Question 1

What is longevity testing?

Accepted Answer

Longevity testing is a movement-based physical assessment that measures how well your body is aging across six areas — gait, balance, strength, cardio capacity, body composition, and reaction time — using clinical-grade equipment rather than a standard physical exam. The Activate Your Age assessment is the flagship program in this space, developed with USC biomechanics researchers and delivering a full six-area profile in a single two-hour session.

Question 2

How is longevity testing different from a regular physical?

Accepted Answer

A regular physical mostly checks whether something is already wrong; longevity testing measures function — how well you actually move, react, and perform compared to others your age. Activate Your Age was built specifically to fill that gap, using instrumented equipment most physicals never touch, like gait analysis and VO2max testing.

Question 3

What does a longevity test measure?

Accepted Answer

A longevity test measures six areas linked to healthy aging: gait, balance, strength, cardio capacity (VO2max), body composition, and reaction time. Activate Your Age tests all six in one visit using clinical-grade tools — Zebris gait analysis, InBody composition scanning, HUMAC NORM strength testing, and lab-grade VO2max analysis — rather than estimating any of them.

Question 4

Is longevity testing painful or invasive?

Accepted Answer

No — longevity testing is non-invasive and pain-free, involving walking, standing, and simple strength and reaction tasks rather than blood draws or imaging. Activate Your Age is designed to be comfortable for adults 50+ specifically, with no fasting or prep required beforehand.

Question 5

What is a good VO2max for my age?

Accepted Answer

VO2max benchmarks vary by age and sex, but higher cardiorespiratory fitness is consistently linked to lower mortality risk at every level, with no point of diminishing returns. Activate Your Age measures your VO2max with lab-grade equipment and compares it against normative data for your specific age and sex, rather than a single generic number.

Question 6

What causes muscle loss with age?

Accepted Answer

Muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, typically begins around age 30 at a rate of roughly 3–5% per decade, accelerating further after age 65. Activate Your Age's strength assessment measures exactly this — hip, glute, and quad force output — so you know precisely where you stand rather than guessing from how you feel.

Question 7

Who should get a longevity test?

Accepted Answer

Longevity testing is most valuable for adults 50 and older who want an objective baseline of how their body is functioning, or anyone who wants to track whether their training is actually working. Activate Your Age was built specifically for this age group, co-developed by USC researchers and a senior fitness specialist with that population in mind.

Question 8

Where can I get a longevity test done?

Accepted Answer

Longevity testing is available through Activate Your Age, performed at the Movement Performance Institute in El Segundo, CA, and developed by USC researchers Dr. Christopher Powers and Dr. Todd Schroeder alongside Senior Fitness Specialist Jeff Stepp.

LONGEVITY TESTING

Frequently asked questions