Can you hold a 60-second plank? How about tying your shoelace in mid-air? Here’s how to test your fitness in every decade of life
When Baz Luhrmann called the body “the greatest instrument you’ll ever own” in his 1997 song, Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen), he was on to something. Alongside a nutritious diet and good sleep, how fit we are is perhaps our greatest tool to live a long and healthy life. But what constitutes optimum physical fitness? According to David Vaux, osteopath and author of Stronger: 10 Exercises for a Longer, Healthier Life, it’s measured across different pillars of health, including cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, strength, mobility, stability and balance.
Research shows that those who do regular exercise are less likely to succumb to premature death, as well as reducing the risk of developing a number of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders. But fitness is about much more than just warding off ill health. Being able to move functionally – whether that’s picking up our grandchildren, hauling boxes around or going on long hikes – is crucial to enjoying life and feeling energised, mobile and able to take care of ourselves into our later decades.
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