As you age, it’s not always easy to accept how your body changes. Lean muscle mass, bone density, and overall strength naturally start to decline. As a result, you become more susceptible to falls and injury. That’s why there’s no better time than the present to take action and make essential adjustments to your workout regimen. To determine where you stand, we’ve rounded up four quick tests that reveal your true fitness age after 45.
“Aging isn’t just about wrinkles or grey hair; your movement, strength, and recovery are all telltale signs,” says Leon Veal, level three certified personal trainer and head of nutrition and innovation at Styrkr. “After 40, many of us start to lose muscle mass, joint mobility, and cardiovascular efficiency without even realizing it. That’s why simple at-home tests can be so powerful. They reveal the physical effects of aging that are otherwise easy to ignore, and give you a baseline to improve from.”
When it comes to what exactly to look for when assessing fitness age, Robb McGeary, The Age Proof Coach at Age Proof, tends to favor health and performance markers rather than solely weight or BMI.
“When it comes to fitness and aging, what’s happening behind the scenes biologically and physically are better indicators than the number on the scale or a waist measurement, even though those two are still relevant,” explains McGeary. “Your strength, mobility, endurance and balance all reveal how well (or not) your body is aging. Grip strength, ability to move from the floor, stamina, and stability are true indicators of your fitness age.”
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4 Quick Tests That Reveal Your True Fitness Age After 45
Grip Strength Test
“You can pick up a dynamometer for under [$20] on Amazon,” McGeary says. “Grip strength is a great predictor of longevity.” In fact, research says so! One study found that grip strength was a more effective indicator of cardiovascular mortality than systolic blood pressure.
This test is simple: Squeeze a dynamometer.
An alternative is measuring how firm your handshake is to peers.
Benchmarks: With the dynamometer, McGeary 45+ says males should aim for at least ~88 to 99 pounds of force.
RELATED: 3 Daily Movements That Keep Your Body 10 Years Younger After 446254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Plank Hold Test
The forearm plank hold reveals spinal stability, core endurance, and muscular control. “A weak core leads to posture breakdown, back pain, and reduced balance,” Veal tells us.
Assume a forearm plank with proper alignment—core tight, hips level, shoulders stacked, and body straight.
Benchmarks: 60 seconds = great, 30 seconds = average, less than 20 seconds = early decline.
5 Easy Bodyweight Tests That Show Your Real Fitness After 45
Sit-to-Stand Test
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The sit-to-stand test is a key indicator of core control, lower-body strength, and joint mobility. “If you struggle here, it’s often a sign of early strength and mobility loss,” Veal notes.
Begin seated, crossed-legged on the ground.
Try to stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
Benchmarks: Standing up with no support = excellent. Needing assistance from knees or hands = room to improve.
If You Can Do These 3 Balance Tests at 60, Your Body Age Is 20 Years Younger
Pushup Test
Pushups are the ultimate test of upper-body strength and muscular endurance. “Push strength is a key part of staying independent as you age,” Veal stresses.
Perform as many pushups with proper form as possible in one set—either modified or full.
Benchmarks: Men: 10–15+ full reps = fit; Women: 10–12+ modified reps = fit.
The great news is you can boost your score through certain fitness and lifestyle changes.
“Fitness age is not fixed,” Veal tells us. “With consistent strength training, mobility work, and recovery strategies (like proper hydration and sleep), people in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s can reverse decades of decline.”
Looking for easy ways to lose fat? Here’s How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa 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. Read more about Alexa
Health and fitness expert Joe Wicks has said it was growing up in a “challenging home” which first sparked his passion for exercise.
Best known as the “nation’s PE teacher” after hosting daily YouTube workouts during the pandemic, raising more than £1million for charity and earning an MBE, Wicks has been building an online fitness following since 2014 and now has more than 4.7 million followers on Instagram alone.
However, speaking to the Irish News, the Epsom-born fitness coach said physical activity has served as a form of therapy since he was six years old.
“As a young child I lived in quite a challenging home,” he said.
“My parents both had mental health issues. My dad was a heroin addict and my mum suffered from anxiety, eating disorders and extreme OCD so I had these two very difficult people to live with.
“It was quite chaotic but I realised when I exercised, played sport, ran or did any kind of movement I could soothe and calm myself and take away some of that stress.
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“And that’s really where my love for physical exercise and movement comes from. It’s been my therapy really since I was about six or seven years old.”
Joe Wicks was made an MBE in 2020 (Steve Parsons/PA)
In addition to his fitness programmes, Wicks has also authored numerous best-selling cookbooks, although he said his relationship with food was also affected by his upbringing.
“In terms of the food side of it, I was exposed to a very unhealthy diet. We were on benefits and any money that came through the house was really funding my dad’s addiction.
“So there wasn’t lots of fruit, veg or homemade meals – it was things like crispy pancakes, potato waffles, chicken nuggets, frozen chicken pies, and lots of sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks.
