A physical therapist says you should do this exercise if you want to ace the sit/stand test when you're older

Woman performs goblet squat at home holding pink kettlebell. She is standing barefoot on a green exercise mat, wearing beige athletic leggings and a white short sleeve top.

It's a fact of life that our muscles and bones get weaker as we age, which makes it harder to do everyday tasks. One way to keep tabs on your strength and agility is by performing the sit/stand test, which challenges you to stand up five times from a chair within 10 seconds.

"If you manage it under 10 seconds, you're less at risk for falls. If it takes over 10 seconds, you're at more risk for falls. That's the test we use with the older population," says Dr Andy Fata Chan, physical therapy doctor, coach and founder of Moment Physical Therapy and Performance in New York.