By: Joann Bally CSCS
There are two kinds of age for you to be concerned about. The
first is chronological age. That's the one on your driver's license,
situated so you can put your thumb over it, if necessary. The other is
physiological age. That has to do with health and fitness. If a
runner, for instance, is 50 years old but has an aerobic capacity
typical of a 35 year old, his physiological age, as far as aerobic
capacity goes, is 35. Although there's not much you can do about your
chronological age, short of waiting for the invention of the time
machine, there's a lot you can do about your physiological age.
First, realize that many things that typically get worse with age
are at least somewhat under your control. Blood pressure, cholesterol
level, endurance, and strength are some of them. Here's an example. Go
out and walk 3 miles as fast as you can and time yourself. If you can't
walk 3 miles, we know you need to get younger. Women in their 40's
average 44 to 49 minutes; men average 42 to 47. In their 50's, women
average 47 to 52 and men 45 to 50. In their 60's it's 51 to 57 for
women and 48 to 54 for men. If you're faster than the average for your
age group, you can consider yourself to be younger on aerobic fitness.
If you're slower, you're older and need to work on that.
Now do some pushups. Men do the military kind; women do the kind
where you keep your knees on the floor. Do as many as you can. An
average woman in her 40's will do 11 to 14 and a man will do 13 to 16.
In your 50's look for 7 to 10 for women and 10 to 12 for men. In your
60's the average will be 5 to 11 for women and 8 to 10 for men. Look
for your "age" in muscular strength.
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
