How to do the sit-and-reach test
Budy Casimano takes a flexibility test as a contestant for the fittest man and woman on Long Island. The test being done at the Human Performance Laboratory of Adelphi University in Garden City in April 2007 can be replicated at home with a yardstick and a box. With Casimano are Robert Otto, exercise physiologist, and Laura Walsh, graduate assistant in exercise physiology. Credit: Newsday, 2007 / Bill Davis
1. Put a box against a wall. Place a yardstick on top of the box, lining up the 15-inch mark with the edge of the box closest to you. (The zero mark on the yardstick should be closer to you, the 36-inch mark closer to the wall.)
2. Sit on the floor with your feet flat against the side of the box.
3. Keeping your legs straight, put one hand on top of the other and stretch forward as far as you can over the yardstick.
4. The number under your outstretched fingers is your score.
How does your flexibility rate?
| Age | Average (Men) | Average (Women | Poor (men) | Poor (women) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46-55 | 12 to 13 inches | 15 to 16 inches | Under 9 | Under 13 |
| 56-65 | 10 to 12 inches | 15 inches | Under 8 | Under 12 |
| 65+ | 9 to 11 inches | 14 to 15 inches | Under 7 | Under 11 |
Sources: Shapeup America, YMCA Fitness Testing & Assessment Manual
