Leg strength standard adjusts downward roughly 10% per decade after 40

Full analysis

Andy Galpin recommends a leg extension machine test — where you push a weight with your legs while seated — as a practical, technique-independent way to measure lower body strength. The baseline target is being able to lift your own body weight. For people over 40, he says you can subtract roughly 10% per decade and still be in an acceptable range: a 50-year-old weighing 170 pounds who can lift about 160 pounds is in a solid position. For those uncomfortable with machine tests, holding half your body weight in front of you in a deep squat for 45 seconds is a functional alternative that also tests core stability and position.