Exercises That Can Test How Well You’re Aging

The first one is standing on one leg....

Aging gracefully requires an active lifestyle and a fitness coach specializing in home strength workouts says there are five things you can do to determine how well you’re aging.

The first one is standing on one leg. Attempting to tie your shoelaces while balancing is a good way to work on this but if that’s too difficult, brush your teeth while balancing in an alternative.

You should also be able to get into plank position. A goal for any age is to hold it for one minute but for beginners or those lacking core strength, 10 seconds is a good start and you can work up from there.

Standing up from a seated position is also a good test. It’s great for balance and will help avoid falls. Try using an armless chair, planting your feet firmly on the ground shoulder-width apart. Then see how often you can rise and return from fully seated to fully standing in 30 seconds without using your hands.

Squatting and pressing is great for several muscle groups, as it supports the building of lower body and core strength, improving balance and posture and preventing injuries. It can be done with or without weights.
Water bottles can be substituted for dumbbells and people of all ages should aim for three sets of 10-12 reps.

Finally, gripping a towel. Research has identified a link between strong grip strength in midlife and longevity. Struggling with this is usually a symptom of age-related muscle loss. To work on this, hold a medium-sized bathroom towel between your hands and twist it as if you were trying to wring it out. Or, try squeezing a tennis ball as hard as possible for 10 seconds. Release and repeat.