Health

If you can do these 3 things in your 30s, you’re in remarkable shape

David BenjaminOctober 15, 2025

Whether you’ve just turned 30 or you’re edging towards 40, your thirties are (thankfully) still considered young. Meaning, our physical fitness should still be in tip-top shape — both to ensure current health and promote longevity. The 30s are often a whirlwind time for us, too: many are starting families, working full-time jobs and buying a home, so it’s important our bodies are in a strong condition to cope with the demands of life (Picture: Getty Images)

Metro spoke with longevity expert Leslie Kenny, co-founder of The Oxford Longevity Project, to unpack what it means to be fit in your 30s, and how you can work towards a healthier you. Here, she details three ‘self-tests,’ which, if you can do with ease at this age, mean you’re in remarkable shape. ‘You don’t need fancy equipment to find out how well your body’s ageing,’ Kenny explains. ‘These quick activities can tell you a lot about your strength, balance, and flexibility, which are all key indicators of how healthy you’ll be in the decades ahead.’ How well do you think you’ll do? (Picture: Getty Images)

The sitting rising test

This one sounds easier than it is, especially if balance isn’t your strong suit. But here’s how to try and practice until you master it: Start standing, then lower yourself to the floor to sit cross-legged without using your hands, knees, or elbows for support. Now stand back up the same way (Picture: Getty Images)

The sitting rising test

To make it interesting — or competitive, if that’s how you work — each time you use a hand or knee, you lose a point. ‘The closer you get to a perfect ten, the better your strength, balance, and mobility,’ notes Kenny. However, if you score below eight, the expert suggests you could benefit from more movement variety, especially strength and flexibility work (Picture: Getty Images)

The jump to squat test

Sit on your legs on the floor so your knees are folded under you, instructs Kenny. From that position, try to spring up into a standing squat without using your hands. The expert agrees that while it looks simple, the movement requires strong glutes, quads, and core muscles, as well as good coordination. ‘If you can pop up cleanly, your lower-body strength and mobility are in great shape,’ she says. If not, it’s a sign to work on leg and core power with squats, bridges, and lunges (Picture: Getty Images)

The balance on one leg test

Again, you might be thinking, ‘this is easy, I could do this in my 40s.’ However, Kenny states that it is harder than you think, especially if you’re trying to balance for a longer period of time. Firstly, Kenny recommends standing on one leg with your eyes open and timing yourself to see how long you can initially balance for. If you can hold the pose for at least 30 seconds, she says your balance and coordination are solid (Picture: Getty Images)

The balance on one leg test

The next test is to do it again with your eyes closed, all while adding extra time. Kenny explains: ‘Ten seconds or more means your stability and muscle control are excellent.’ But unfortunately, poor balance is one of the first signs of early muscle and nerve decline, so it’s worth practising regularly (Picture: Getty Images)

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