Life Athlete Test Guide | Plan Longevity

Section 1 — Movement

8 pts max

No equipment needed. Find a clear space.

Hip Hinge Pattern0–3 pts

Tests your ability to load the posterior chain safely — the foundation of deadlifts, RDLs, and kettlebell swings.

1Stand with feet hip-width apart, slight bend in knees
2Push hips back (not down) while keeping spine neutral
3Lower torso toward horizontal — chest proud, back flat
4Drive hips forward to return to standing

Score	What it looks like
3 — Clean	Neutral spine throughout, full range, no compensation
2 — Compensated	Minor rounding, limited range, or slight knee drift
1 — Limited	Significant spinal flexion or restricted range
0 — Cannot perform	Unable to execute basic hinge pattern

Squat Depth0–3 pts

Tests hip mobility, ankle dorsiflexion, and thoracic extension. A predictor of long-term knee and hip joint health.

1Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out
2Arms extended forward for balance
3Squat as deep as possible keeping heels flat on floor
4Hold 2 seconds at bottom before rising

Score	What it looks like
3 — Full depth	Hips below parallel, heels flat, torso upright
2 — Parallel	Hips at knee level, minor heel rise or forward lean
1 — Quarter squat	Hips above knee, significant restriction
0 — Cannot perform	Pain or inability to squat

Overhead Mobility0–2 pts

Tests shoulder mobility and thoracic extension. Restricted overhead range is a primary driver of shoulder impingement.

1Stand with back flat against a wall, feet 15cm from wall
2Raise both arms overhead keeping elbows straight
3Try to touch the wall with the back of both hands
4Keep lower back in contact with the wall throughout

Score	What it looks like
2 — Full	Hands touch wall, lower back stays flat
1 — Partial	Hands within 10cm of wall, or lower back arches
0 — Restricted	Cannot get near wall without compensation

Section 2 — Strength

12 pts max

Gym access required. Use your current 8–12 rep working weight.

⚠️ You need access to a leg press machine and a chest/machine press. If you don't have these, you can skip this section — it won't be counted in your total.

Leg Press — relative to bodyweight0–6 pts

Lower body strength is the strongest predictor of functional independence as you age. Use your current working weight for 8–12 clean reps.

Score	Male (× bodyweight)	Female (× bodyweight)
6	> 2.5×	> 2.0×
5	2.0–2.5×	1.6–2.0×
4	1.5–2.0×	1.2–1.6×
3	1.0–1.5×	0.8–1.2×
2	0.75–1.0×	0.6–0.8×
1	0.5–0.75×	0.4–0.6×
0	< 0.5×	< 0.4×

Machine Press — relative to bodyweight0–6 pts

Upper body pushing strength. Correlates with overall upper body muscle mass and shoulder health over time.

Score	Male (× bodyweight)	Female (× bodyweight)
6	> 1.5×	> 1.0×
5	1.2–1.5×	0.8–1.0×
4	1.0–1.2×	0.65–0.8×
3	0.75–1.0×	0.5–0.65×
2	0.5–0.75×	0.35–0.5×
1	0.3–0.5×	0.2–0.35×
0	< 0.3×	< 0.2×

Section 3 — Stability

8 pts max

No equipment needed. Requires space to lie down.

Single-Leg Balance (eyes closed)0–4 pts

Tests proprioception and single-leg stability. A key predictor of fall risk and long-term hip and knee joint health.

1Stand on one leg, hands on hips
2Close your eyes
3Hold without touching down — time yourself
4Test both sides — score your worst side

Score	Hold time (eyes closed)
4	> 30 seconds
3	15–30 seconds
2	5–15 seconds
1	1–5 seconds
0	Cannot balance at all

McGill Big Three0–4 pts

Tests spinal stability endurance. Poor core endurance is the primary driver of lower back injury and spinal degeneration over time.

1Curl-up: Lie on back, one knee bent, hands under lower back. Lift head and shoulders only. Hold 10s × 3 reps.
2Bird-dog: On all fours, extend opposite arm and leg simultaneously. Hold 10s each side × 3 reps.
3Side plank: Elbow under shoulder, hips stacked. Hold as long as possible. Test both sides.

Score	Performance
4	All 3 completed with full control, no pain
3	All 3 completed with minor form breaks
2	2 of 3 completed, or significant compensation
1	1 of 3 completed, or pain present
0	Cannot perform

Section 4 — Cardio

8 pts max

Wearable or fitness app recommended for VO2max reading.

VO2max Estimate0–4 pts

Use your Apple Watch, Garmin, or Polar VO2max reading. No wearable? Use the 12-minute Cooper Test — run as far as possible in 12 minutes on flat ground.

Score	Male (mL/kg/min)	Female (mL/kg/min)
4	> 52	> 45
3	43–52	37–45
2	35–43	30–37
1	28–35	24–30
0	< 28	< 24

Resting Heart Rate0–2 pts

Measure first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Use a wearable or count your pulse manually for 60 seconds.

Score	Resting HR
2	< 55 bpm
1	55–70 bpm
0	> 70 bpm

Zone 2 Capacity0–2 pts

Zone 2 = conversational pace. You should be able to hold a full sentence without gasping. This is approximately 60–70% of your max heart rate.

Score	Capacity
2	Can sustain 45+ minutes at Zone 2 comfortably
1	Can sustain 20–45 minutes with some difficulty
0	Cannot sustain Zone 2 for 20 minutes

Section 5 — Blood Markers

8 pts max

Blood test required. Fast for 10–12 hours beforehand.

📋 Ask your GP or a private lab for: ApoB, hsCRP (high sensitivity), HbA1c, fasting insulin, and fasting glucose. These 5 markers give you the complete metabolic and cardiovascular picture.

Biomarker Scoring0–8 pts

Marker	Optimal (2 pts)	Acceptable (1 pt)	Action needed (0 pts)
ApoB	< 0.7 g/L	0.7–1.0 g/L	> 1.0 g/L
hsCRP	< 0.5 mg/L	0.5–3.0 mg/L	> 3.0 mg/L
HbA1c	< 5.0%	5.0–5.6%	> 5.7%
Fasting Insulin	< 5 mIU/L	5–10 mIU/L	> 10 mIU/L
Fasting Glucose	< 4.7 mmol/L	4.7–5.5 mmol/L	> 5.6 mmol/L

Test Guide

Ready to take the assessment?