Test yourself: Are you able to get down on the floor and back up with ease?

When was the last time you sat down on the floor and then stood back up without using your hands or leaning on something for support? It might sound simple, but this basic movement says a lot about your overall health, strength, and longevity.

Researchers published a study in 2014 involving more than 2,000 men and women aged 51 to 80, testing their ability to sit down on the ground and rise back up with minimal assistance. Six years after the initial testing, the researchers followed up with the participants — and the results were striking.

Those who had struggled to get up and down without support were significantly more likely to have died during the follow-up period than those who could perform the task easily. In other words, the ability to move from the floor to standing (and back again) isn’t just a matter of flexibility or strength; it’s a powerful predictor of long-term health and survival.

The test, often called the Sit-and-Rise Test (SRT), measures a combination of balance, mobility, muscle strength, and coordination. Participants lose points for using their hands, knees, or other supports to get down or back up.

Those who scored higher tended to have:

• Greater lower-body strength
• Better joint mobility
• Stronger balance and coordination
• A lower risk of falling
• And, as the study showed, better overall health outcomes

It’s not about perfection or age, it’s about maintaining the physical capacity to move freely and safely in your daily life.

Try It for Yourself

The video below demonstrates three different ways to get down to the ground and back up again. Each variation challenges your strength and flexibility in unique ways, using different muscle groups and movement patterns.

Try each method and notice:

• Which version feels easiest or most natural?
• Where do you feel restricted or unsteady?
• Can you perform the movement on both sides equally, or is one side stronger or more flexible than the other?

Be sure to test each leg separately, as asymmetry between sides is common and it can reveal important information about your body’s balance and strength.

The Sit-and-Rise Test if the third one in the video. Do not do it if your knees feel vulnerable. To assess your results, start by giving yourself a score of 10, and then subtract one point for each of the following items:

• Bracing yourself with a hand on a solid surface (including a wall or ground)
• Touching your knee to the floor
• Supporting yourself on the side of your leg
• Losing your balance

Your score is your baseline number; overtime, aim to get to 10.

If any of these movements feel difficult, don’t be discouraged. Instead, use it as insight into where your body could use more attention.

Focus your exercise routine on:

• Mobility work to increase range of motion in your hips and ankles
• Strength exercises for the legs and core
• Balance training to improve coordination and stability

Over time, integrating these kinds of movements into your daily exercise routine can make a big difference not only in how easily you move, but in your long-term health and independence.

Give these tests a try. See where you stand (and sit 😉), and use it as motivation to keep moving, strengthening, and maintaining your flexibility, because staying mobile truly is one of the best ways to stay alive and well.