier than most people realize—often in your 30s and 40s—and can affect everyday tasks. The sit-to-stand test is a simple way to assess whether your legs, hips, and core are strong enough to support basic movements, such as getting out of a chair without using your hands.
“When you start noticing that you can’t get up and down from a chair without your hands, it might be time to do some strengthening or see a physical therapist,” says Culbertson.
How to test it at home: Find a sturdy chair. Cross your arms and put your hands on your shoulders. Sit down, then stand up fully. Repeat five times as quickly as possible without using your hands. Time how long it takes. The Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy gives cut-off times for healthy ranges based on your age.
(Aging isn’t just about decline. Here’s how health improves as we grow older.)
How to interpret your results: If five reps felt too easy or too tough, Culbertson suggests counting how many times you can do this in 30 seconds. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides guidance on optimal repetition ranges based on your age.
Grip strength
What it tells you: Total body strength and mortality risk.
Grip strength might sound trivial, but it’s one of the most useful measures of whole-body strength as people age. “If you don’t have good grip strength, you can’t hold on to a stair rail when you’re walking up the stairs or to your walker as well, or maybe you can’t push up from a chair,” says Culbertson. A five-kilogram decrease in grip strength is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
How to test it at home: Clinicians measure grip strength with a handheld dynamometer, often during physical therapy or routine medical visits. For home tracking, inexpensive dynamometers are widely available (many cost under $40 online) and let you see whether your grip strength is staying in the healthy range or starting to decline. A downward trend can serve as an early warning to focus more intentionally on strength training.
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