Two Strength Tests That Predict Longevity by Super Age

 Did your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to do these? 

NO? So, PURE INCOMPETENCE!

My left hand grip strength is not good, right hand is great.

For sit-to-stand the past 20 years my score would always be 1.5 and it will never get better during my next 30+ years. It has absolutely nothing to do with my longevity or cardiovascular risk!

 Nothing in either of these failures predicts my longevity.

Two Strength Tests That Predict Longevity

I'm a trainer and here are 6 couch exercises that help build strength better than gym machines after 65

 Did your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to do all these? 

NO! So, PURE INCOMPETENCE!

I'm a trainer and here are 6 couch exercises that help build strength better than gym machines after 65

Some of the best strength work after 65 starts with something familiar. You sit down, stand up, brace your hands, adjust your feet, and suddenly the couch becomes part of the workout. That makes the first step easier, which is often what keeps people more consistent.

When I coach older adults, I like exercises that feel useful right away. Standing from a low seat, pressing from an incline, controlling a lunge, and holding a strong plank all carry over to the movements people care about during the day. The setup stays simple, but the work still feels like training.

Gym machines can build muscle, especially when you want a controlled path. Couch exercises bring the work into positions where your body has to balance, brace, press, and stand with more coordination. That makes each rep feel practical while keeping the routine approachable.

The six exercises below use the couch as a target, support, or elevated surface. You'll train your legs, glutes, chest, arms, shoulders, and core with movements that fit naturally into a home routine.

1. Couch Sit-to-Stand

Standing up from the couch is already part of the day, which makes this exercise easy to understand and easy to practice. The strength comes from making each rep intentional. Place your feet well, lean forward slightly, and stand tall without dropping back into the cushion. I like this move first because it gets the legs working while giving you a clear measure of progress.

Muscles Trained: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core.

How to Do It

1. Sit near the front edge of the couch.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
3. Lean your torso forward slightly.
4. Press through your feet and stand tall.
5. Pause briefly at the top.
6. Lower back to the couch with control.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

2. Couch Incline Push-Up

Push-ups feel much better when the angle fits your strength. Using the couch raises your hands, which makes the pressing motion more approachable while still working the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Keep your body long and press the couch away from you at the top. Step closer for an easier version or move your feet back once the reps feel strong.

Muscles Trained: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core.

How to Do It

1. Place your hands on the front edge or armrest of the couch.
2. Step your feet back until your body forms a long line.
3. Brace your core lightly.
4. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the couch.
5. Press through your hands to return to the top.
6. Repeat with steady control.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

Best Variations: Higher-hand incline push-up, slower incline push-up, close-grip incline push-up.

Form Tip: Keep your hips from sagging as you press.

Best Variations: Hands-assisted sit-to-stand, slower sit-to-stand, sit-to-stand with a light dumbbell.

Form Tip: Control the lowering phase instead of letting the couch catch you.

RELATED: 4 Wall Exercises That Shrink Belly Pooch Faster Than Gym Sessions After 60

3. Couch-Supported Reverse Lunge

Reverse lunges train the legs one side at a time, and the couch gives you support while you find your balance. Keep one hand on the armrest or back of the couch, step back, and lower into a range that feels strong. The support should help you move better, not turn the rep into an arm pull. A shorter step works well at first.

Muscles Trained: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, core.

How to Do It

1. Stand next to the couch with one hand resting lightly on it.
2. Set your feet under your hips.
3. Step your right foot back.
4. Bend both knees and lower into a comfortable lunge.
5. Press through your front foot to stand.
6. Complete your reps before switching sides.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per side.

Best Variations: Smaller-range reverse lunge, supported split squat, bodyweight reverse lunge.

Form Tip: Keep most of the work in your front leg as you stand.

RELATED: Over 60? If You Can Perform These 4 Core Moves, You're in Good Shape

4. Couch-Elevated Glute Bridge

Elevating your feet changes how the bridge feels right away. The glutes and hamstrings have to work harder to lift the hips and control the lower back down. That makes this a strong choice for building the backside strength you use when standing, walking, and climbing stairs. Press your feet into the cushion, lift with control, and squeeze your glutes at the top before lowering.

Muscles Trained: Glutes, hamstrings, core.

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back in front of the couch.
2. Place your heels or feet on the couch cushion.
3. Rest your arms by your sides.
4. Press your feet into the couch.
5. Lift your hips until your glutes tighten.
6. Lower your hips with control.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Best Variations: Floor glute bridge, smaller-range elevated bridge, paused elevated bridge.

Form Tip: Squeeze your glutes at the top without arching your lower back.

5. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

This is a strong place to bring in light weights if you have them. Sitting on the couch gives you a steady base while your shoulders and arms handle the press. Start with dumbbells that move smoothly, and keep your ribs down as the weights travel overhead. The rep should feel controlled from your shoulders, not forced through your back.

Muscles Trained: Shoulders, triceps, upper back, core.

How to Do It

1. Sit tall near the front edge of the couch.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height.
3. Place your feet flat on the floor.
4. Brace your core lightly.
5. Press the dumbbells overhead.
6. Lower the weights back to shoulder height in a controlled motion.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Best Variations: Single-arm seated shoulder press, lighter shoulder press, band shoulder press.

Form Tip: Keep the weights moving straight up instead of drifting forward.

RELATED: 4 Chair Exercises That Improve Full-Body Mobility Faster Than Yoga After 60

6. Couch Plank

A couch plank can finish the workout without the hassle of getting on the floor. Place your hands on the cushion or armrest, step back, and hold a long body position. Your abs, shoulders, and glutes all stay active while you breathe through the hold. Make it easier by stepping closer or harder by moving your feet farther back.

Muscles Trained: Abs, shoulders, glutes, chest, upper back.

How to Do It

1. Place your hands on the couch cushion or armrest.
2. Step your feet back.
3. Straighten your legs to form a long line from head to heels.
4. Brace your abs and lightly squeeze your glutes.
5. Hold the position while breathing steadily.
6. Step forward to exit the plank safely.

Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 2 to 3 holds of 20 to 40 seconds.

Best Variations: Higher-hand couch plank, shorter hold, couch plank shoulder tap.

Form Tip: Keep your ribs stacked over your hips during the hold.

RELATED: 4 Daily Exercises That Firm Inner Thighs Faster Than Gym Machines After 60

7. How to Build Strength With Couch Exercises After 65

Couch exercises work best when the reps feel clean enough to repeat often. Use these moves three to four days per week as a short strength session or split them into smaller blocks during the day. Start with the easiest version, then add reps, range, or light weight once the movement feels steady. The couch gives you a reliable setup, and the right effort turns it into a useful strength tool.

• Pick the right surface: Use a couch that feels stable and gives you enough room to place your hands or feet safely.
• Start with controlled reps: Smooth movement helps the muscles work harder without making the exercise feel rushed.
• Use support with purpose: Let the couch help your balance while your legs and arms still do the work.
• Keep the first round easy: Treat the opening round as a chance to find your range and settle into the movement.
• Progress one piece at a time: Add reps, light dumbbells, or a longer plank hold once the current version feels strong.
• Stay consistent: A few focused sessions each week can help daily movement feel stronger and more confident.

References

• Melchiorri, Giovanni et al. "A Study about a New Standardized Method of Home-Based Exercise in Elderly People Aged 65 and Older to Improve Motor Abilities and Well-Being: Feasibility, Functional Abilities and Strength Improvements." Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 7,6 134. 25 Nov. 2022, doi:10.3390/geriatrics7060134
• Zoila, Federico et al. "Enhancing active aging through exercise: a comparative study of high-intensity interval training and continuous aerobic training benefits." Frontiers in aging vol. 6 1493827. 2 Jun. 2025, doi:10.3389/fragi.2025.1493827

Read the original article on Eat This Not That.

If you can complete these 3 standing exercises after 60, your functional fitness is stronger than 90% of peers

 

I think I'm good on these at age 70.

If you can complete these 3 standing exercises after 60, your functional fitness is stronger than 90% of peers

Fitness after 60 isn't measured by how much weight you can lift or how many miles you can run. Instead, it shows up in the movements you perform every day without thinking twice. Standing from a chair, balancing on one leg, reaching overhead, and walking confidently all depend on strength, stability, and coordination working together. As a trainer, I've found that a few simple standing exercises reveal far more about someone's overall fitness than most gym workouts.

Many adults judge themselves against unrealistic standards or compare their abilities to people decades younger. I prefer using functional movements because they measure the qualities that matter most for healthy aging. These exercises challenge your legs, core, balance, and cardiovascular fitness simultaneously while closely resembling everyday activities. If you perform them with good control, you're likely in better shape than you realize.

I've used these assessments with hundreds of adults over 60, and they consistently separate those who simply exercise from those who move exceptionally well. Don't worry about perfection or speed. Focus on maintaining good form from beginning to end. Your results will tell you a great deal about your current level of functional fitness.

RELATED: 5 Standing Exercises That Restore Hip Strength This Week, No Gym Needed After 60

Exercise 1: Sit-to-Stand Test

I can do this from a standard kitchen chair, couches and Adirondack chairs, not!

