A simple self-check and daily routine guide to help you move better, feel stronger, and spot early signs of accelerated ageing.

Inside this guide:

1. Three quick self-tests
2. What your results may mean
3. Simple daily exercises to get started
4. Next-step support through books, courses, and coaching

Important note: This guide is educational only and is not medical advice. If you have pain, dizziness, a recent injury, osteoporosis, neurological symptoms, or any health concerns, speak to your doctor or qualified health professional before starting.

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Many people focus on skin or facial appearance first, but some of the clearest early clues of biological ageing show up in:

1. Balance
2. Mobility
3. Strength and coordination
4. Posture
5. Visible external signs

Your 3 Starter Tests

1. Balance Test

Stand on one leg with your eyes closed

2. Sit-to-Rise Test

Lower yourself to the floor and rise again with as little support as possible

3. Facial and External Ageing Signs Check

Look for visible clues such as ear creases and other changes that may reflect health, lifestyle, and ageing patterns.

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 Test 1 — Balance Check

Test 1: One-Leg Balance With Eyes Closed

Balance is one of the most powerful markers of healthy ageing. It depends on muscular strength, coordination, joint stability, inner ear function, nervous system efficiency, and core control.

How to do it safely

1. Stand near a wall, kitchen bench, or sturdy chair for safety.
2. Stand tall with shoes off if safe to do so.
3. Put your hands on your hips.
4. Lift one foot off the ground.
5. Once stable, close your eyes.
6. Time how long you can hold the position.
7. Repeat on the other side.

Record your result

• Left leg: ____ seconds
• Right leg: ____ seconds

What to notice

1. Is one side much weaker?
2. Do you wobble immediately when your eyes close?
3. Do your toes grip excessively?
4. Do you hold your breath?
5. Do your shoulders tense up?

Why this matters

When balance declines, so does confidence, mobility, and independence. Poor balance may reflect:

1. Reduced ankle and foot strength
2. Weak hips and glutes
3. Poor posture and core control
4. Reduced sensory awareness
5. Nervous system or vestibular decline

Starter interpretation

• Strong: You can hold steadily with control and minimal wobble.
• Needs work: You lose balance quickly or there is a large difference side to side.
• Priority area: You feel unsteady, fearful, or unable to perform the test safely.

If this test is difficult, do not worry — balance can improve with practice. Just record your results.

Test 2: Sit-to-Rise Test

This test gives useful insight into mobility, coordination, flexibility, lower-body strength, and whole-body control.

How to do it

1. Stand in an open space with a soft surface or exercise mat.
2. Lower yourself to the floor into a cross-legged sitting position
3. Then stand back up.
4. Try to use as little support as possible from your hands, knees, forearms, or furniture.

Score yourself simply

Notice how many supports you need.

1. Excellent: You can get down and up without use of hands, knees or elbows.
2. Moderate: You need one hand, one knee, or some momentum.
3. Needs improvement: You need multiple supports or struggle significantly.

What this test reflects

1. Leg strength
2. Hip mobility
3. Core control
4. Coordination
5. Confidence moving through the floor

Why it matters

Your ability to get to and from the floor is a practical longevity skill. It reflects how well your body functions in real life — not just in a gym setting.

Difficulty here may suggest:

1. Tight hips and ankles
2. Weak legs or glutes
3. Low confidence in movement
4. Reduced mobility and coordination
5. Increased functional ageing

Quick note

If you have knee pain, vertigo, joint replacements, severe arthritis, or other medical concerns, modify this test or skip it and seek professional guidance.

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Test 3: Facial and External Signs Check

While appearance is only one part of the story, certain visible changes may offer clues about stress, circulation, inflammation, collagen loss, posture habits, sun exposure, and overall biological ageing.

Check in good natural light

Look in a mirror and observe:

1. Diagonal ear lobe creases
2. Deepening lines and folds
3. Skin thinning or loss of elasticity
4. Sagging around the jawline or neck
5. Puffiness or dark circles
6. Asymmetry linked to posture or habitual tension
7. Forward-head posture affecting the face and neck

What to remember

These signs do not prove a diagnosis. They are simply prompts to look more closely at the bigger picture:

1. Sleep quality
2. Stress load
3. Nutrition
4. Blood sugar balance
5. Circulation
6. Sun exposure history
7. Muscle tone and posture

The important takeaway

Healthy ageing is not about chasing perfection. It is about improving the systems underneath appearance:

1. Movement
2. Strength
3. Recovery
4. Posture
5. Daily habits

When those improve, appearance often improves too.

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Simple Daily Routines

You do not need an extreme program to begin. Consistency matters more than intensity.

1. Chair Stand Practice

This is a practical version of the standing-from-a-chair test and a great foundational exercise.

How to do it

1. Sit tall near the front of a sturdy chair.
2. Place your feet hip-width apart.
3. Lean slightly forward from the hips.
4. Stand up without using your hands if possible.
5. Sit back down with control.
6. Repeat for 5 to 10 repetitions. (Shoot for 20)

Why it helps

1. Builds leg strength
2. Supports independence
3. Improves balance and coordination
4. Trains everyday movement capacity

2. Balance Practice

Option A: Supported One-Leg Stand

1. Stand near support.
2. Lift one foot slightly off the floor.
3. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds.
4. Repeat 2 to 3 rounds per side.

Option B: Tandem Stand

1. Stand with one foot directly in front of the other.
2. Stay tall and steady.
3. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Switch sides.

Why it helps

1. Improves ankle and hip stability
2. Trains coordination
3. Builds confidence
4. Supports fall prevention

3. Posture Reset

Poor posture can make us look and feel older. A few minutes a day can make a real difference.

Wall Posture Check

1. Stand with your back near a wall.
2. Let your head, upper back, and hips gently connect if possible.
3. Soften your ribs.
4. Lengthen through the crown of your head.
5. Breathe slowly for 5 breaths.

Shoulder Blade Reset

1. Stand or sit tall.
2. Gently draw your shoulder blades back and down.
3. Hold 5 seconds.
4. Repeat 5 to 8 times.

Chin Tuck

1. Look straight ahead.
2. Gently draw your chin backward without tipping your head down.
3. Hold 3 to 5 seconds.
4. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Why posture work matters

1. Improves breathing mechanics
2. Reduces tension
3. Supports spinal alignment
4. Enhances appearance and confidence

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Your 7-Day Starter Plan

For the next 7 days, do the following:

1. Repeat your balance practice daily
2. Perform chair stands daily or every second day
3. Do 2 to 5 minutes of posture work each day
4. Retest your balance after 7 days
5. Note how you feel: steadier, stronger, taller, more aware

Simple tracking

Write down:

1. Your balance time
2. How many chair stands you can do comfortably
3. Whether getting up and down feels easier
4. Any visible posture improvements
5. Your energy and confidence levels

What this starter plan is really for

This guide is your introduction — not the full system.

If you found weaknesses in balance, posture, mobility, or visible signs of accelerated ageing, the good news is that these areas can often improve with the right strategy.

Want the next step?
If this starter plan helped you identify where to begin, my books, courses, and coaching can help you go further with a more complete anti-ageing strategy for strength, posture, appearance, and healthy longevity.

Explore the full program:

• Book: Flat Gut After 50
• Course: Sit-to-Rise Mastery
• Coaching: Coaching with Doug 

You do not need to fix everything at once. Start where you are. A few simple daily actions can begin to change how you move, feel, and age.