November 9, 2026, 1:09 pm | Read time: 7 minutes

How is your muscle strength? To find out, you don’t necessarily need to lift weights or schedule a gym appointment. You can assess your physical performance with just your body weight and a few aids. It’s crucial to consider different muscle groups and various aspects of strength capability.

“I would generally prefer exercises that can be performed without classic training equipment, cover different areas of physical strength capability, and have been well-researched scientifically,” advises Markus Bremen. His recommendation: six tests to assess various aspects of strength capability. These include leg strength, upper body strength, core stability, and explosive power.

1. 60-Second Chair Stand Test: How Strong Are Your Legs?

The Chair Stand Test is a simple way to assess the functional muscular endurance of the leg muscles. All you need is a sturdy chair and a stopwatch.

Sit on the chair, cross your arms in front of your chest, and try to stand up and sit down as many times as possible within 60 seconds. The more clean repetitions you can perform, the better your functional muscular endurance.

Reference values for 40- to 44-year-olds are about 45 repetitions for men and 41 for women. For those aged 60 to 64, it’s 37 and 34 repetitions, respectively.¹ Men tend to achieve slightly higher values than women, and the average number of repetitions decreases with age. “Results depend not only on muscle strength but also on body weight, movement coordination, and speed,” says Markus Bremen. “The chair height should also be as uniform as possible, as it affects the difficulty.”

Expert conclusion: “For me, this exercise is one of the best tests because it is very easy to perform and has reliable reference data.”

Also interesting: Training endurance and strength back-to-back? Here’s what the expert says

2. Push-Ups: How Capable Is Your Upper Body?

Push-ups are among the best-known bodyweight exercises and are excellent for assessing the relative muscular endurance of the upper body. They engage the chest, shoulders, and arms.

The execution is simple: perform as many technically clean repetitions as possible from the classic push-up position without pausing. It’s important that the body remains stable throughout the movement and that the range of motion is consistent with each repetition.

“Fewer than ten repetitions indicate a rather low performance, ten to 20 repetitions represent moderate performance, 20 to 40 repetitions are good, and more than 40 repetitions are very good,” says Markus Bremen for rough orientation.

This classification is not a scientifically validated norm table. Body weight, body composition, and age influence the result, as do individual body proportions. Men usually achieve higher numbers than women, and average performance tends to decrease with age.

Conclusion: “Definitely include push-ups because they are among the most well-known and understandable strength tests.”

3. Plank: How Stable Is Your Core?

The plank is a classic for the core muscles. This test primarily assesses isometric muscular endurance–the ability to maintain muscle tension over a longer period.

“In the plank, you hold a stable body position. The test ends when the specified posture can no longer be maintained,” explains Markus Bremen. It’s important that the pelvis neither sags nor is pushed too far up.

As a simple guideline, the following time ranges are conceivable: under 30 seconds indicates low holding performance, 30 to 60 seconds is moderate, 60 to 120 seconds is good, and more than 120 seconds is high holding performance.

What matters is not just the time but especially the correct execution. A longer holding time does not automatically mean someone has higher maximum core strength. Consider body weight, body proportions, age, and gender.

Expert assessment: “A very good test for core muscular endurance and particularly practical for home use.”

4. Single-Leg Calf Raise Test: How Strong Are Your Calves?

The calf muscles are often overlooked in many general strength tests. Yet, they are important for walking, running, and jumping. The single-leg calf raise test assesses the local muscular endurance of the calves.

How does it work? “Stand on one leg, stabilize lightly against a wall if needed, and lift and lower the heel as often as possible in a controlled manner.” Research shows the following average repetitions: younger adults under 40 years average about 29 repetitions, while older adults over 60 years average around 12 repetitions.²

It’s important to note that the average number typically decreases with age. Gender, BMI, and training status also affect the result. “Both legs should be tested separately, and the movement height should remain as constant as possible.”

Summary from the personal trainer: “An interesting addition because the calf muscles are rarely considered in many general strength tests.”

5. Standing Long Jump: How Explosive Is Your Leg Strength?

Strength is not only about repeating a movement as often as possible or holding a position for as long as possible. The ability to generate as much force as possible in a short time is also part of it. This so-called explosive power can be assessed with a standing long jump.

Here’s how: “Jump as far forward as possible from a standing position with a swinging motion. Measure the distance from the take-off line to the farthest landing point,” says Markus Bremen.

General applicable thresholds for men and women to assess performance have already been included in the standing long jump guide by FITBOOK. Age, gender, height, muscle mass, and jumping technique influence the result. This test is less suitable for those with relevant joint issues, balance problems, or a high risk of falling.

Nevertheless: “The standing long jump is particularly valuable because it considers not only muscular endurance but also explosive power.”

More on the topic

Gym Workout What Are the Benefits of Sled Pushing Compared to Traditional Leg Workouts?

Jumping Squats Why Jump Squats Are So Effective and What to Watch Out For

6. Pull-Ups: How Strong Is Your Pulling Musculature?

While push-ups primarily test the pushing strength of the upper body, pull-ups engage the pulling muscles, particularly the back and arm muscles. They are a useful addition to other strength tests.

Execution: Hang from a stable pull-up bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. Pull the body up in a controlled manner until the chin is above the bar, then fully extend the arms again. Only technically clean repetitions without momentum support are counted.

For classification, Markus Bremen refers to a 2021 study with interesting results. “For men, the median for vertical pull-ups was seven repetitions. The middle 50 percent of the men studied managed between three and ten repetitions. However, it’s important to note: for women, a horizontal pull-up variant was used in this study. The median was five repetitions, so the values are not directly comparable,” he notes.³

Here too, age, gender, body weight, and body composition affect performance. Grip width and position also change the requirements.

Judgment: “Pull-ups are a very useful addition because they address the previously missing pulling muscles of the upper body.”

Conclusion: Better Assess Your Strength with 6 Tests

Whether it’s leg strength, core stability, upper body strength, or explosive power, the six tests provide a versatile impression of your physical performance–largely without classic training equipment.

“I would particularly highlight the 60-Second Chair Stand Test because there are very good age- and gender-specific reference data for it. Push-ups and planks are also very suitable due to their familiarity and ease of execution,” concludes Markus Bremen. The calf raise test, standing long jump, and pull-ups add further important aspects of strength capability.

It’s important to remember: The tests are a guide, not a medical diagnosis. To track progress, exercises should be repeated regularly under similar conditions, with a focus on clean execution.