There are many situations in life where being in shape could mean the difference between a slight inconvenience and a full-blown disaster. Faced with an emergency, adrenalin alone won't necessarily be enough to save you - when it's depleted, you and your fitness are on your own.

‘Fitness isn't just about working out at the gym or running a marathon,' Dr Pamela Peeke, fitness expert and author of Fit To Live (Macmillan Publishers, $38) says. ‘It's about coping with life's emergencies, whether it's running to make an airport connection or fleeing a burning building. We need to be strong enough to survive 21st century living.'

Are you ready?

So how prepared is your body? These mini-challenges have been designed to test your core fitness markers, such as strength, endurance, flexibility and balance:

Sit on a chair with one leg extended and the other bent. Can you touch the toes of your extended leg? Change legs.

Without using your arms, stand up from a chair at least eight times over 30 seconds.

Standing, raise one foot, arms overhead. Close your eyes and see if you can stay balanced for 20 seconds. Change legs.

Do at least 15 push-ups on your knees in 60 seconds if you're a woman under 50 years old. Men, do at least 17 with straight legs.

If you're under 50 and female, walk or run six laps of a 400m oval in less than 17 minutes. Men, aim for less than 14 minutes.

From a standing position, get down flat on the floor, then get up again unaided.

Without holding on to a hand rail, climb 20 steps in 40 seconds.

Survivor's workout

Now that you know your strengths and weaknesses, here's how to develop your abilities so you're ready for anything:

FLEXIBILITY Do side lunges.

Why it's important: Ease of movement and good balance and coordination may help you cope with the shaking and falling debris of an earthquake.

AEROBIC FITNESS Do regular 30-minute jogs, or 60-minute brisk walks.

Why it's important: Physical endurance is essential, especially when faced with swimming out to rescue a drowning victim.

BALANCE Hop on one leg, then switch.

Why it's important: If you're stuck in a panicked crowd, good balance will help stop you being knocked underfoot.

STRENGTH Do straight-leg push-ups.

Why it's important: A strong chest and arms may help you push heavy objects out of the way, or carry a child to safety.

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