Senior Fitness Test calculator - Percentiles by age for over-60s
Strength training
By Jesús Narváez Tamés ·
Do the 6 Senior Fitness Test items at home and compare each result with what is normal for your age and sex: percentile, fitness age and exercises for your weakest tests. Repeat every 3 months.
How fit you are for your age
After 60, what matters most for staying independent is being able to get up from a chair, climb stairs, walk for a good while, reach a shelf and keep your balance. Rikli and Jones's Senior Fitness Test measures exactly that with 6 simple tests, and its reference values come from more than 7,000 people aged 60 to 94. All you need is a chair, a stopwatch, a tape measure and a water bottle.
Do the tests, enter your results and see for each one whether you are below, within or above normal for your age and sex, with your percentile (50 is average; 25 means 3 in 4 people your age do better). From all of them we work out your fitness age and give you exercises for your two weakest tests. Save the result and repeat in 3 months to see your progress: you can improve at any age.
Reference values cover ages 60 to 94.
Do the tests with someone nearby, in comfortable shoes and without pushing too hard. If you have heart disease, dizziness, a recent joint replacement or pain, check with your doctor or physio first.
1. 30-second chair stand
How to do it
Armless chair against the wall, arms crossed over your chest. Count how many times you stand up fully and sit back down in 30 seconds.
Normal for your agePercentile 45Normal for your age: 10 to 15 reps
2. 30-second arm curl
How to do it
Seated, with a 2 kg weight (women) or 3.5 kg (men), or a water bottle of that weight. Count how many full elbow bends you do in 30 seconds with your stronger arm.
Normal for your agePercentile 45Normal for your age: 12 to 17 reps
3. 6-minute walk
How to do it
In a corridor, track or flat park, walk as fast as you can without running for 6 minutes. Write down the metres (use your phone or count laps).
Normal for your agePercentile 50Normal for your age: 439 to 562 m
4. Chair sit-and-reach
How to do it
Sitting on the edge of a chair, one leg straight with the heel on the floor. With one hand on top of the other, reach towards your toes. Measure the cm short (negative) or past (positive).
Normal for your agePercentile 34Normal for your age: -2.5 to 10.2 cm
5. Back scratch
How to do it
Standing, one hand over the shoulder and the other behind the back from below. Try to bring them together. Measure the cm between your fingers (negative) or the overlap (positive).
Normal for your agePercentile 45Normal for your age: -10.2 to 2.5 cm
6. 8-foot up-and-go
How to do it
Seated, on the signal stand up, walk as fast as you can to a mark 2.4 m (8 ft) away, go round it and sit back down. Time it in seconds.
Normal for your agePercentile 50Normal for your age: 7.1 to 4.9 s
Your fitness is the average of someone aged 76: 6 years older than you are. It can improve at any age.
Your plan to improve
These are the exercises for your weakest tests. Do them 2–3 days a week, pain-free, and repeat the test in 3 months.
Chair sit-and-reach
- Seated hamstring stretch on the edge of a chair: 3 × 30 s each leg, daily
- Calf stretch against the wall: 3 × 30 s
- Reach to your knees and then your shins, without bouncing
30-second chair stand
- Slow sit-to-stand from a chair: 3 sets of 8–12
- Step up and down a step holding the rail: 3 × 10 per leg
- Glute bridge lying down: 3 × 10
WHO advice from age 65: 150 minutes a week of moderate activity (such as brisk walking), strength 2 days and balance 3 days.
Repeat the test every 3 months to see your progress. It is saved only in this browser.
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Frequently asked questions
How many chair stands should a 70-year-old do?
In 30 seconds, normal at 70–74 is 10 to 15 for women and 12 to 17 for men. Below that range, the legs are weaker than usual for the age, and it is the test most linked to fall risk.
How far should you walk in 6 minutes by age?
At 60–64, normal is 500 to 600 metres for women and 560 to 670 for men. At 80–84, 350 to 495 for women and 405 to 555 for men.
What if I score below normal?
That test has the most room to improve. With strength exercises 2–3 days a week and walking most days, most older adults improve clearly in 8–12 weeks. Start gently, pain-free, and check with your doctor first if you have heart disease or a recent joint replacement.
Can I test my mum or dad?
Yes, and it is a good idea to do it together: you time and count, and make sure they keep their balance. Use a sturdy chair against the wall and comfortable shoes. Save the result and repeat every 3 months.
What is fitness age?
It is the age at which your results would be average. If you are 72 and your fitness age is 66, you are as fit as an average 66-year-old. It uses the test's reference values for ages 60 to 94.