A full body physical examination may not be necessary to determine your health status.
Experts say a simple training move could reveal your strength and endurance.
Dr. Edward Laskowski, a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says squats are a great indicator of athleticism and can “help improve performance in a variety of sports.”
The strength-building exercise focuses on working the leg muscles, focusing on the quadriceps and hamstrings.
To perform the move, a New York-based personal trainer Natalia Alexeyenko told DailyMail.com that you should start by “establishing your posture,” with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly.
Next, it’s important to engage your core, while maintaining a neutral spine without bending or rounding.
Next, Alexeyenko says the trick is to “lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as deep as your mobility allows, making sure your knees come closer to your toes.”
In terms of weight distribution, he advises keeping weight on your quads and hips rather than shifting it to your toes or knees.
To complete a full squat, you then “slowly descend and push through your heels to return to the starting position, avoiding momentum.”
Dr. Edward Laskowski, a sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says squats are a great indicator of athleticism.
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To complement the movement, he suggests inhaling as you go down and exhale as you go back up.
Meanwhile, your arms should be extended “up” at all times. If the arms remain aligned with the torso, he says it’s a sign that shoulder mobility is probably adequate.
“Otherwise, tight chest muscles could be internally rotating your shoulders, limiting your range of motion,” he adds.
The Mayo Clinic says that for most people, a set of 12 to 15 repetitions is adequate.
But based on age, Alexeyenko gives a target number for squat counts, starting with men and women ages 20 to 30.
She says men this age should aim to do 50 squats in 60 seconds, while women should work towards 45 to show a peak level of fitness.
While it seems like a high number, Alexeyenko says that “strength and endurance typically peak in this age range and should be achievable.”
As age increases, the target goal decreases.
In the age group of 31 to 40 years, the figure is reduced by 10 for both men and women.
At this age, Alexeyenko says, instead of endurance, “the focus is on maintaining strength and mobility while preventing injury.”
Ten years later, to the 41-50 age group, the fitness expert says women should be able to do 25 squats, while the count is 30 for men.

There is now evidence that just 20 minutes of physical activity a day dramatically reduces the risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease.
Performing the movement as you age, he says, will help support joint health and increase functional strength.
For men aged 51 to 60, the count drops to 25 and 20 for women, while for those over 61, it states that between 5 and 15 squats will help “maintain mobility and reduce the risk of falls.” .
While Ms. Alexeyenko says squats are a great way to test joint mobility and core stability of the body.
She says there are some key points to keep in mind.
In terms of depth and joint mobility, he reveals: ‘The depth of the squat is largely dependent on the mobility of the hip and ankle joints.
“If your lower back feels tight, it can pull your hips up, limiting depth and proper alignment.”
Meanwhile, when it comes to core stability, he warns that if the pelvis tilts downward at the lowest point of the squat, it may indicate weak core muscles that need strengthening for better stabilization.