“I had a very unhealthy diet and even now I sometimes struggle to eat junk food in moderation.”
A turning point came at the age of 13 when he was invited to visit St Mary’s University in Twickenham.
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“It was an outreach between the school and the university.
“Lots of the children who went along were on the border of going down the wrong path or came from a difficult home life.
“I knew they were trying to inspire me and get me thinking more positively – that I could actually go to university one day.
“So I did a tour and spent a day there.
Read more: ‘It was an insane hormone disaster’: Newry fitness influencer on how health struggles inspired a thriving wellness platform
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Joe Wicks leading a workout. (Ben Birchall/PA)
“When I got home, I said to my mum that I was going to do a degree in sports science and become a PE teacher.
“And I did actually end up going to that university.”
Although Wicks always had ambitions of becoming a PE teacher, he said he never expected the scale his career would reach.
“I’ve had an amazing career, but it’s been very unintentional.
“I’m not someone who had a big plan or strategy – everything has happened quite organically.
“It’s always been a natural progression and I couldn’t have imagined it going the way it has.
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“I’m very grateful for all of it and I don’t ever take it for granted.”
Wicks holding two fitness sessions at Glastonbury last year (Ben Birchall/PA)
One of his most recent and unexpected highlights has been training children’s TV character Daddy Pig ahead of this year’s London Marathon.
“The PR for Hasbro, who own Peppa Pig, reached out and I actually really love Peppa Pig – we’ve always watched it with the kids.
“They said, ‘we’ve got this campaign with Daddy Pig’s son George, who’s now moderately deaf, so Daddy Pig is running the marathon for his son and for the National Deaf Children’s Society’.
“So I said I’d do it but I really wanted to run on the day with him. So they got me a spot and I’m running with him.
“And it’s obviously Daddy Pig in full character and I’m there coaching and motivating him. It’s been really fun and the kids have obviously seen the videos and think it’s hilarious.”
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Read more: Joe Wicks: ‘Don’t convince yourself you haven’t got time to cook and that you can’t, because you can’Joe Wicks trains Daddy Pig for London marathon.
Wicks added that he is looking forward to bringing that same energy to Belfast where he will headline the inaugural Wellfest on September 12 and 13.
“There are talks, a nutrition and wellness area and discussions around mental health, as well as workouts from trainers across the board.
“It’s going to be really good fun.”
He will be joined by his wife, Rosie, for the session.
“Because I’ve done the workout so many times, they wanted something a little bit different.
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“And it wasn’t like Rosie jumped at it – she’s quite shy. But I said it would be fun and we could make a weekend of it.
“We’re going to go on stage, do a 30-minute workout and it’s going to be great.
“It’s basically a high-energy session where we’ll be chatting and laughing and hopefully people will get involved and feel energised at the end.”
Joe and Rosie Wicks will host a workout session at this year’s Wellfest in Belfast.
It will be the first time the couple have worked out together on stage.
“I don’t know what to expect,” he laughed.
“We’ve never worked out on a stage together before. I’ve done my workouts and videos and the kids have joined in but they don’t really talk.
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“So having Rosie there, mic’d up, we can have a bit of banter and I think it will be more engaging than just me on my own.
“I want it to feel relaxed. People aren’t there to be judged – they’re there to enjoy it. So I think it’s going to be good.”
He said a key part of Wellfest’s appeal is its accessibility, with an emphasis on inclusivity rather than elite fitness.
“The good thing about Wellfest is that you’ll have people of all ages and all different body types.
“You can have kids in the crowd and grandparents as well.
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Read more: Joe Wicks to run London marathon alongside Daddy Pig for deaf charityPicture: Aviva Health UK/PA (Aviva Health UK/PA)
“It’s essentially a PE with Joe-style workout with music and if you miss something or need to stop, that’s fine.
“You’re not there to compete, just to take part and enjoy it.”
First established in 2015 in Herbert Park in Dublin, the event is designed to appeal to all levels, particularly those at the beginning of their fitness journey.
“Wellfest is an experience – you’re going there to learn something new and you’ll come away feeling energised and positive,” Wicks added.
“It might be a talk on nutrition, stress or mental health or a workout where you realise you can do something you didn’t think you could.
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“It’s about taking part, enjoying it and then maybe continuing some of those habits at home.”
Tickets for WellFest NI, which will take place at Belfast’s Ormeau Park on September 12-13, are on sale now via WellFestNI.com.
Sheridan Smith does not mess about when it comes to overhauling her body for acting roles. Back in 2019, she revealed she had lost two stone while performing in West End production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and now, the 44-year-old is training for her part in ITV mystery thriller, Two Birds.
To help her achieve her goals, she recruited personal trainer and founder of 1st Class Bootcamp Tom Brown earlier this year. ‘The focus is on building her a strong, fit, healthy body that can perform under pressure,’ Tom tells Women’s Health UK. ‘It’s about improving strength, body composition (so, helping her burn fat and build muscle) and overall wellbeing – physically and mentally, rather than chasing extremes.’
