Centenarian Decathlon
Fitness is a retirement account you can't contribute to later. After 70, your body enters a physiological free fall — and there are no catch-up contributions. This tool reverse-engineers the minimum balance you need today to stay independent at 90.
Parameters
40
2089
155 lbs
5'9"
Aerobic Engine
46.4mL/kg/min
≈ 13.3 METsComfortable jogging or vigorous cycling
You're building the aerobic reserve of a fit 75-year-old — at age 90.
1-Mile Pace
11:47
min:sec
Robust @ 90
22
mL/kg/min
Indep. Floor
17.5
mL/kg/min
Aerobic Decline Trajectory
Aerobic capacity declines ~10% per decade until 70, then >20% per decade after — this target accounts for that acceleration.
Strength Structure
77
lbs Total
Farmer's Walk — 39 lbs per hand
63
kg Grip Target
Min. 32kg at 90
Measure with a hand dynamometer
Strength & Mass Decay Trajectory
Grip strength predicts all-cause mortality more strongly than blood pressure. Muscle power is lost 2–5× faster than muscle size — strength training matters more than size.
Mobility
10/10
Sitting-Rising Test
Ability to sit on the floor and rise without using hands/knees.
Setup & Safety
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing and go barefoot.
- Use a flat, non-slippery surface — a carpeted area or exercise mat works best.
- Have a friend act as spotter and scorekeeper.
If you have severe hip/knee arthritis, a joint replacement, or joint pain, skip this test to avoid injury.
The Movement
- Sit Down: Cross your legs and slowly lower yourself to the floor. Use as little support as possible — don't worry about speed.
- Stand Up: From seated, rise back to standing using the absolute minimum support needed.
Scoring (out of 10)
You start with 10 — up to 5 for sitting, 5 for rising.
- −1 point each time you use a hand, forearm, knee, or brace against your leg.
- −0.5 points for any wobble or partial loss of balance.
Combine your best sit and rise scores. A score of 8+ is the target for functional independence.
Your ScoreGoal: 8+
Sources & References
Core Conceptual Framework
- Dr. Peter Attia, Outlive & The Drive Podcast — Foundational "Medicine 3.0" philosophy and the Centenarian Decathlon framework: specific physical tasks (e.g., carrying a 30-lb suitcase, farmer's carries, getting off the floor) used to back-cast fitness requirements for functional independence during the "marginal decade."
Cardiorespiratory Fitness (VO₂ Max)
- Strasser & Burtscher (2018) — Absolute benchmarks for cardiorespiratory fitness; establishes the 22.0 mL/kg/min robust independence threshold and VO₂ max as a key longevity predictor.
- Letnes et al. (2023); Katzel et al. (2001/2002) — Age-related VO₂ max decline modeling; confirms non-linear decay with an accelerated "knee" at ~70 (>20% per decade).
- Bacon et al. (2013) — Meta-analysis validating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for VO₂ max improvement; informs training recommendations.
Muscle Strength, Dynapenia & Sarcopenia
- Goodpaster et al. (2006); Mitchell et al. (2012) — Define the "Quality Gap" between muscle mass and strength; prove dynapenia declines 2–5× faster than sarcopenia.
- Sternäng et al. (2014), SATSA — Longitudinal grip strength trajectories using the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging; foundation for the piecewise absolute decline model (e.g., 0.95 kg/yr crisis-phase in older men).
- Costanzo et al. (2020), EWGSOP2 — Updated sarcopenia diagnostic criteria; provides the 27 kg clinical cutoff for low grip strength in men.
Functional Testing & Performance
- Araújo et al. (2014/2025) — Development and validation of the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) as a significant predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
- Cossio-Bolaños et al. (2024); Rikli & Jones (1999) — Senior Fitness Test (SFT) normative data for chair stands, arm curls, and 6-minute walk distance; provides age- and sex-matched functional benchmarks.