TL;DR
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Fit&Well described a floor-to-stand fitness test from coach Yancy Culp and reported that one writer could not complete it without using their hands. The test resembles the sitting-rising test, which research has linked to mortality outcomes, but difficulty with the movement alone does not establish a health risk or diagnosis.
Fit&Well has reported that a writer was unable to get up from the floor without using their hands during a fitness check devised by coach Yancy Culp. The movement is a variation of the sitting-rising test, and research has associated lower scores on that test with higher mortality rates; the result is a fitness indicator, not a diagnosis or a prediction of an individual’s health.
Culp, identified by Fit&Well as a coach, co-creator of Spartan DEKA and senior director, designed five simple checks to help people assess whether they can perform basic movements. They ask whether someone can balance on one leg while doing a task, sit on the floor and stand without hand support, hold a plank for 30 seconds, complete two reverse lunges and walk briskly for 20 minutes.
The writer said they could not complete the floor-to-stand test without assistance. The article describes it as a variation of the sitting-rising test, developed by Brazilian researchers in the 1990s to assess muscular strength and flexibility. A 2014 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found an association between lower scores and higher mortality rates. That finding is an association; it does not show that difficulty rising causes poor health or can determine one person’s lifespan.
In an email to Fit&Well, Culp recommended a daily movement he calls knee rolls to work on hip and overall mobility. Starting seated with knees bent and lower legs on the ground, the person lowers both knees to one side, then lifts and rolls them to the other while keeping the feet in contact with the floor. Culp suggested repeating the movement for 20 reps, leaning forward at the end of each roll, and using the hands for stability if needed.
A Movement Check, Not a Diagnosis
Getting down to and up from the floor involves more than one physical capacity. The test can prompt people to notice challenges with mobility, strength and coordination that may affect everyday tasks. It may also offer a practical reason to discuss changes in movement with a health professional, especially if they are new, worsening or accompanied by pain, weakness or falls.
However, a single attempt is not a medical assessment. Performance may vary with age, injury, fatigue, balance, body proportions or the conditions in which someone tries the movement. The mortality association reported in the study should not be turned into a claim that anyone who uses their hands is in immediate danger. The source does not provide enough information to calculate an individual’s risk from this test.
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How the Floor Test Fits In
The five checks were presented as basic movement screens, rather than a formal exercise program or clinical examination. Culp told Fit&Well their purpose was to let people “check in with their body and understand whether it’s still doing the basics well.” The article’s writer had previously noticed a balance difficulty while working on another fitness test and said that practicing a one-leg task helped improve it; that is a personal account, not evidence that the same approach works for everyone.
The sitting-rising test has been studied as a measure of physical capacity. The source cites a 2014 study reporting an association between lower scores and mortality, but does not give the study’s sample details, scoring method or effect size. Those limits matter: the result cannot be directly applied to the simpler fitness check as a personalized health forecast.
“Improving hip and overall mobility is very important for this one.”
— Yancy Culp, in an email to Fit&Well
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Limits of the Test and Study
The source report does not include the 2014 study’s methods, participant details, scoring thresholds or the size of the reported association. It also does not establish that Culp’s floor-to-stand variation has been validated as a measure of mortality risk. It remains unclear how well performance on this particular check predicts health outcomes for an individual.
The article gives no clinical guidance on who should avoid attempting the movement. Anyone concerned about falls, pain, a recent injury or difficulty getting up safely should not push through the test alone; a clinician or qualified exercise professional can advise on a suitable assessment and modifications.
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Safe Ways to Practice the Movement
Culp’s suggested starting point is knee rolls, repeated back and forth for 20 reps daily, with the hands available as stabilisers where needed. The advice comes from the coach quoted in Fit&Well, not from a clinical trial described in the report. People should stop if the movement causes pain or feels unsafe, and can seek professional guidance before practicing if they have a health condition or injury.
The next useful step is to treat the test as an observation rather than a pass-or-fail verdict: note what feels difficult, avoid risky attempts without support, and raise persistent or sudden changes in mobility with a health professional. The source provides no follow-up results showing whether the writer’s ability improved after practicing knee rolls.
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Key Questions
What does the floor-to-stand test involve?
It asks whether you can sit on the floor and stand back up without using your hands. Fit&Well describes it as a variation of the sitting-rising test.
Does needing your hands mean you have a health problem?
No. A difficult attempt is not a diagnosis or a reliable individual forecast. Strength, mobility, balance, pain, fatigue and other factors can affect performance.
What did the cited research find?
The report says a 2014 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found an association between lower sitting-rising test scores and higher mortality rates. An association does not prove that a low score causes poor health or predicts an individual outcome.
What are knee rolls?
They are a seated movement Culp recommended to practice hip mobility: lower bent knees to one side, then lift and roll them to the other while keeping the feet on the floor. He suggested 20 repetitions and said hands can be used for stability.
Should I try the test if I have pain or fall concerns?
Do not attempt it in a way that feels unsafe or forces painful movement. Ask a health professional or qualified exercise professional about a safer assessment, particularly if you have an injury, balance concerns or a pre-existing condition.
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