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The pair strength train together four-five times a week, and there’s one key element to Sheridan’s programme: progressive overload. ‘Sheridan had trained before,’ Tom tells us. ‘But this approach to strength training is far more structured as we practice a clear, repeatable system which involves increasing the intensity week on week (a.k.a. progressive overload), usually by upping the weight she lifts in each exercise.
‘We also implement one strict rest day a week, as recovery is where your muscles have the time to grow back stronger and adapt, meaning she can lift heavier next time. It’s about doing the right exercises well – and doing them repeatedly. There are no quick fixes.’
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While Sheridan’s programme involves a mix of strength training, cardio and mobility, strength is the priority. ‘This is how Sheridan can build muscle as the stress that weight training places on your muscles forces them to adapt and grow back stronger,’ Tom explains.
Below, Tom shares the exact 45-minute lower-body strength workout Sheridan does every Monday.
A quick caveat: transforming your body composition isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. To build muscle and burn fat, Tom says Sheridan also follows a high-protein diet, drinks 2-3L water daily, prioritises sleep and recovery, and limits toxins through alcohol, sugar and highly processed food.
Sheridan Smith’s 45-minute lower-body workout
Warm-up and activation (8–10 minutes)
This is designed to activate the glutes and posterior chain (the muscles on the back of your body) before adding weight.
Do: 2-3 rounds with minimal rest between exercises and rounds
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Glute bridges: 15 x reps
Single-leg glute bridges: 10 reps x each side
Dorsal raises: 12–15 x reps
Clamshells: 12–15 reps x each side
Main strength workout (40 minutes)
Barbell back squat: take 3 seconds to lower, pause for 1 second, then extend to stand in 1 second. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps, resting for 90 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: dumbbell front-rack squats
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat. Do: 3 sets of 12-14 reps per leg, resting for 75-90 seconds between sets
Dumbbell straight-leg deadlifts. Do: 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps per leg, resting for 90 seconds between sets
Hamstring curl machine. Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 45-75 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Stability ball hamstring curl/dumbbell glute bridge
Seated leg curl (single leg). Do: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, resting for 60 seconds between sets. Home workout alternative: Dumbbell glute bridge (heels close to glutes)
Dumbbell weighted step-ups. Do: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps, resting for 60-90 seconds between sets. Home workout tip: Use a sturdy chair or stairs if no access to a bench
Cool down:
Forward fold into half lift: 4-5 breaths
Low lunge hip flexor stretch: 30 secs x each side
Transition to hamstring stretch: 30 secs x each side
Downward dog: 4-5 breaths, gently pedalling the heels
Pigeon pose: 30-45 secs x each side
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Sheridan Smith’s weekly workout routine
Monday: 45-60 mins strength training (lower-body focus)
Tuesday: 30-45 mins low-impact cardio + core work + mobility
Wednesday: 45-60 mins strength training (upper-body push/pull focus)
Thursday: Active recovery (walking, mobility, light movement)
Friday: 45-60 mins full-body strength + conditioning
Saturday: Outdoor movement (long walk, hike or steady cardio)
Sunday: Full rest and recovery
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
Short, no-equipment workouts are racking up billions of views as consumers ditch traditional gym routines for fast, accessible fitness that fits into everyday life
Gym membership might be at an all-time high, but there’s a whole population of people going after their workout goals without a a traditional location or routine.
Just as people are drawn to short-form content on social media, they’re also gravitating toward short-form fitness — also known as “exercise snacks.”
Data from AI-powered analytics platform Virlo scoured more than 1,000 online videos with more than 2.2 billion views, finding that 5–15 minute routines on social media are outperforming traditional gym content, achieving higher engagement as they lower friction and make fitness feel immediately achievable.
Over three-quarters (76%) of trending fitness content across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube was no-equipment workouts that catered to audiences short on time, the report found.
Within that content, videos pushing specific body part targeting and transformation — especially abs, glutes and arms — had three to five times more engagement, while phrases like “no equipment,” “home workout” and “do anywhere” amplified shares. Videos that promised results within a certain number of days or expressed urgency (“lose fat fast” or “10 days to abs”) also saw higher views, especially repeat visits.
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The trend reflects a broader shift online toward low-commitment, accessible and quick-results fitness that can seamlessly fit into the confines of everyday life. The videos are typically being posted by “micro-creators” without huge followings who post relatively simple routines.
These mini workouts appeal to the ubiquitous desire for instant gratification, while reducing the intimidation of structured gym routines, potentially increasing the chance of people who might not work out at all engaging in some form of exercise.
While the credibility of these creators’ claims to transform body composition in short windows with these movements is up unknown, there is science backing the effectiveness of exercise snacks.
A meta-analysis from last year found that short, structured bouts of movement — about five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise — significantly improved cardiovascular fitness in adults, and slightly improved endurance among older adults, supporting the idea that any movement is better than none, especially if it lowers the barrier to entry to exercise.
