Top 5 'Decade-Proofing' Functional Fitness Challenges to do for building a resilient body in 2025 - Goh Ling Yong
The year is flying by, and with 2025 just around the corner, many of us are starting to think about our goals. We set targets for our careers, our finances, and our relationships. But what about the one vehicle that carries us through it all? Our bodies. Too often, we chase fleeting fitness trends—a bigger bicep for summer or a faster 5k for a local race. While these are great goals, they can sometimes miss the bigger picture: building a body that's not just fit for today, but resilient for decades to come.
This is the essence of 'decade-proofing' your body. It’s a shift in mindset from short-term aesthetics to long-term function, from simply looking good to moving well and feeling capable for life. It’s about cultivating the strength to lift your grandchildren, the mobility to get on the floor and play with them, and the endurance to say "yes" to any adventure that comes your way, whether you're 35, 55, or 75. It’s about building a physical pension plan, where the deposits you make today pay incredible dividends in your future quality of life.
So, how do we start building this resilient, decade-proof body in 2025? We focus on functional fitness—training movements, not just muscles. We challenge our bodies in ways that directly translate to real-world capability. To get you started on this path, I’ve put together five functional fitness challenges. These aren't one-off gym stunts; they are comprehensive tests and training frameworks designed to build a robust foundation for a long, active, and vibrant life.
1. The "Get-Up & Go" Strength Challenge
The Challenge: Perform a smooth Turkish Get-Up (TGU) with a challenging weight (aiming for ¼ of your bodyweight) on each side, and complete a 50-meter Farmer's Carry with a combined weight equal to your bodyweight.
At the heart of a resilient body lies usable, coordinated strength. It's not just about how much you can bench press. It’s about your ability to control your own body and an external load through multiple planes of motion. This is where the Turkish Get-Up shines. It's less of an exercise and more of a flowing sequence that builds shoulder stability, core strength, hip mobility, and total-body coordination. Mastering the TGU is like learning the grammar of movement; it teaches your body how to work as a single, powerful unit from the ground up.
Paired with the TGU is the deceptively simple Farmer’s Carry. Nothing is more functional than picking up heavy things and walking with them. This movement builds crushing grip strength (a key indicator of longevity), reinforces good posture by forcing your core and upper back to work, and develops mental fortitude. It’s a direct simulation of carrying groceries, luggage, or a tired child. Together, the TGU and Farmer’s Carry create a potent combination of sophisticated movement and brute-force practicality, forming the bedrock of decade-proof strength.
How to Approach It:
- Start with the Shoe: Before even touching a weight, practice the TGU holding a shoe balanced on your fist. This forces you to be slow, deliberate, and smooth. The goal is to keep the shoe from falling.
- Progress Slowly: Once you’ve mastered the pattern, move to a light kettlebell or dumbbell. Over months, not weeks, gradually increase the weight. Film yourself to check your form; each step should be a distinct, stable position.
- Carry with Pride: For Farmer's Carries, start with a weight you can comfortably hold for 30 seconds. Focus on standing tall, keeping your shoulders back, and taking powerful, controlled steps. You can use kettlebells, dumbbells, or dedicated farmer's carry handles. The goal is to progressively overload the weight or the distance.
2. The "Floor-to-Standing" Mobility Matrix
The Challenge: Score a perfect 10 on the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) and be able to get up from the floor from five different positions (e.g., cross-legged, lying on your back, lying on your stomach) without using your hands for support.
One of the most powerful predictors of longevity is startlingly simple: the ability to get up off the floor. The Sitting-Rising Test, used in clinical studies, directly correlates a higher score with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Why? Because this simple act requires a symphony of physical qualities: hip and knee mobility, core strength, balance, and coordination. As we age, the fear of falling can lead to a less active lifestyle, which in turn weakens the very systems needed to prevent falls. This challenge directly combats that cycle.
By intentionally practicing the skill of moving between the floor and standing, you are preserving your independence. This isn't just about passing a test; it's about maintaining the freedom to get on the ground to garden, play with a pet, or find a dropped earring without a second thought. It’s a fundamental human movement that we master as toddlers but often neglect as adults. Reclaiming this skill is one of the most profound investments you can make in your long-term health and confidence.
How to Approach It:
- Practice the Test: The SRT starts with 10 points. You lose one point for each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or the side of your leg for support on the way down and on the way up. Practice this movement slowly. Identify where you get stuck. Is it tight hips? A weak core?
- Explore Movement: Don't just practice the test itself. Spend 5-10 minutes each day just moving on the floor. Try rolling around, shifting from sitting to kneeling, and exploring different ways to stand up. Get creative!
- Incorporate Mobility Drills: Support your practice with targeted drills. Spend time in a deep squat (the "third-world squat") to open your hips and ankles. Practice "90/90" hip stretches to improve internal and external rotation of the hip.
3. The "Versatile Engine" Cardio Challenge
The Challenge: For one month, accumulate 150-180 minutes of Zone 2 cardiovascular exercise per week, supplemented by one high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session per week.
A strong, efficient cardiovascular system is the non-negotiable engine of a healthy life. For true resilience, however, your engine needs to be versatile. It needs the endurance to handle long, steady efforts (like a full day of hiking) and the power to handle short, intense bursts (like sprinting to catch a bus or carrying heavy boxes up three flights of stairs). This challenge is designed to build both of these capacities by combining two powerful training modalities.
