Figuring Out How Fit You Really Are

For the upper body and for general core strength, Breger says to pay attention to some basic, everyday functions: Can you get your overhead bag into the compartment on the airplane without help? Can you get the grocery bags into the house and up the steps without a rest? Can you lean over the sink to shave or wash your face without a pain in your back? Can you get out of bed without rolling to one side and pushing up with your hands? (We hope you're saying yes.)

If you're in pretty good shape and looking for a goal, try the bench press, a classic measure of strength, Layne says: If men can press their body weight and if women can press half their body weight, that's a sign of good conditioning.

Flexibility: Can you touch your toes? Can you wash your back? Enough said.

Balance: Balance becomes increasingly important as we age. Falls and fractures are serious injuries for the elderly. Poor balance can stem from neurological and other problems, but it can also be a sign of poor muscle control and inadequate strength.

Layne recommends playing stork: Stand on one foot for half a minute, then switch sides. If you think you are going to have trouble, do the test near a wall.

Successful? Now try it with your eyes closed. Layne notes the importance of visual cues in helping us stay upright, and without that orientation it is easy to start wobbling or even make yourself a bit nauseated from the disorientation.

Breger takes us back on the Metro for a bit of subway surfing: See how much of the ride you can navigate without holding a handrail. It is probably best not to do this in a rush-hour crowd, and do keep a hand ready to grab a seat back if needed. But this is a fun test of reflexes and balance.

Now that you have the tools to test yourself, don't be afraid to give them a try. The truth is out there. What you do with it is up to you.