The sit-to-stand remains one of my favorite indicators of lower-body strength because it mirrors one of the most common movements you'll perform every day. Strong quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles all contribute to completing this exercise with control. Clients who perform it easily usually walk farther, climb stairs more comfortably, and maintain greater independence as they age. The challenge isn't simply standing up. It's doing so repeatedly without using momentum or your hands.

How to Perform It

• Sit near the front of a sturdy chair.
• Cross your arms over your chest.
• Stand completely.
• Sit back down under control.
• Repeat continuously for 30 seconds.
• Count your completed repetitions.

Benchmark: Completing 12 to 17 controlled repetitions without using your hands indicates excellent lower-body strength for most adults over 60.

RELATED: 4 Standing Exercises That Flatten Apron Belly Faster Than Gym Sessions After 60

Exercise 2: Single-Leg Balance Hold

I've failed the one leg standing test of the Berg Balance Scale from the beginning, 20 years of failure so far and will never get better. My therapists DID NOTHING to get my one leg balance fixed!

Balance often becomes the first physical quality to decline with age, making this one of the most valuable assessments I use. Standing on one leg requires the ankles, hips, core, and nervous system to communicate continuously while making tiny adjustments. Clients who hold this position comfortably usually demonstrate excellent coordination and lower-body stability. Strong balance also reduces fall risk while improving confidence during everyday movement.

How to Perform It

• Stand next to a chair for safety.
• Shift your weight onto one leg.
• Lift the opposite foot slightly.
• Keep your eyes focused ahead.
• Avoid grabbing the chair unless necessary.
• Time your longest hold.

Benchmark: Holding the position for 30 seconds or longer on each leg reflects top-tier stability for most adults over 60.

RELATED: The 10-Minute Chair Routine That Restores Leg Strength Faster Than Gym Sessions After 60

Exercise 3: Standing March Endurance

Impossible to lift the left knee to hip height unless in a pool. It has nothing to do with my endurance or balance. 

 Walking depends on far more than simply putting one foot in front of the other. Strong hip flexors, stable core muscles, good balance, and cardiovascular endurance all contribute to maintaining a smooth, confident stride. The standing march combines each of these qualities into one practical assessment. I often use it because it closely reflects the stamina needed for shopping, traveling, hiking, and enjoying an active lifestyle.

How to Perform It

• Stand tall.
• Lift one knee to hip height.
• Lower with control.
• Alternate legs continuously.
• Maintain an upright posture.
• Continue for one minute.

Benchmark: Completing the full 60 seconds without losing posture, shortening your stride, or needing extra support places you above average for functional endurance after 60.

Read the original article on Eat This Not That.

This Five-Second Test Can Tell If You’re Aging Well

 Useless for stroke survivors!

For sit-to-stand the past 20 years my score would always be 1.5 and it will never get better during my next 30+ years. It has absolutely nothing to do with my longevity or cardiovascular risk!

This Five-Second Test Can Tell If You’re Aging Well

From fine wine to a pair of well-worn blue jeans, it’s said that things get better with age. But unlike a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that can improve just by sitting there, we humans need to stay active as we get older to stay fit and healthy. Even if you visit the gym regularly and follow a strict diet, it can be challenging to determine how well you’re aging. Thankfully, you can do a quick fitness test from the comfort of your home, and it only takes five seconds of your valuable time. This test requires no special equipment or anyone to guide you — just an open space and a few moments to spare.

The Sit-To-Stand Test

The “sit-to-stand test” isn’t a panacea by any means, but rather an indirect measure of one’s personal fitness backed by a 2012 research study. To begin, stand upright in an open space. Then sit cross-legged on the floor before returning to a standing position. While this may sound easy, the trick is to avoid using your hands, forearms, or other parts of your upper body and torso to help you stand up. Your leg and core muscles are the only muscles you’re supposed to rely on.

Scoring the Test

 Give yourself 10 imaginary points at the start of the test. Then subtract one point every time you use your arms, torso, hips, or even your knees to help you get from a standing position to a sitting position and vice versa. If you can sit down and stand back up without assistance, then you score a perfect 10. If you’re unable to sit down or stand back up at all, then your score is zero.According to Dr. Natalie Azar — a medical contributor to NBC News — achieving a score of eight or higher is ideal. However, she acknowledges that some people may not be able to perform the test due to a recent injury or genetic musculoskeletal limitations, although those individuals may be extremely fit. All this is to say that there are flaws within the test that fail to account for certain circumstances, so your score shouldn’t be taken as gospel. Instead, look at your score as a potential indicator of personal fitness rather than an indisputable fact.

