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A Fit&Well report describes a floor-to-stand test promoted by coach Yancy Culp as a way to check basic movement abilities. Research has linked lower scores on a related sitting-rising test with higher mortality, but that association does not mean difficulty standing up predicts an individual’s health or proves a cause. Culp recommends daily knee rolls to work on hip mobility, with support as needed.
A floor-to-stand fitness check described by Fit&Well asks people to sit on the floor and rise without using their hands; coach Yancy Culp presents it as one of several simple ways to check basic movement abilities. A low score on a related test has been associated with higher mortality in research, but that finding is a population-level association—not proof that an individual who struggles to rise is in poor health or faces a particular outcome.
Fit&Well’s report outlines five checks Culp developed for people to assess whether their bodies are still performing basic movements: balancing on one leg while doing a task, sitting on the floor and standing without hands, holding a plank for 30 seconds, performing two reverse lunges, and walking briskly for 20 minutes. The report’s author said they were unable to complete the floor-to-stand test without rolling on the ground.
The test is described as a variation of the sitting-rising test, developed by Brazilian researchers in the 1990s to assess muscular strength and flexibility. Fit&Well cites a 2014 study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology that found an association between lower scores on that test and higher mortality rates. The supplied report does not provide the study’s sample size, effect estimates or details of how participants were followed, so the finding should not be treated as a personal risk calculation.
In an email to Fit&Well, Culp recommended a movement he calls knee rolls to work on hip and general mobility. The drill starts seated with the knees and lower legs on the floor, then involves moving both knees from one side to the other while keeping the feet in contact with the ground. He suggests repeating the movement for 20 repetitions daily, using the hands for stability if needed. The report does not provide clinical evidence that this drill improves test scores or changes health outcomes.
What the Floor Test Can Signal
Getting down to and up from the floor draws on more than one ability, including mobility, strength and balance. Difficulty with the movement may be a useful prompt to notice a change in function or to discuss movement concerns with a qualified health professional, particularly if the difficulty is new, worsening or accompanied by pain, dizziness or weakness.
But the test is not presented as a medical screening tool. The study association cited by Fit&Well does not establish that a low score causes higher mortality, nor does it show that failing the test alone predicts what will happen to a particular person. Ability can also depend on factors the report does not examine, including injury, disability, age, body proportions or the surface and technique used. The value for readers is as a simple movement check—not a verdict about their health.
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The Test and Its Research Basis
Culp, identified in the Fit&Well report as a coach, Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director, said the five checks were intended to help people “check in with their body and understand whether it’s still doing the basics well.” The report frames them as practical fitness checks rather than formal diagnostic tests.
The floor-rise movement is related to a test developed by Brazilian researchers in the 1990s. Fit&Well says the 2014 study linked lower sitting-rising scores with higher mortality. That earlier research provides context for why the movement has attracted attention, but the material provided does not establish that the five checks as a group have been validated for predicting health outcomes, or that practicing knee rolls affects mortality.
“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 Evidence and Test
The supplied report does not give the 2014 study’s sample size, participant characteristics, numerical results or the extent to which researchers accounted for other health factors. It also does not establish whether the association applies equally across different ages or ability levels. The evidence described cannot show that difficulty standing up causes poorer health or that improving the movement changes mortality risk.
There is also no single score or threshold in the material that defines a failed test, and no information about how to adapt it safely for people with pain, balance problems or mobility limitations. The knee-roll routine is Culp’s coaching recommendation; the report does not cite a trial testing its effects.
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How to Approach the Movement
Culp’s suggested starting point is to practice knee rolls, aiming for 20 repetitions each day and keeping the hands available for balance when necessary. Readers should not force the movement or treat a test result as a diagnosis. Anyone with pain, a recent injury, significant balance concerns or a pre-existing condition should seek guidance from a clinician or qualified exercise professional before trying a new routine.
The report does not announce a follow-up study or a formal testing program. For now, the practical next step is to treat the floor-rise check as an observation of current function, make any practice appropriate to one’s abilities, and seek professional advice about new or persistent difficulty.
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Key Questions
What does the floor-to-stand test involve?
It asks a person to sit on the floor and stand back up without using their hands. Fit&Well describes it as one of five informal movement checks from coach Yancy Culp.
Does failing the test mean I am unhealthy?
No. The report does not establish that a single test can diagnose a health problem or predict an individual’s outcome. Difficulty can have several causes, and a new or persistent problem is best discussed with a qualified health professional.
What did the 2014 study find?
As summarized by Fit&Well, the study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found an association between lower scores on a related sitting-rising test and higher mortality rates. The report does not provide enough study detail to quantify that relationship or apply it to an individual.
What are knee rolls?
They are a seated movement in which both knees move from one side to the other while the feet stay in contact with the floor. Culp recommends 20 repetitions daily and says the hands can be used for stability when needed.
Should I practice if I have pain or balance problems?
Do not force the movement. If you have pain, a recent injury, substantial balance concerns or a pre-existing condition, ask a clinician or qualified exercise professional for guidance before starting.
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