30-Second Chair Stand

The 30-second chair stand test measures lower-body strength and endurance, the number of times a person can rise from a seated position in 30 seconds. It is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones 1999, n=7,183 US community-dwelling adults aged 60-94). Percentile curves (P5-P95) are from the Senior Fitness Test Manual, 2nd edition (2013), modelled from the same sample. Note: this data is based on a US sample. A German study (Albrecht et al. 2021, n=1,657, ages 65-75) found lower scores in comparable age groups, partly attributed to higher body weight. Watch video demonstration

How to Perform This Test

Equipment
  • 17-inch (43 cm) straight-back chair
  • Stopwatch
Steps
  1. Place the chair against a wall to prevent sliding.
  2. Sit in the middle of the chair, back straight, feet flat on the floor, arms crossed over the chest.
  3. On 'Go', stand fully upright, then return to a fully seated position.
  4. Repeat as many times as possible in 30 seconds.
Scoring

Count the total number of full stands (fully upright and fully seated) completed in 30 seconds.

Notes

A partial stand at the end of the 30 seconds counts if the participant is past the halfway point.

Data source: Rikli & Jones (SFT) (1999) · n=7.2K About this study

30-Second Chair Stand Functional Fitness

30-Second Chair Stand Norms by Age and Sex (reps)

Age Sex Percentile
5th 25th 50th 75th 95th
60-64 Male 9 14 16 19 23
Female 8 12 15 17 21
65-69 Male 8 12 15 18 23
Female 8 11 14 16 19
70-74 Male 8 12 14 17 21
Female 7 10 13 16 19
75-79 Male 7 11 14 17 21
Female 6 10 12 15 19
80-84 Male 6 10 12 15 19
Female 4 9 11 14 18
85-89 Male 4 8 11 14 19
Female 4 8 10 13 17
90-94 Male 3 7 10 12 16
Female 0 4 8 11 16

What to expect by age group

Among adults aged 60 to 64, the middle 50% complete 14 to 19 stands for men and 12 to 17 stands for women. Chair stand performance declines steadily across each 5-year bracket, with the steepest drop occurring after age 80; men complete 1 to 2 more stands than women on average. Scores below 14 reps (men) or 12 reps (women) are typically below average for this age group; scores above 19 reps (men) or 17 reps (women) are above average.

Typical range (25th to 75th percentile) by age group (reps)
Age MalesFemales
60-64 14 to 1912 to 17
65-69 12 to 1811 to 16
70-74 12 to 1710 to 16
75-79 11 to 1710 to 15
80-84 10 to 159 to 14
85-89 8 to 148 to 13
90-94 7 to 124 to 11

Detailed Breakdowns

Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.

Males
60-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485-8990-94
Females
60-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485-8990-94
Age trend (percentiles)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 30-second chair stand test measure?

Lower-body strength and endurance, specifically the ability to repeatedly stand from a seated position. Performance on this test correlates with fall risk, stair climbing ability, and independence in daily activities.

How is the test performed?

The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test' section above.

Why does this metric only cover ages 60-94?

The Senior Fitness Test was designed for older adults. The normative data (Rikli & Jones, n=7,183) was collected from community-dwelling adults aged 60-94. The largest younger-adult norms study we identified, Lein et al. 2022 (DOI, n=81, ages 19-35), is too small for reliable percentile tables.

Where do the percentile values come from?

The percentile curves come from the Senior Fitness Test Manual (Rikli & Jones 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 978-1-4504-1118-9), which models P5 through P95 from the original sample of 7,183 community-dwelling US adults aged 60-94 (Rikli & Jones 1999, DOI). All five percentiles we display (P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) come directly from the source, no approximation is needed.

Can younger adults use this test?

The test can be performed by anyone, but without normative data there is no reference range to compare against. A small study, Lein et al. 2022 (DOI, n=81, ages 19-35), found a mean of 33.0 ± 5.4 reps, but this sample is too small for reliable percentiles.

How do these norms compare to other countries?

A German study (Albrecht et al. 2021, DOI, n=1,657, ages 65-75) found that German older adults scored lower on the 30-second chair stand than these US norms, partly attributed to higher body weight. A Hong Kong study (Chung et al. 2016, DOI, n=944, ages 65-74) found variable results across Senior Fitness Test components. Performance may differ by population, these norms are based on US community-dwelling older adults.

Related Metrics

Senior Fitness Test Battery

This metric is part of the Senior Fitness Test, a validated 7-test battery for adults aged 60-94.