The Science Behind This Test

According to the aforementioned 2012 study, a successful sit-to-stand test may indicate stronger cardiovascular health, high-quality core strength, and more desirable levels of balance and flexibility. The study also determined that the test was a solid indicator of an increased risk of mortality for participants between the ages of 51 and 80. Again, it’s important to note that this test is far from a sure science but something that we can make reasonable assumptions about based on the results.

Two Strength Tests That Predict Longevity by Super Age

 My left hand grip strength is not good, right hand is great.

For sit-to-stand the past 20 years my score would always be 1.5 and it will never get better during my next 30+ years. It has absolutely nothing to do with my longevity or cardiovascular risk!

 Nothing in either of these failures predicts my longevity.

Two Strength Tests That Predict Longevity

What the sitting-rising test says about your health

 

In the past 20 years my score would always be 1.5 and it will never get better during my next 30+ years. It has absolutely nothing to do with my longevity or cardiovascular risk!

What the sitting-rising test says about your health

Learn the surprising implications of a simple assessment, especially for women.

October 1, 2025

By Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

• Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
   We all rise from sitting to standing perhaps dozens of times each day, underscoring how essential this fundamental movement is to our ability to live normally.

But while most of us usually get up from a chair, a test gauging our ability to rise from the floor - which, for many, is far more challenging - is increasingly becoming a crucial health barometer, particularly for women.

How easily you can rise to your feet from sitting on the floor, using as little support as possible, may help predict your longevity, according to a study published online June 18, 2025, by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

"Especially as folks age, this is something they're very concerned about: if they're playing with their grandchildren on the ground or somehow end up there, are they going to be able to stand up when they need to without help?" says Mary Kate Miller, the clinical supervisor of physical therapy at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient Center Malden. "It's so important to be able to do this, whether we intentionally or unintentionally get on the floor."

Fundamental fitness components

To score a perfect 10 points on the sitting-rising test, you need to be able to get up from a seated position on the floor without using your hands, forearms, knees, or the sides of your legs for support. You must also remain steady. If you wobble, or need to kneel or place a hand on the floor to support yourself, you begin to lose points. And if you can't do it without relying on help from a wall, chair, table, or another person, your score drops to zero.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from nearly 4,300 people ages 46 to 75 (32% women) who completed the sitting-rising test as part of a voluntary fitness assessment. None had physical issues or diagnosed conditions that would restrict their abilities. After an average follow-up of 12 years, researchers found that participants who scored the lowest (0 to 4 points) were nearly four times more likely to have died overall and six times more likely to have died of cardiovascular causes than people who scored a 10.(In the last 20 years I should probably have died several times and will never make it to 100! Check back with me in 30 years!)

"Folks who can stand up from the ground, with less support or assistance, generally have much better cardiovascular and strength conditioning," Miller says. "We also know these are indicators of longevity - whether from decreasing the risk of other causes of death or from staying generally healthier as you age."

What does it take to ace the sitting-rising test? Not just strength, but several other elements of fitness that don't necessarily result from aerobic exercise, Miller notes. These include coordination, flexibility, and balance.

But these components begin to decline surprisingly early in life-around age 35 or 40 - and drop off more precipitously in women, Miller says. We also face far higher indoor fall risks than men, meaning at some point we may need to be able to get up from the floor.

"Unfortunately, the hormonal changes that come with female aging, especially through menopause, magnify this problem," Miller says. "We see a larger detrimental change in women - a greater loss in muscle mass and increase in fat storage that makes it harder to move the way you want."

The importance of strength training

"Being fit" is often considered synonymous with aerobic fitness - which comes from activity that boosts heart rate, breathing, and blood flow. But this study spotlights the equal importance of other types of exercise as we age, Miller says.

"Strength training keeps muscles strong in a way that walking and cardiovascular conditioning just doesn't," she says. "When it comes to being able to stand up from the ground or a low chair - or one of those couches that you sink into when you sit on it - you can walk as many miles as you want, but that's not going to keep muscles strong enough to do the tougher activities you don't have to do as often."

You likely know intuitively if you'd be able to perform the sitting-rising test without a problem. But if you're not sure, don't try it at home - instead, talk it through with your primary care doctor. She can then help you address any deficits in strength, balance, coordination, or flexibility through a new fitness program or physical therapy.

"If you fear ending up on the ground without being able to get up, the best thing you can do is find a physical therapist to help you," Miller says.

This article is brought to you by HarvardHealthOnline+, the trusted subscription service from Harvard Medical School. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to our entire website, including exclusive content, tools, and features available only to members. If you're already a subscriber, you can access your library here.

