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Anthea Rowan

If you had been a fly on my study wall this morning, you might have been startled to see me rise from a seated position on the floor several times, and then time myself as I stood on one leg, first with my eyes open and then with them closed.
We can do simple tests like these at home to assess how well we are ageing, allowing us to compare our chronological age (the number of years we have lived) with our biological age (how well our cells and systems are ageing).
Here are five to try.
1. Standing on one leg: the ‘flamingo’ test
One-legged standing is complex, integrating the visual, vestibular (inner ear balance) and somatosensory (muscle and joint feedback) systems.
Dr Kenton Kaufman of the Mayo Clinic in the US state of Minnesota, who authored a study on gait, strength and balance, calls the position “a remarkable feat of integration between these systems”. The ability to maintain this posture declines more sharply with age than almost any other physical measure.
“This makes it a particularly sensitive indicator of ageing,” Kaufman notes. “While leg muscle strength is a factor, the test is even more valuable because it reflects how well all three systems work together.”
According to the UK’s National Health Service, the time you ought to be able to remain standing on one leg varies by age. If you can stand with all of your weight on one leg for 30 seconds, you are performing well for a middle-aged adult. On average, it is 37 seconds if you are 50 to 59, 30 seconds if you are 60 to 69, between 18 and 19 seconds if you are aged 70 to 79, and a little over five seconds if you are over 80.
Many people rely heavily on their vision to compensate for deficiencies in either their vestibular or somatosensory systems, Kaufman says. This is why, when you close your eyes, it is common – even for healthy individuals – to find balance far more challenging.
If your time drops by more than 80 per cent when your eyes are closed, it may indicate that your brain is over-relying on visual cues to stay upright.
2. Sit-to-stand test












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While the flamingo test checks your “wiring”, the sit-to-stand test checks your “engines”.
The test involves repeatedly going from a seated position to standing – without leaning on anything or anyone – as fast as possible for 30 seconds. This action engages the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings alongside the trunk muscles.
Greater muscular strength is a vital indicator of functional independence and is directly linked to lower mortality, as it ensures a person can perform daily tasks such as getting out of a car or using a toilet without help.
A study published in February this year examined how nearly 5,500 women aged 63 to 99 managed unassisted sit-to-stand chair raises. Faster times were linked to lower mortality.
Hong Kong GP Dr Nichola Salmond says it is a valuable but simple test “which assesses balance, core and lower body muscle strength, and lung and heart function”.
“There is a correlation between low sit-to-stand times and higher risk of cardiovascular disease and earlier deaths from other issues such as falls,” Salmond says.
To do it, sit squarely in a chair with a sturdy base, place each hand on the opposite shoulder, feet flat on the floor, back straight and arms against your chest. Rise to standing and sit as many times as you can within 30 seconds.
For those aged 50, a “good” score is generally more than 20 repetitions. If you are 60 to 65, you should aim for above 12 if you are a woman, and above 14 for a man. A score below eight for either gender is often a red flag for frailty and a higher risk of falls.
3. Sitting-rising test
For an even tougher challenge, try the sitting-rising test (SRT). To do this, start standing, lower yourself to sitting cross-legged on the floor, then stand back up. Just do it once. The goal is to avoid using hands, knees or anything else for support.
This test simultaneously registers leg and core strength, hip and ankle flexibility, and balance.


The test is scored out of 10 points. You start with 10, and each time you touch the floor or other surface with a hand, knee or forearm for support, you lose one point. If you lose balance or “wobble”, you lose half a point.
It is less a pure muscle-strength test and more a measure of whether your body can coordinate strength, mobility and balance well enough to get off the floor unaided.
Lower scores are associated with poorer systemic fitness and higher mortality risk. Research suggests that for people aged 50 to 80, scoring fewer than eight points correlates with a significantly shorter life expectancy than those who score higher.
4. Grip strength test
Hand grip strength correlates remarkably well with whole-body muscle strength. Researchers describe it as an “indispensable biomarker for older adults”.
Weaker grip is a biomarker for diabetes, cognitive decline and depression. It often signals the onset of sarcopenia – the age-related erosion of muscle fibre quality and quantity.
Grip strength is measured with a dynamometer. For those in their 60s, a “good” score is typically 38kg to 42kg (84lbs to 93lbs) for men and 22kg to 26kg for women. If your strength falls below 27kg (men) or 16kg (women), it may be a “red flag” for sarcopenia.
While a dynamometer is preferred for precision, Salmond suggests that at home, simply tracking your ability to maintain firm, consistent pressure on a tennis ball can help you monitor changes in your “crush” power over time.

