As we age, our bodies conduct every action a bit slower: our daily walks become shorter, our endurance goes down, and our brains aren’t as sharp as they once were. It’s a shared experience among most people: “When we’re kids, we’re constantly stressing our motor systems: running, climbing, falling, and trying new movements beyond our comfort zones,” explains longevity expert Bill Hanks, founder and CEO of Huemn. “This is how we develop balance and coordination. As adults, we stop doing all those things, and as a result, our motor skills naturally decline.” But although this is the case for most people, it doesn’t mean it has to be the case for everyone. As we get older, we can slow down this bodily and cognitive deterioration.

“Those who continue to challenge their bodies in consistent ways will maintain sharper balance and motion as they age,” Hanks says. And to truly put it to the test, we asked longevity experts for four simple challenges you can try (at home, of course) to see how well your body’s really aging and keep the momentum going.

What Happens to Our Bodies as We Age?

“One of the realities of aging is that our motor functions—strength, coordination, balance, and agility—tend to decline over time,” explains longevity expert Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, CEO of Optispan. “This isn’t just about muscles getting weaker. The nerves that carry signals to those muscles become less efficient, joints lose flexibility, and our sensory systems (such as vision, the inner ear, and even the body’s sense of position in space) all show wear and tear. Together, these changes can make reaction times slower and stumbles more likely.” While genetics and lifestyle habits vary from person to person, science has shown that we have more control over our biological aging than we might believe, Dr. Kaeberlein says. You can start by trying one—or all—of these simple challenges at home.

4 Simple Challenges to Test Your Body’s Age
Grip Strength Test

“Research has shown grip strength to be a strong correlate to overall vitality, independence, and even longevity,” Hanks says. Here’s how to try it at home: place a firm grip on a jar lid and test how quickly you’re able to twist it off. Alternatively, try carrying your groceries alone and seeing how easy or difficult it is to do.

One-Leg Balance (With a Twist)

“Balance is one of the strongest predictors of fall risk as we age,” Hanks says. “Adding a small perturbation, like balancing on one leg while putting on a shoe, tests real-world coordination.” Make it a habit to test your balance every day, standing on one leg for at least one minute and testing how long you can last. If you can do it while multitasking, your body’s in the right place.

Test Your Strength

“Muscle mass naturally tends to decline with age, while body fat can increase, which can impact strength, metabolism, and long-term health,” Hanks says. To test out the health of your body composition, try lifting a few weights starting as light as one pound. As you continue practicing this habit, try heavier weights and see how well you do with them.

Dual-Task Walking Test

Last but certainly not least, “how well your brain and body work together is a strong marker of healthy aging,” Hanks says. “If your gait slows down significantly when you’re counting backwards or naming animals, it can be a sign of early cognitive or motor decline.” While walking, try challenging your brain to do more than one task: like reciting the alphabet, talking to a friend, or counting backwards—and seeing how long you can do it.