PUSHUPS
Can you do 20 pushups? For females this is the goal as estimated based on the male-only study finding 40 pushups for men significantly decreased risk of cardiovascular risk. Further, it was a better indicator than sub-maximal treadmill tests. While VO2 capacity is associated with longevity, assessing VO2 max is limited to those first with access to a lab and those highly motivated to endure the discomfort a true test requires.
Pros:
The push up is a test of multiple things including upper body strength as well as core. Overall, it’s a functional use of the body. If you can do it horizontally, good form and posture vertically is far more likely.
Cons:
If you’re at all compromised, as many are, with ability to stabilize the scapular (shoulder blades) or with shoulder rotator cuff issues, and can’t maintain good form head to toe the push up can be injurious at worst or increase poor mechanics at best.
Flip:
I’d much rather that we all could do at least a few pull ups.
WALKING PACE
Can you walk a pace between 3-4 mph? It’s actually 3.3 that supports bone density, while slower paces don’t. So, there’s that too.
If you’re over 60, the effect of slow vs fast walk (at least 3-4 mph) is even more pronounced in reducing all-cause mortality. Like 53% less.
Map out a mile of relatively flat surface. Warm up, test your speed. When returning to retest be sure you do the exact same course.
Pros:
This is directly related to our independence later in life. Being able to walk at a respectable pace (I wouldn’t designate this as fast) is a factor of weight and mobility, muscle and joint and metabolic health. Inability to perform this one already indicates a need to buff other areas to compensate.
Cons:
If you’re compromised due to a previous injury or a condition in feet, ankles, knees, hips or significantly overweight there is already a limited ability to walk, this test is not a possibility.
Next up for testing your longevity is a challenging one!! So I hope you’re warmed up!
SIT RISE TEST
A study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found how well you do the stand to sit to stand test indicates your risk of mortality.
Stand barefoot, cross one leg over the other and lower yourself to a sitting position. Then try to stand back up.
Attempt to do so without touching the floor with your hand, knees, elbows, forearms or sides of your legs.
You begin with 10 points. Subtract half a point each time you use a body part to shift to one side before levering up. Also subtract half a point if you lose balance.
In the study those that scored less than 8 points were twice as likely to die within the following six years. Those that scored less than 5 were three times as likely to die within the following six years.
An increase in your score of any kind reduces your mortality rate by 21%.
Pros:
This requires flexibility, balance, mobility and muscle strength. Any lack of balance, flexibility, strength or being overweight make the test harder. Each of these components is correlated to risk of mortality.
Cons:
Compromise in a joint that limits the performance of this test may not reveal that some level of these functional components are present in other joints and are evidenced in other activities.
You need a tool for testing your longevity with this next test. They aren’t costly and some gyms likely also have them.
GRIP STRENGTH
In 2018 the grip strength test was determined to correlate to overall body strength and muscle mass.
Low overall muscle strength (as correlated with grip strength) is a health hazard to all health outcomes except for colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.
You can buy a dynamometer to test grip or for an easier at home or gym option, hang from a pull up bar. For men 60, and for women 30 seconds is a good target, suggest some researchers. Yet, it’s an increase or decrease that you want to watch. A six-pound decrease (as tested on with the hand grip tool – but that may correlate to any reduced time hanging) correlates with 16 percent higher risk of dying from any cause.
To improve grip strength, you don’t want to just work on grip strength however. Don’t go around the house squeezing tennis balls. That’s not really the value of the test. Improve your overall skeletal muscle strength. Other ways to assess total body strength are a one-rep max or estimated 1-rep max by doing a 10-rep max. Grip strength is far less intimidating and less injurious. But make no mistake your bench press, row or pull up, or leg press weight should also be improving.
Are You Built to Last (and Love It?)
This small battery of tests are simple ways to assess your function. Every test has limitations. You may not be able to do one or more of them. The best use of them is in addition to outcomes like body fat percent (30% is obese), waist girth (for women, 35 inches significantly increases health risk), amount of muscle mass (in pounds or kilograms) primarily to know if you’re gaining, losing or at very least preserving are additional objective measures. You may already be using these without knowing the significance of them.
Flipping 50 Members have access to a Progress tracking both objective and subjective measures of progress. If you’re not inside the members area yet with a course, membership, or downloadable freebie, you can start here. https://www.flippingfifty.com/login
The point in measuring and interpreting these is realizing the habits you’ve had to this point got you the results you have at this point. If you wish to change the outcome, you change the habits related to them. An injury or condition may have limited your ability to perform a certain test. This awareness can still be an asset if it highlights the need to strengthen other areas of your health span longevity.
Need support? Join us for a masterclass Jan 10, 2024 https://www.flippingfifty.com/olderandstronger
