Senior Fitness Test & Chair Stand Norms by Age
The Senior Fitness Test (Rikli & Jones) measures the physical abilities older adults need to stay independent — leg strength, arm strength, and aerobic endurance. Enter your score on any test below to see how you compare to the normal range for U.S. adults your age.
The 30-second chair stand test
Sit in a 17-inch chair, arms crossed, feet flat. On "go," stand fully and sit back down as many times as you can in 30 seconds — a measure of lower-body strength.
Senior Fitness Test normal ranges by age (chair stand, arm curl, 2-minute step)
| Age | 30-second chair stand | 30-second arm curl | 2-minute step test |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60–64 | 12–17 | 13–19 | 75–107 |
| 65–69 | 11–16 | 12–18 | 73–107 |
| 70–74 | 10–15 | 12–17 | 67–101 |
| 75–79 | 10–15 | 11–17 | 68–100 |
| 80–84 | 9–14 | 10–16 | 60–90 |
| 85–89 | 8–13 | 10–15 | 55–85 |
| 90–94 | 4–11 | 8–13 | 44–72 |
| Age | 30-second chair stand | 30-second arm curl | 2-minute step test |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60–64 | 14–19 | 16–22 | 87–115 |
| 65–69 | 12–18 | 15–21 | 86–116 |
| 70–74 | 12–17 | 14–21 | 80–110 |
| 75–79 | 11–17 | 13–19 | 73–109 |
| 80–84 | 10–15 | 13–19 | 71–103 |
| 85–89 | 8–14 | 11–17 | 59–91 |
| 90–94 | 7–12 | 10–14 | 52–86 |
Verified source: Senior Fitness Test normal ranges (ages 60–94) — Rikli RE & Jones CJ — Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, "Functional Fitness Normative Scores… Ages 60–94" 7:162–181 (Senior Fitness Test Manual) (1999 (n = 7,183)). Reproduced verbatim and checked cell-by-cell. Chair-stand normal ranges verified against the primary; arm-curl and 2-minute-step ranges verified against the published anchors. "Normal range" = the 25th–75th percentile. Official source · Sources & methodology
Frequently asked questions
What is the 30-second chair stand test?
Sit in the middle of a 17-inch (43 cm) chair with your back straight, feet flat, and arms crossed over your chest. On "go," stand up fully and sit back down as many times as you can in 30 seconds. The count measures lower-body strength — key for walking, climbing stairs, and avoiding falls.
What is a good chair stand score for my age?
It depends on age and sex. The "normal range" — the middle 50% of U.S. adults — is about 14–19 stands for men and 12–17 for women aged 60–64, declining with age. Use the checker above for your exact range. Fewer than 8 unassisted stands is linked to a higher risk of losing independence.
What tests are in the Senior Fitness Test?
The full battery has six tests: the 30-second chair stand (lower-body strength), 30-second arm curl (upper-body strength), 2-minute step or 6-minute walk (aerobic endurance), chair sit-and-reach (lower-body flexibility), back scratch (upper-body flexibility), and 8-foot up-and-go (agility/balance). This page covers the three strength and endurance tests with published norms.
Where do these norms come from?
From Rikli and Jones's normative study of 7,183 community-residing U.S. adults aged 60–94 (Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 1999; Senior Fitness Test Manual). The "normal range" is the interquartile range — the 25th to 75th percentile — reproduced here verbatim.