Your first test is the ability to sit down and stand up from a chair without using your hands. This simple movement reflects leg strength, balance and coordination. We sit down and get up all the time but are you using your hands to help?  What if the chair/step is lower than a standard dining room chair for example.  

The second is being able to push and pull. Pushing movements help with tasks like opening heavy doors or getting up from the floor. Pulling strength is essential for posture, shoulder health and carrying objects. Are you able to do a push up?  Surprisingly few people can.

Third is the ability to hinge at the hips and lift something from the floor. Picking up shopping, a suitcase, or a grandchild all rely on this movement. Once you have lifted the shopping bags, can you carry them the length of the car park to the car?

Fourth is balance.  Poor balance is a powerful indicator of fall risk later in life.  Testing both legs, can you stand on one leg for 30 seconds?  How long can you do it with your eyes closed?

The last is cardiovascular fitness. This doesn’t mean running marathons. It means being able to do moderate exercise without becoming breathless. Can you climb a flight of stairs without getting out of breath?

All of us should be able to pass these basic fitness tests.  If you cannot, then I would highly recommend spending some time working on being able to.  This will help you to keep doing the things you enjoy for as long as possible. You don’t need to go to a gym or see a personal trainer, but doing so will give you the right guidance on the best way to become a fitter, stronger you.