All of us went through a process of change, I mean, physical change.
Visible evidence is how our existential age increases every year. Even those who are born on the 29th of February will also experience this.
But do you ever realize that our body also has an equivalent age?
In the sense that our age and body are proportional.
Do you ever question if you still look like your age or are more mature than your years of existence?
There are ways to determine how old your body is, and they are also backed up by experts.
Let’s get your body age check right away.
#1: One-Foot Balance
This test checks how your muscles, brain health, and physical stability are doing well.
Do this test by standing on one foot and relaxing your arms.
- If you’re under 60 years old: Hold it for at least around 30 seconds.
- If you’re over 60 years old: Hold it around 20 seconds.
Balance is a non-negotiable factor as we grow older. A poor physical balance is often referred to as a slower nerve response or having weaker muscles.
Your balance can get back on track through light strength work, yoga, stretching, or walking.
#2: Sit-to-Stand Test
This test measures the endurance and strength of your legs.
This test requires you to sit in a chair with crossed arms. In 30 seconds, you have to stand up and sit down as many times as you can.
- Adult Average: At least 12 to 17 repetitions.
- Needs Improvement: The adult did fewer than 8 repetitions.
The test measures how strong your legs are, especially in numerous physical activities. Allowing you to move swiftly and confidently.
#3: Grip Strength Test
This test evaluates how long your body can endure and checks the strength of your muscles.
It is a test that has a connection to your mobility, heart health, and lifespan.
The lack of grip strength indicates that your strength is weak and your body needs some light weight training and hand exercises.
This test is known to check your total-body strength, which is helpful for some doctors in understanding their patients’ condition.
#4: Resting Heart Rate
The resting heart rate assesses the fitness of your heart by counting the heartbeat for a full minute.
A normal heartbeat per minute is between 60 and 80 beats.
However, 60 heartbeats or below is an excellent count for physically active people.
If the heartbeats are higher than 80 beats per minute, it indicates that you need to engage in physical activities.
Such as, but not limited to, regular walking, making some runs, maintaining quality sleep, and controlling your stress.
#5: Heart Recovery Test
The heart recovery test measures your heart and brain health.
To test how old your heart is, make a full-minute heartbeat twice.
Test your heartbeat after doing an activity and after a full minute of rest.
If the heart rate drops by 20 beats or more in a minute, that means your heart is aging well and is recovering quickly.
However, if the beats are fewer, your body is telling you to move more and more often.
Mean something’s wrong—it just means your body wants more consistent movement.
What Do These Tests Tell?
The five tests are telling you one simple story: your biological age is what matters more than your birthday.
Your birthday follows a pattern from the annual calendar. While your body follows a pattern of lifestyle and care.
These tests are meant to guide you on your way to a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
In the end, it’s our habits that determine our entire lifestyle.
The goal is to encourage you to prioritize your physical health before it’s too late.
Lifestyle changes aren’t just for the bodybuilders, it’s for everyone.
Age Does Matter, This Time to Your Body
Natural aging should equate with your age. That’s why older adults are trying to maintain their youthful look.
It’s not because they are trying to be young once again.
But trying to get back what was meant to be physically younger: capable, strong, and steady.
Always bloom with age, and be attentive to what your body needs.