8 tests that predict how long you'll live (90% of people fail #8):
Test 1: Metabolic Health Markers
Waist to height ratio: under .5
Fasting glucose: under 100 mg/dL
HbA1c: at or below 5.6
FFMI: above 18 (men) / 15 (women)
This is the foundation. Every other test builds on it.
Test 2: Sit-to-Stand Power Test
From a chair, stand up and sit back down 5 times. No hands. Under 12 seconds.
Power declines faster with age than strength does. Most people in their 40s assume they'll pass this easily.
Try it with a timer before you decide.
Test 3: Loaded Ruck Walk
Walk 1 mile with 20-25% of your bodyweight on your back. Under 20 minutes. Breathing through your nose the entire time.
If you have to open your mouth to keep the pace, your aerobic base isn't where it needs to be.
Test 4: Push-Up Test
20 consecutive push-ups for men. 10 for women.
A Harvard study found men who completed 40+ push-ups had dramatically lower cardiovascular risk than those who could barely manage 10.
This may sound easy but you'd be surprised at how many fail this.
Test 5: Grip Strength
Dead hang from a bar for 60 seconds.
Grip strength is one of the most consistent predictors of all-cause mortality in the research.
When your grip goes, your independence tends to follow.
Test 6: Cardiovascular Capacity
Target: VO2max above 40 ml/kg/min or 9:30 minutes mile or 10 minute 3 mile cycle. RHR below 60 bpm.
A simple test: walk up 3 flights of stairs and hold a conversation at the top.
If you're winded, your cardiovascular system is aging faster than you are.
Test 7: Balance
Stand on one leg, eyes closed, for 30 seconds.
A 2023 study found that adults who couldn't hold a 10-second single-leg stand had nearly double the mortality risk over the following 7 years.
Try it right now.
Test 8: Mobility (The One Most People Fail)
Lower yourself to the floor cross-legged without using your hands or knees. Then stand back up the same way.
Each assist costs you a point from 10.
Score below 4? Research shows you're 5-6x more likely to die during the study period than high scorers.
Anyone above 35 should be able to pass these with ease but the true test is being able to pass them when you're 65 and older.
If you can't pass these then get to work ASAP. Your quality of life is at stake.
Follow me @coachdango for more health and fitness tips.
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