Are You Actually Fit for Your Age? 4 Critical Fitness Tests Men Over 40 Need to Pass to Prevent Early Physical Decline
Things naturally get a bit more difficult as we age. It's a sad fact. And while you might start to hear a few more cracks and pops as you hit your mid-30s, studies actually show that true physical decline begins in our 50s and only goes downhill from there.
But if you're in your late 40s or are already in your 50s reading this, there's hope for you yet. Dr Sherina Balaratnam, medical director of S-Thetics Clinic and Celluma longevity, says our physical decline largely comes down to a disconnect between the age on our passport and how old we actually feel.
"Chronological age is the number of years you've been alive," she says. "Biological age is a measure of how old your cells, tissues, and organs actually behave, based on things like inflammation and cellular repair capacity."
While there's absolutely nothing you can do about the former (despite what longevity specialists might try to tell you), a solid exercise routine is a great way to slow the latter. In fact, a study in The Journals of Gerontology found that those who maintained regular exercise aged more slowly and maintained their ability to function independently longer than their peers. Exercise isn't just a way to pass the time; it can counteract the decrease in muscle mass (sarcopenia), bone strength (osteoporosis), and heart health we all experience.
Great news, right? In order to build a workout plan for life, we asked our experts to compile a list of four functional tests. Each one will give an insight into how well you're aging. Give them a go, integrate our tips into your daily routines, and you should be chasing PBs for years to come.
How to Measure Your Biological Age
Functional Strength
Strength and power hit their peak at a younger age than you might expect. A Swedish study over 47 years, published in 2025 followed people ranging in age from 16 to 63 and discovered that physical capacity - which includes muscular endurance and explosive power-hits its peak in our late 20s to mid 30s, starts to decrease before 40 and continues decreasing at a faster rate every subsequent decade. Yikes.
"Power is the first thing that goes," says Steele Williams, co-founder at TRAINFITNESS, noting that in men in the study, leg power peaked at age 27, while people lost up to 48 percent of their physical capacity between the ages of 30 and 60.
An easy way to test your overall strength at home is your grip. "It might sound strange that squeezing a handle says much about the rest of our bodies, but it's one of the most studied markers of healthy aging," says Williams.
There are two ways to test. You can hold a moderate weight in your hand, timing yourself and checking the results month on month, or, you can invest in a cheap, $30 dynamometer from Amazon. Again, you can track your strength over a period of months, but with more accurate data.
Grip Strength: The Ultimate Benchmark for Muscle Power
As for maintaining and even building grip strength as you age, Williams recommends the loaded carry. "Either a farmer's carry (weight in both hands) or suitcase carry (weight in one hand) is a great way to maintain strength," he says. "Personally, I'd alternate between the two.
The Farmer's carry is excellent for overall strength and grip training, while the suitcase carry has the additional benefit of being fantastic for the core. Pick your exercise, pick up your weight (or weights), and walk for a set time or distance. Record what you manage to do and aim to increase the time, distance, or weight as you progress.
Related: Over 50? A Longevity Expert Says These Habits Help You Stay Strong
Flexibility and Mobility
Flexibility and mobility become huge issues as we age. We aren't talking geriatrics, either. Try sitting all day in your 30s, then standing up without hip pain…
"Flexibility is about how well the muscles and connective tissues lengthen, and measures the range you can move a joint or muscle while static," says PT Ollie Weguelin, director of Sustain Performance. "Mobility is a test of the ‘active' range you can access. Both are vital."
Your ability to touch your toes (or not) is a good test of flexibility. Performing a bodyweight squat is a better test of mobility, and it's this that Weguelin calls "a better gauge and measure of fitness as it encompasses strength, flexibility and motor control." According to data from the National Institute on Aging, adults who suffer a decline in mobility are more likely to have higher rates of disease, disability, and hospitalisation.
The Deep Squat: Measuring Joint Mobility and Flexibility
"Spend five minutes per day in a deep squat," says Weguelin. While it might not be the comfiest way to watch Widow's Bay, it can open up the hips and glutes, stretch the leg muscles, and safeguard joint health. If it gets too easy, add in more squats throughout your day. If it's too hard, aim for two minutes and try to increase time under tension from there.
Related: Want to Keep Your Edge as You Age? Researchers Recommend This Surprising Training Method
Balance and Coordination
As we get older, the most important aspect of coordination is our balance, the constant tiny corrections our bodies make to keep us upright. "Our coordination becomes impaired due to the degradation of three sensory systems that our brains need for spatial awareness: vision, the vestibular system (our inner ear), and depth proprioception," says Williams.
Losing coordination doesn't just increase your risk of falls; it actually increases your risk of dying early. A 2022 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that middle-aged and older people who couldn't stand on one leg for 10 seconds had close to double the chance of dying over the follow-up period of seven years or so.
"To check your own balance, set a timer and stand on one leg with your eyes open, your arms by your side for as long as possible. Ten seconds should be treated as the minimum here, not the target," says Williams.
Single-Leg Balance: A Simple Check for Coordination and Longevity
Williams recommends the above test, with progressions. "It's easy to fit into your day," he says. "Balance on one leg while you're boiling the kettle or cleaning your teeth." Once this feels easy, do it with closed eyes (away from boiling water!), turn your head as you balance or cross your arms on your chest. You can progress further by combining closed eyes with your arms folded on your chest.
Cardiovascular Capacity
Cardiovascular fitness is also a key indicator of health across all age groups. Whether you're sprinting in HYROX training, or running for the bus, being able to move sharpish- and recover quickly-is vital. An Oxford University study of 339 women and 253 men aged 20 to their mid-80s found that none of us are immune, with a decline in maximal exercise heart rate being a key indicator of diminished cardiovascular abilities.
One way to safeguard our fitness as we age is to take things down a gear. From your 30s onwards, "Sixty per cent of your cardiovascular training should be spent on things like longer runs, swimming, or cycling, where our heart rate is in Zone 2 (defined as 60-70 per cent of our maximum effort)," says Weguelin.
Finding yourself more and more out of breath as you creep towards 40 and beyond? Up the percentage by making Zone 2 your go-to.
Cardiovascular Capacity: Training Targets for Heart Health After 40
If you're not a fan of slowing down (and neither are we), PT Adam Enaz has another tip.
"A great way to improve your cardio fitness is to do 4–6 sets of 20-second sprints on the stationary bike, allowing for 40 seconds of rest between sets," he says. You can apply this to the treadmill, too. Go all out for 40, rest for 20. "Repeat this four to six times to boost both anaerobic and cardiovascular fitness," says Enaz.
Stick to this (and all of the advice above) and there'll be plenty of time for Zone 2 in your 60s, and beyond.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 9:45 AM.