Lie on the floor with your knees bent at approximately right angles, feet flat, and hands resting on your thighs. Squeeze your stomach, flatten your back, and raise yourself up far enough to slide your hands to the tops of your knees. (Don’t drop your chin to your chest, which pulls on your neck.) Then lower yourself back down. Count how many curl ups you can do in a minute and compare with the chart below.
| Age 18-25 | Age 26-35 | Age 36-45 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Excellent | >67 | >76 | >53 | >61 | >53 | >59 |
| Good | 58-67 | 61-76 | 44-53 | 53-61 | 42-53 | 48-59 |
| Above average | 51-57 | 52-60 | 37-43 | 44-52 | 35-41 | 43-47 |
| Average | 41-50 | 41-50 | 33-36 | 37-43 | 30-34 | 33-42 |
| Below average | 34-40 | 37-42 | 28-32 | 33-36 | 23-29 | 29-32 |
| Poor | 28-33 | 29-36 | 22-27 | 25-32 | 18-22 | 24-28 |
| Very Poor | <28 | <29 | <22 | <25 | <18 | <24 |
| Age 46-55 | Age 56-65 | Age 66-plus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Excellent | >47 | >60 | >43 | >55 | >33 | >49 |
| Good | 37-47 | 52-60 | 35-43 | 48-55 | 31-33 | 38-49 |
| Above average | 33-36 | 44-51 | 27-34 | 41-47 | 26-30 | 31-37 |
| Average | 30-32 | 36-43 | 23-26 | 33-40 | 21-25 | 26-30 |
| Below average | 25-29 | 29-35 | 18-22 | 28-32 | 16-20 | 22-25 |
| Poor | 19-24 | 21-28 | 11-17 | 21-27 | 10-15 | 15-21 |
| Very Poor | <19 | <21 | <11 | <21 | <10 | <15 |