Image: © pixelfit/Getty Images

About the Author

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is the executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She also writes for the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Heart Letter, and Harvard Men’s Health Watch, as well as for Harvard Health Publishing’s flagship website. … See Full Bio

View all posts by Maureen Salamon

I'm a trainer and here are 4 daily leg exercises adults over 60 need to improve balance

 

I'm a trainer and here are 4 daily leg exercises adults over 60 need to improve balance

Balance and leg strength are two of the things I focus on most in my work with older adults. I've been a personal trainer for over 35 years, and I've spent the last 20 training the next generation of fitness professionals with TRAINFITNESS, the UK's leading provider of personal training courses. What I see again and again is that people over 60 start avoiding movements that challenge their balance without even realizing they're doing it. The stairs get a little more cautious. Uneven ground gets a little more nerve-wracking. And gradually, confidence erodes.

The good news is that four straightforward exercises, done consistently, can turn that around completely.

1. The Real Challenge After 60

I think I'm good on these at age 70.

The biggest challenge isn't physical. It's the gradual, almost invisible way decline sneaks up on people. Our balance relies on three systems working together: the inner ear, our vision, and proprioception (the body's ability to sense where it is in space). After 60, all three start to lose their sharpness at the same time. The brain gets slightly conflicting information and starts to hesitate before committing to a movement. You'll notice it first when you turn quickly or step off a curb without thinking.

At the same time, we lose leg strength faster than most people expect. Muscle mass drops by around 1% per year from our mid-40s onwards, but power (the ability to generate force quickly) falls at roughly double that rate. So it's not just that our legs are weaker. It's that they're slower to react when we start to wobble.

The real problem is that most people adapt around these changes rather than addressing them. They hold the banister more. They avoid uneven surfaces. They stop doing the very things that would keep these systems sharp. The less we challenge our balance, the faster it deteriorates.

2. Why Skip Lunges

Can't do this with flat hands, will try handhold braces

Lunges put a lot of shear force through the knee joint. For younger adults with good hip mobility and strong supporting muscles, that's manageable. For people over 60, especially those with any degree of knee discomfort or reduced hip mobility (which is most people at that age), it becomes a different story. The movement is also quite demanding to perform well. Poor form in a lunge doesn't just reduce the benefit; it creates a real injury risk.

The four exercises I use instead work the same muscle groups (glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves) but in ways that are kinder to the joints and more closely associated to the kinds of movement challenges older adults actually face. They involve controlled weight shifts, single-leg loading at manageable levels, and the kind of slow, deliberate muscle activation that rebuilds the neuromuscular connection between your brain and your legs. That connection is exactly what balance depends on.

Sit-to-Stand

I can do this from a standard kitchen chair, couches and Adirondack chairs, not!

This is essentially a squat using a chair as a guide, and it's one of the most functional exercises we can do. Getting up from a chair is something most of us do dozens of times a day, and it requires quad strength, glute activation, and hip mobility. Practicing it as an exercise trains all of those things at once, in a movement your body already recognizes.

Muscles Trained: Quads, glutes, hip flexors

How to Do It:

• Sit near the front edge of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor
• Lean your chest forward slightly to shift your weight over your feet
• Press through your heels and stand up slowly and with control
• Pause for a second at the top, then lower yourself back down just as slowly

Avoid These Mistakes:

• Don't use momentum to drop quickly back into the seat. The lowering phase is where a lot of the strength work happens, so slow it right down.

Recommended Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions

Form Tip: Control the descent. The slower you lower, the more strength you build.

4. Step-Ups

12-18 inches is too high for my affected left leg to accomplish, but stair climbing works just fine, so I consider that as passing.

Step-ups train each leg independently, which is important because most of us have a stronger side that compensates in bilateral exercises like squats. They also mimic stair climbing directly, which is one of the movements people over 60 frequently become more cautious about. Using a single step (a bottom stair works perfectly) keeps the range of motion manageable while still loading the glutes and quads effectively.

Muscles Trained: Glutes, quads

How to Do It:

• Stand facing a step with your feet hip-width apart
• Place your right foot fully on the step
• Press through your right heel to lift your body up, bringing your left foot to the step
• Step back down with the left foot first, then the right
• Keep your torso upright throughout and avoid pushing off with the back foot

Avoid These Mistakes:

• Don't push off with the lower leg. Drive through the working leg instead, and keep the trailing foot doing as little as possible. If you find yourself relying on it, slow the movement down.

Recommended Sets and Reps: 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each leg

Form Tip: The trailing foot should be doing as little as possible. Let the working leg do the work.