{"id":111084,"date":"2025-09-03T08:31:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T08:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/111084\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T08:31:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T08:31:15","slug":"5-quick-tests-to-see-if-youre-aging-too-fast-after-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/111084\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Quick Tests To See if You\u2019re Aging Too Fast After 40"},"content":{"rendered":"

As you age, your body naturally changes. You lose lean muscle mass<\/a> and strength, bone density declines<\/a>, and it\u2019s easier to put on dreaded belly fat\u2014ugh. It\u2019s important to stay at the top of your game and be aware of these changes so you maintain a strong, resilient body<\/a> for years to come. We spoke with Pilates guru Portia Page<\/a>, Balanced Body Educator, CPT, NCPT, PMA, ACE and AFAA certified and Jaqueline Gavino, MPH, CHES<\/a>, exercise physiologist at the Pritikin Longevity Center<\/a>, who share five quick tests<\/a> to see if you\u2019re aging too fast<\/a> after 40.<\/p>\n

\tShoulder Flexion Test<\/p>\n

\u201cThis test evaluates flexibility in your shoulder joints,\u201d says Page.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

Begin seated and stand tall, back pressed flat against a wall.
\nLift your arms straight overhead.
\nTry to touch the wall with the backs of your hands without arching your back.<\/p>\n

These 3 TV Commercial Break Exercises Reverse Aging After 40<\/a><\/p>\n

\tScratch Test<\/p>\n

\u201cThis test checks the range of motion and mobility in your shoulders,\u201d Page notes.<\/p>\n

Stand tall.
\nReach one arm over your shoulder and down your back as far as you\u2019re able to.
\nReach your other arm up your back from the bottom.
\nTry to overlap or touch your fingers.
\nRepeat on the other side.<\/p>\n

If You Can Do These 3 Balance Tests at 60, Your Body Age Is 20 Years Younger<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSquat Test<\/p>\n

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\u201cA common and simple test to assess lower body strength is the squat test, which evaluates both muscular strength and endurance in the legs, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes,\u201d says Page.<\/p>\n

Stand tall, feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
\nKeep your back straight, chest tall, and arms extended straight ahead of you.
\nBend at the hips and knees to lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
\nPush through your heels to rise back up to the start position.
\nComplete as many full squats as you\u2019re able to with solid form until fatigue.<\/p>\n

The 60-Second Strength Test That Reveals Your True Fitness Age<\/a><\/p>\n

\tPlank Hold Test<\/p>\n

\"AfricanShutterstock<\/p>\n

\u201cRegularly testing your plank endurance<\/a> can help gauge improvements in core strength, which is fundamental for overall fitness and injury prevention,\u201d Page points out.<\/p>\n

Assume a forearm plank position: Place your forearms on the floor with elbows under your shoulders and arms parallel to your body, shoulder-width apart.
\nKeep your body straight from your head to your heels.
\nActivate your core, legs, and glutes.
\nHold the plank with solid form for as long as possible, aiming for at least 30 seconds. As you build strength, increase the hold time to 1 to 2 minutes or longer.<\/p>\n

\tStatic Posture Check<\/p>\n

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\u201cPostural changes can be early signs of musculoskeletal aging,\u201d says Gavino.<\/p>\n

This test is simple: Stand against a wall to see if your head, shoulders, and hips align.<\/p>\n

How Training and Lifestyle Changes Can Improve Your Results<\/p>\n

When it comes down to it, consistency is king if you want to see noticeable results.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrength training, balance drills, stretching, and posture correction exercises all lead to measurable improvements within weeks to months. For example, practicing squats and resistance training improves lower-body strength and ease with daily activities. Yoga, tai chi, or targeted balance drills enhance single-leg balance and reduce fall risk. Mobility and stretching routines restore shoulder and hip range of motion, improving comfort and posture,\u201d Gavino points out. \u201cWe see clients regain measurable function and confidence when they combine structured exercise with healthy lifestyle changes. These tests don\u2019t just measure aging, they give you a roadmap for how to age well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Looking for more easy ways to lose fat? Here\u2019s How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

\t\tAlexa is a content strategist, editor, and writer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. She has 11+ years of experience creating content for travel, lifestyle, fitness, wellness, F&B, home, and celeb news publications.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As you age, your body naturally changes. You lose lean muscle mass and strength, bone density declines, and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":111085,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[1934,1167,6647,50406,102,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-111084","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-aging","9":"tag-exercise","10":"tag-fitness","11":"tag-fitness-test","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-uk","14":"tag-united-kingdom","15":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}