Will Harlow

You've got less chance of an injury when you step down from a height, which is one of the key risk points as we age.

Not being able to hold your own weight.

Just stepping down from a curb, stepping off a bus, stepping downstairs is a double risk there because A, your muscles lengthening as you control.

So you're more likely to lose that control.

But also you're on an elevated height.

So if you do lose control and you fall, the stakes are higher.

So having strong quads and glutes prevents some of that risk.

Now, it also means if you've got less than 12, chances are you've also got poor muscle mass in your legs.

And we know that muscle mass throughout the entire body is an independent predictor of longevity.

And the more muscle mass we have, the healthier we are, the longer we live.

It's just as simple as that.

And for every 10% decrease in a mark of muscle mass index, so how much muscle you have on your body, there's an 11% increase in your all cause mortality risk.

Wow.

So for every 10% you lose, it's an 11% increased risk.

Wow.

So not good.

No, absolutely not.

And there's so much you can do.

So many simple exercises will help you build up the strength in those key muscles.

But what I want to just address really quickly is there's probably some people who tried that test and they're feeling pretty hopeless.