Can YOU pass the ‘old person test’? Simple physical challenge that shows if you’re fit for your age… or headed for an early death

Do you want to know if your body is in good condition for its age?

Fitness experts have highlighted a simple and quick way to find out, via a ‘standing’ test.

According to the exercise pros at Norweigan fitness emporium, Trim Trening Trivsel, your ability to go from sitting to standing with your arms crossed can be deciphered if you have a so-called “elder body.”

Two personal trainers demonstrate the challenge in a video posted to Instagram, starting by crossing their arms.

They then try to reach the floor with their arms still crossed – starting by kneeling and then with their legs extended.

The final step is to get back on your feet and finish in the same position they started in.

You’ll need to keep your arms crossed throughout the challenge and use your core and leg strength to switch positions.

A number of different research groups have long proven the test to be a useful predictor of longevity.

A 2012 study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology found that the sit to rise test (SRT) was a significant predictor of mortality in people aged 51 to 80.

Those who couldn’t complete the challenge were seven times more likely to die within the next six years, the researchers found.

Experts say completing the test with little effort is a sign of good cardiovascular health, balance, flexibility and strong core and leg strength.

All these factors protect against premature death, especially because of the reduced risk of frailty and potentially fatal falls.

However, the test is not entirely reliable because it does not take into account the impact of musculoskeletal injuries, such as back pain, which can limit your flexibility.

For example, if you haven’t been sleeping well or your back is bothering you, give yourself some grace, says Dr. Natalie Azar, a specialist rheumatologist in New York. Today.

This sit-stand test isn’t the only easy way to determine how fit you are for your age.

Another popular evidence-based challenge is the single-leg balancing test.

Those aged 18 to 39 should achieve 43 seconds, the NHS says, and 40 seconds if you’re aged between 40 and 49.

For 50 to 59 year olds the figure is 37 seconds and 30 for 60 to 69 year olds.

From 70 to 79 this drops to between 18 and 19 seconds and just over five seconds if you are over 80.

According to a 2022 observational study, not being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in mid- to later life is linked to a nearly doubling of the risk of death from any cause within the next decade.

Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers who conducted the study in Brazil for 12 years say the test “provides rapid and objective feedback to the patient and health professionals about static balance.”

Similar to the ‘sit-stand-up test’, balancing on one leg is said to indicate flexibility, balance and muscle strength – all of which protect against serious disease and age-related mortality.

Meanwhile, another US study found that last month the amount of time you can balance on one foot indicates how strong your bones, muscles and nerves are.

For every ten years a person grew older, the time a person could stand on their non-dominant leg decreased by 2.2 seconds.

For the dominant leg, the time they can hold drops by 1.7 seconds per decade.

The researchers said this test could be implemented in doctors’ offices as a low-cost, low-tech way to test bone strength and aging.