5. Gait speed test
Finally, there is the gait or walking speed test. Clinical psychologist and professor Terrie Moffitt, of Duke University in the US state of North Carolina and King’s College London, says research shows that slow walkers in their seventies and eighties tend to die sooner than fast walkers of the same age.
Slow walking at younger ages can indicate problems because slow walkers tend to have biologically older bodies and brains. Moffitt’s work found that walking speed in midlife could correlate with health later in life, acting as a “canary in the coal mine” for neurological health.
You can easily perform a gait speed test at home with a stopwatch and a measuring tape.
Time your normal pace over the middle four metres (13 feet) of a six-metre stretch, allowing a metre at each end to accelerate and decelerate. Perform three trials to find your average time.
To find your speed in metres per second, take the distance and divide it by your average time in seconds. For example, if it takes you four seconds to cover the distance, your speed is a metre per second. If it takes you five seconds, your speed is 0.8 metres per second.
A speed of one metre per second or faster is generally considered a sign of healthy ageing. If your gait speed falls below 0.8 metres per second, it may suggest you are at higher risk of health complications. A speed below 0.6 metres per second is often a marker for significant frailty.
By monitoring these four pillars – balance, lower body power, floor mobility and walking speed – you can gain a clearer picture of your biological age and take steps to improve your physical resilience before the chronological years catch up.
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Wellness

Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age

The “flamingo” test - balancing on one leg - is one of the ways you can assess how well you are ageing. Photo: Shutterstock

Hand grip strength, an “indispensable biomarker for older adults”, is measured with a dynamometer. Photo: Shutterstock

Just 9 minutes a day: the mobility routine that can help you age better

Mobility expert Joe Yoon identifies movement restrictions in clients, gradually correcting them so they see improvements not just in performance, but in injury prevention. Photo: joetherapy.com

Mobility – the ability of joints and muscles to move freely through their full range – is one of the most overlooked components of fitness, fitfluencer Joe Yoon says. Photo: joetherapy.com

Yoon says mobility is often treated as an afterthought to strength or cardio training, but it is as important as either,  particularly when it comes to ageing well. Photo: Instagram/joetherapy

Yoon demonstrates an overhead squat. Photo: Instagram/hijoeyoon

Yoon and his Turkish-born wife pose in traditional costumes on a visit to Seoul, South Korea, in October 2025. Photo: Instagram/hijoeyoon

How strength training keeps a 71-year-old in top shape and what he teaches other seniors

All you need to keep fit are discipline and a floor to train on, says 71-year-old personal trainer Christer Ekberg. Photo: Joel Tam

Ekberg in Argentina. Growing up in Sweden around horses, he once longed to be a professional jockey. Photo: Christer Ekberg

Ekberg works with client Joel Tam, who has been training with him since April. Photo: Joel Tam

Joel Tam (right) began training under Ekberg in April. Photo: Joel Tam

Since training with Ekberg, Tam says that he looks, feels and moves better. Photo: Joel Tam

Ekberg relaxes after climbing 53 floors to the top of The Pinnacle@Duxton in Singapore – the perfect combination of cardio and leg training. Photo: Christer Ekberg

Ekberg works out daily, doing strength, mobility, flexibility and balance training. Photo: Joel Tam

Testing for dementia by asking patients to draw a clock, walk and talk, stand on one leg

The clock-drawing test requires a person to be able to interpret the placement of the hands in relation to the numbers. It is an ability often lost in people with early dementia. Photo: Shutterstock

There are many different ways to score the clock-drawing test. Photo: Shutterstock

Dr Baibing Chen says the clock-drawing test is especially useful in judging brain health. Photo: Dr Baibing Chen

If a person has trouble with the balance test, standing on one leg for up to 30 seconds, it can indicate problems with motor coordination or even early signs of neurodegenerative conditions. Photo: Shutterstock

A diminished sense of smell is often one of the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, sometimes predating cognitive symptoms by years. It can also be a symptom of Covid-19. Photo: Shutterstock

Tests must be conducted within the context of the patient’s overall health, history, and current symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock

Different parts of the brain are responsible for different cognitive skills. Illustration: Shutterstock

Just as not all memory lapses mean someone has dementia, “failing” these tests does not necessarily mean they suffer from it. Photo: Shutterstock

61-year-old influencer shows how to age well in viral Instagram dance videos

Mimi Ison shuffle dances in a still from one of her Instagram videos. Photo: Mimi Ison

Mimi Ison shuffle dances in a still from one of her Instagram videos. The 61-year-old Korean-American influencer posts what she calls “midlife pro-age motivation” content on her Instagram channel that shows that middle age is not something to be afraid of. Photo: Mimi Ison

In recent years, Ison has let her grey hair shine through. Photo: Mimi Ison

Ison does some shoulder taps on a California beach. Photo: Mimi Ison

Ison with her husband Bayani. Photo: Mimi Ison

Ison goes to a boxing gym twice a week. Photo: Mimi Ison

Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags


Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags.


How to age well

Ageing society

Medicine

Health & Fitness

Are you ageing well? 5 simple tests to get a picture of your biological age

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags

1. Standing on one leg: the ‘flamingo’ test

Particularly useful for over-50s, these simple physical tests can give you a better idea of your biological age and highlight any red flags