How to do the test
Sit in a sturdy chair. Use a 5 lb weight for the women's reference test or an 8 lb weight for the men's reference test. Curl the weight through the full movement, lower it with control, and count completed repetitions in 30 seconds.
Understanding your result
Compare your count with the range for your age and reference group. A different weight makes the published comparison less applicable.
Normal range, repetitions
These ranges represent the middle 50% of the reference group. Scores outside the range are below or above average for that group.
Loading comparison ranges…
Source: Jones CJ, Rikli RE. “Measuring functional fitness of older adults.” The Journal on Active Aging. March–April 2002, page 28.
Before you start
Use a stable setup and stop for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, new pain, or loss of balance. Ask a clinician whether testing is suitable if you have symptoms or activity restrictions.