Zone 2 training is low-intensity cardio performed at a level where you can comfortably hold a conversation. This is the foundation. It builds mitochondrial density and efficiency, improving your body's ability to use fat for fuel and enhancing your all-day energy. HIIT, on the other hand, pushes your upper limits. These short, all-out efforts improve your VO2 max—the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during intense exercise, which is another top-tier biomarker for longevity. The combination creates a robust, adaptable, and truly decade-proof cardiovascular system.
How to Approach It:
- Find Your Zone 2: The easiest way to gauge Zone 2 is the "talk test." You should be able to speak in full sentences without gasping for air. This could be a brisk walk, a light jog, cycling, or swimming. Don't worry about speed; focus on the effort level. Break up the 150-180 minutes however you like throughout the week (e.g., three 50-minute sessions).
- HIIT with Intention: Your weekly HIIT session should be short but intense. After a good warm-up, try something like 8 rounds of 30 seconds all-out effort followed by 90 seconds of easy recovery. You can do this with hill sprints, on a stationary bike, a rower, or with bodyweight exercises like burpees. The key is to give a true max effort during the "on" intervals.
- Listen to Your Body: This is a demanding protocol. Ensure you are getting adequate sleep and nutrition. If you feel overly fatigued, it's better to swap a HIIT session for another Zone 2 day.
4. The "Single-Leg Sentinel" Balance Challenge
The Challenge: Be able to hold a single-leg stand for 60 seconds with your eyes open and 30 seconds with your eyes closed on each leg. Additionally, perform 10 controlled Pistol Squats to a box or chair on each leg.
We live most of our lives on one leg at a time—walking, running, climbing stairs. Yet, we spend most of our time in the gym training on two. This creates a disconnect. Single-leg (unilateral) training is crucial for decade-proofing because it directly trains balance, stability, and proprioception (your body's awareness of itself in space). These are the first systems to degrade that can lead to falls, which are a major cause of injury and loss of independence in later life.
This challenge forces you to confront and correct imbalances between your left and right sides. You’ll quickly discover which hip is weaker, which ankle is less stable. By working on these asymmetries, you not only reduce your risk of injury but also build a more robust and athletic foundation for all movement. Mastering single-leg strength and balance means you are building the control and confidence to navigate any terrain life throws at you, from an icy sidewalk to an uneven hiking trail.
How to Approach It:
- Start Standing: Begin by practicing the single-leg stand. If 60 seconds is too much, start with 20 and build up. Once you're stable with your eyes open, try closing them. This removes visual feedback and forces your body's internal balance systems to work overtime. It will be humbling at first!
- Master the RDL: Before attempting pistol squats, master the single-leg Romanian Deadlift (RDL). This is a fantastic exercise for building hamstring strength and hip stability. Focus on a slow, controlled movement.
- Box Pistol Squats: The full pistol squat is an advanced move. Start by squatting down to a high box or chair, barely touching it before standing back up. As you get stronger, use a lower and lower surface until you no longer need it.
5. The "Farm-Strong" Power & Grip Challenge
The Challenge: Perform 100 Kettlebell Swings in under 5 minutes with a challenging weight and be able to Dead Hang from a pull-up bar for at least 60 seconds.
While strength is the ability to move a heavy load, power is the ability to move it quickly. Explosive power is one of the first physical attributes to decline with age, yet it's critical for real-world function. Think about catching yourself from a stumble, quickly lifting a heavy object onto a shelf, or jumping out of the way of a hazard. This is power in action. The kettlebell swing is arguably the best tool for developing accessible, full-body explosive power centered in the hips.
Complementing this power is the Dead Hang. This simple act of hanging from a bar is a potent tool for building grip strength, which, as we've noted, is strongly correlated with overall health and vitality. But it does more than that. It decompresses the spine, improves shoulder health and mobility, and builds upper-body tensile strength. It’s a foundational, almost primal movement that counteracts the hours we spend hunched over keyboards and phones. As my mentor Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes, simple, potent movements are the key to sustainable fitness.
How to Approach It:
- Hinge, Don't Squat: The power for the Kettlebell Swing comes from a powerful hip hinge, not a squat. Spend time mastering this movement without any weight first. The goal is to make the bell feel weightless at the top of the swing through a powerful hip snap. For the challenge, break up the 100 reps however you need (e.g., 10 sets of 10), but keep the rest periods short.
- Build Your Hang Time: Can't hang for 60 seconds? Start with 15- or 20-second holds. Accumulate a total of 60-90 seconds of hanging time in as few sets as possible. You can do this at the end of every workout.
- Grip Accessories: To support both movements, incorporate other grip-strengthening exercises like plate pinches, bottom-up kettlebell holds, and, of course, the Farmer's Carries from Challenge #1.
Your Future Self Will Thank You
These five challenges are more than just items to tick off a list. They represent a holistic approach to building a body that is not just fit for 2025, but strong, mobile, and resilient enough for 2035, 2045, and beyond. They target the foundational pillars of human movement: coordinated strength, ground-up mobility, cardiovascular versatility, unilateral stability, and real-world power.
Don't be intimidated. The goal isn't to master all of these on day one. The goal is to start. Pick the one that excites you the most, or the one you know you need the most, and begin the process. The journey of decade-proofing your body is a marathon, not a sprint, and every single repetition is a deposit in your physical pension plan.
So, which challenge will you take on first to build your resilient body in 2025? Share your choice in the comments below—we’d love to hear about your goals and support you on your journey
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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