True STRENGTH TEST

1. JUMP AT LEAST 8 FEET

THE SCORECARD

Men's Health Fit: 8 feet or more

Above average: 6 to 8 feet

Ordinary: Less than 6 feet

Everyone from strength coaches to drill sergeants uses the standing broad jump to gauge raw power—for good reason: It calls on several muscle groups throughout the body to fire at once. "The stronger and more explosive you are, the more force you'll generate and the farther you'll jump," says Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts. "And that means better performance in the weight room—and more air on the basketball court."

2. SQUAT, CURL, AND PUSH PRESS 20 TIMES IN 1 MINUTE

THE SCORECARD

Men's Health Fit: 20 reps in 1 minute

Above average: 18 reps

Ordinary: 16 reps

Anaerobic endurance refers to your ability to work at near maximal intensity in bursts of 20 to 60 seconds. "Anyone can sprint or punch hard for 10 seconds," says L.A.-based strength and conditioning coach Chad Waterbury, M.S. "But if you can sustain high levels of muscle force beyond that time, you'll gain a huge advantage over your competitors." Anaerobic endurance reflects the stamina of your fast-twitch (type II) muscle fibers, which generate energy in the absence of oxygen.

3. PERFORM ONE CONTROLLED WALL SQUAT

THE SCORECARD 

Men's Health Fit: Full squat in control

Above average: Halfway down

Ordinary: Less than halfway

Mobility is a quality great athletes hone but most regular guys ignore. That's a mistake: "The more mobile you are, the better you can move your joints through their full range of motion and the less likely you are to be injured," says kinesiologist and rehab expert Dean Somerset, C.S.C.S. This test, he says, "will expose limitations in your ankles, hips, neck, and upper back—places where most men are bound up." A lot of people fail this test because they have a rounded back or inflexible ankles. 

4. SCORE LEVEL 12 ON THE BEEP TEST

THE SCORECARD

Men's Health Fit: Level 12

Above average: Level 11

Ordinary: Level 9

Cardiovascular endurance isn't just a sign of your 10-K potential; it's an indicator of how long you'll last in any athletic endeavor, from a 48-minute basketball game to an afternoon of backyard football. And people who play aerobic endurance sports have a higher life expectancy than those who do not, according to a recent German study review. 

5. DO 10 CLAPPING PUSHUPS 

THE SCORECARD

Men's Health Fit: 10 clapping pushups

Above average: 5 clapping pushups

Ordinary: No clap

A powerful upper body doesn't just look good shirtless; it helps transfer force to the world around you. "And that gives you an edge in most sports, whether you're trying to stiff-arm an opponent in football or spring off the mat in jujitsu," says David Dellanave, owner of the Movement Minneapolis gym and a world-record-holding all-around weightlifter. The clapping pushup—which requires explosiveness as well as strength—is an old-school move that many still consider the ultimate test of upper-body pushing power (thanks in no small part to Rocky).