Research suggests better scores are linked to less risk of falling and may even correlate with better lung and heart function. If you’re under age 40, finishing the 5TSTS in fewer than 10 seconds is considered ideal, Dr. Myers says. (Add a second for ages 40 to 70, and for each decade thereafter.) And for the 30-second test? A typical score is around 33 to 35 stand-sit reps for people under 35 (the more, the better); that also changes over time, with any number beyond 12 or so reps considered in-range above age 60.
Why it’s a metric of longevity:
Being able to stand and sit swiftly is a sign of lower-body strength and coordination, Dr. Kado notes, both of which can help you avoid injury-causing slips and trips. There’s also a component of power and endurance required to make it through these tests, Dr. Myers says, which may speak to overall fitness and those heart and lung benefits.
How to get better at it:
As with the sitting-rising test, you’ll want to focus on lower-body power: Squats, lunges, and step-ups are ideal, as are non-weight-bearing moves like clam shells and fire hydrants.
5. The Gait Speed Test
How fast you typically walk can be a “strong independent predictor of survival,” Dr. Myers says, particularly as you get older. A simple way to clock your pace: Walk a measured distance, like six meters, while recording your time, then divide the distance by how many seconds it takes you. Anything less than about 1 meter per second has been linked to a shorter lifespan in older folks (than what would be expected based just on their age and sex alone), Dr. Myers points out. Other research has also found that brisk walkers tend to have a longer life expectancy, and that walking fast, even for just 15 minutes a day, can lower your mortality risk by nearly 20%.
Why it’s a metric for longevity:
It captures aspects of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neurological health, Dr. Myers says. So you’re likely in pretty good shape if you tend to move rapidly. Not to mention, you can probably zip across a large street in the time allotted for the walk signal, Dr. Kado says.
How to get better at it:
Simply do it more often. Picking up your pace throughout the day can make fast walking feel more natural, and incorporating some uphill bouts and light jogging can boost your endurance so you don’t get winded as quickly.
Some limitations to note…
While these tests evaluate facets of your longevity, they’re far from an end-all, be-all assessment. They don’t cover several health considerations that could influence how long you live, like your cognition or the quality of your relationships. And even the metrics they measure, such as strength and balance, can be influenced by temporary factors—like feeling tired, having a cold, or being sore from a workout—which have nothing to do with your longevity.
These tests have gained credence because of their simplicity, which makes them easy to study across lots of people, Dr. Kado points out. So the data suggests a broad trend linking better performance with greater longevity. But that doesn’t mean you will necessarily die sooner if you do poorly on one or more of them, she says. They’re just a piece of the longevity puzzle.
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