Set Smarter Health Goals This Year With These 5 Longevity Tests
The start of a new year offers more than a fresh calendar; it’s a chance to establish health baselines that can shape your trajectory for decades to come. While most New Year’s resolutions fade by February, measurable health metrics give you something far more powerful than motivation alone: clear numbers you can track, improve, and revisit throughout 2025 and beyond.
And, some of the most predictive markers of long-term health don’t require lab work, specialists, or expensive testing. With a bit of space at home (or a nearby track) and, in a few cases, inexpensive tools, you can assess key indicators of longevity without scheduling a single appointment.
These five at-home tests are backed by research as meaningful predictors of healthspan and lifespan, and they’re tools you can start using today.
VO2 max (Cooper test)
What it measures: Your cardiovascular fitness and your body's ability to use oxygen during intense exercise.
Why it matters: VO2 max is one of the strongest predictors of longevity we have. Research consistently shows that higher cardiovascular fitness correlates with dramatically lower all-cause mortality. For every incremental increase in VO2 max, your risk of early death decreases, making this perhaps the single most important number for your long-term health.
How to do it: The Cooper test estimates your VO2 max by measuring how far you can run (or walk briskly) in 12 minutes. Find a track or measure a route, warm up for 5-10 minutes, then cover as much distance as possible in exactly 12 minutes at a sustained, challenging pace. Calculate your estimated VO2 max using online calculators that factor in your distance, age, and gender. Record this number. It's your cardiovascular fitness baseline for 2025.
Sit-rise test
What it measures: Your musculoskeletal fitness, flexibility, balance, and body awareness through a simple movement pattern.
Why it matters: The test reveals your functional fitness, your ability to move through space with control and without compensation, which becomes increasingly crucial as we age.
How to do it: From a standing position, lower yourself to a cross-legged sitting position on the floor, then rise back to standing. You start with 10 points and subtract one point for each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or side of your leg for support. Also, subtract half a point for any loss of balance. A score of 8-10 is excellent, 6-7 is good, and anything below suggests room for improvement in strength, flexibility, and balance.
Resting heart rate & heart rate variability
What it measures: Your cardiovascular efficiency (resting heart rate) and your nervous system's adaptability (heart rate variability).
Why it matters: A lower resting heart rate typically indicates a more efficient heart that doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood. Heart rate variability (HRV) measures the variation in time between heartbeats and serves as a window into your autonomic nervous system's health. Higher HRV generally indicates better stress resilience, recovery capacity, and overall physiological flexibility.
How to do it: Measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning before getting out of bed for several consecutive days, then average the results. You can use your fingers on your wrist or neck, counting beats for 60 seconds, or use a fitness tracker.
For HRV, you'll need a smartphone app or wearable device that can detect the subtle variations between heartbeats. Take measurements at the same time daily for a week to establish your baseline. Most adults have a resting heart rate between 60 and 80 bpm, but athletes often see numbers in the 40s or 50s.
Single-leg balance test
What it measures: Your proprioception, vestibular function (aka your balance, spatial orientation, and coordination), and postural stability.
Why it matters: Balance doesn't just prevent falls; it's a marker of neurological health and whole-body coordination. Research shows that the inability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds is associated with an 84% increased mortality risk1 for the next seven years. This test reveals how well your brain, inner ear, vision, and musculoskeletal system work together, all of which decline with age but can be trained and improved.
How to do it: Stand barefoot on one leg with your hands on your hips and the other leg raised with your knee bent at roughly 90 degrees. Have someone time how long you can hold this position without putting your foot down, hopping, or removing your hands from your hips. Test both legs and record your times. If you can't manage 10 seconds on each leg, that's your first improvement goal for 2025.
Grip strength
What it measures: The maximum force your hand and forearm muscles can generate when squeezing.
Why it matters: Grip strength serves as a surprising biomarker for overall muscle strength and has been linked to cognitive function, cardiovascular health, and mortality risk. Studies show that people with stronger grip strength tend to live longer and maintain independence later in life. It's essentially a window into your total body muscle health.
How to do it: While a hand dynamometer provides the most accurate measurement (and they're available online for under $30), you can get a rough baseline by seeing how long you can hang from a pull-up bar with both hands. Record your time.
For those investing in a dynamometer, squeeze the device as hard as possible for about five seconds, rest, then repeat for three total attempts with each hand. Use your best score as your baseline.
Your 2026 longevity dashboard
You now have five concrete numbers that represent your health status at the start of 2026. Write them down. These aren't just metrics. They're your personalized health dashboard, and unlike vague resolutions, they give you clear targets to beat.
The real power of these tests isn't in the single snapshot, but in the trend you'll create. Retest every three months throughout 2025. Watch your VO2 max climb as your running endurance improves. Celebrate when your sit-rise score jumps from a 6 to an 8. Notice your resting heart rate dropping as your cardiovascular system becomes more efficient.
These improvements are literally adding years to your life and life to your years. You've just given yourself the gift of measurable longevity data. Now go improve those numbers.