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A Fit&Well report describes a floor-to-stand fitness test recommended by coach Yancy Culp as a way to check basic movement ability. Research has found an association between lower scores on a related sitting-rising test and higher mortality, but the test is not a diagnosis or a forecast of an individual’s health. Culp suggests daily knee-roll drills to work on hip mobility.
A floor-to-stand fitness test is drawing attention as a way to check basic movement ability, after a Fit&Well report described coach Yancy Culp’s five tests and his advice for people who cannot rise from the floor without using their hands. A low score on a related sitting-rising test has been linked with higher mortality in research, but the test does not establish an individual’s health outlook or diagnose a condition.
Culp, identified in the report as a coach, co-creator of Spartan DEKA and senior director, designed five checks intended to help people assess whether they can perform everyday physical tasks. They ask whether a person can stand on one leg while doing a task, sit on the floor and stand without using their hands, hold a plank for 30 seconds, perform two reverse lunges, and walk briskly for 20 minutes. The report presents these as informal fitness checks, not clinical examinations.
The floor-to-stand task resembles 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 and higher mortality rates. That finding is an association; it does not show that difficulty standing up causes an early death, or that a single test result can predict what will happen to one person.
Asked how to work on the movement, Culp recommended a drill he calls knee rolls. From a seated position with the knees bent and lower legs on the floor, the person rolls both knees from one side to the other while keeping the feet in contact with the ground. He advised repeating the movement for 20 reps daily, leaning forward at the end of each roll. He said hands can be used for stability if needed, though they can be held up when possible. The report does not provide independent evidence that this drill improves test scores or health outcomes.
What the Test Can Tell You
Being able to get up from the floor without pushing off with the hands requires a combination of mobility, strength, balance and coordination. Difficulty with the task may be a practical signal that a person’s movement capacity has changed, and it can prompt them to think about which activities feel challenging. But it is not a stand-alone measure of overall health.
The mortality finding adds a reason to take the research seriously, while its limits matter just as much. A reported link between lower scores and higher mortality in a study population does not make the test a personal risk calculator. Age, health conditions, injuries and other factors can affect performance, and the supplied report does not give the study’s participant details, score thresholds or the size of the association. Readers should not interpret a failed attempt as proof of a medical problem.
The test also has an immediate safety consideration: attempting to rise from the floor without support could lead to a fall, especially for someone with pain, dizziness, balance problems or limited mobility. The point is to observe capability, not to force a movement. Anyone unsure whether it is safe can use support or seek advice from a qualified health professional.
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Five Checks for Basic Movement
The five-test set is presented in the Fit&Well report as a broad check-in rather than a formal assessment. Its tasks cover several different abilities: single-leg balance, floor mobility, core endurance, lunging and brisk walking. Passing one does not establish that all aspects of fitness are strong, and struggling with one does not by itself identify why.
The report’s author says they struggled with the floor-to-stand task and contacted Culp for suggestions. The response focused on hip and overall mobility, with knee rolls as a starting drill. Culp’s advice was to move back and forth while the knees stay close to the floor and the feet remain grounded, then lean forward toward the leg positioned in front. The report says he also shared a coaching video, but does not reproduce evidence comparing the drill with other approaches.
The research reference is related to, but not necessarily identical with, the informal test as described. The supplied material says the sitting-rising test was developed to measure muscular strength and flexibility; it does not provide the full study protocol or explain how its scoring maps onto Culp’s version. That distinction limits how directly readers can apply the study result to a casual test at home.
“Improving hip and overall mobility is very important for this one.”
— Yancy Culp, as quoted by Fit&Well
Limits of the Test Evidence
The supplied report does not state the publication date, the number or characteristics of participants in the 2014 study, the magnitude of the mortality association, or the score level linked to that finding. It also does not clarify whether Culp’s floor-to-stand test uses the same scoring procedure as the research test. Those missing details make it impossible to quantify what a low score means for an individual from this material alone.
It is also unclear whether knee rolls improve the ability to stand without using the hands, and how quickly any change might occur. Culp’s recommendation is coaching advice, not a treatment plan or a guarantee. The report does not provide guidance for people with specific medical conditions or injuries.
A Cautious Way to Practise
People interested in the test can treat it as an observation rather than a pass-or-fail health verdict. If it feels safe, they can note what support they use and whether the movement is comfortable, without forcing a rise or repeating attempts when balance is uncertain. Pain, dizziness or a recent injury are reasons to stop and seek appropriate advice.
Culp’s suggested knee rolls can be tried within a comfortable range, using the hands for stability when needed. Anyone with a pre-existing condition, significant mobility limitation or concern about falls should ask a qualified health professional before starting a new exercise routine. The next useful evidence would include fuller details of the 2014 study and research testing whether the drill changes movement performance; neither is supplied in the report.
Key Questions
Does struggling to stand up without using your hands mean you are unhealthy?
No. The test checks a movement involving strength, mobility and balance, but it cannot diagnose a condition or determine one person’s health outlook. Many factors can affect performance.
What did the 2014 study find?
As summarized by Fit&Well, the study found an association between lower sitting-rising test scores and higher mortality rates. The material provided does not give the size of the association or enough detail to interpret an individual result.
What are knee rolls?
They are a seated movement in which the knees roll from one side to the other while the feet remain on the floor. Culp recommended 20 repetitions daily, with the hands available for support if needed.
Should I try the test if I have balance problems or pain?
Do not force the movement. Use support or skip the test if it feels unsafe, and seek guidance from a qualified health professional if you have pain, a recent injury, a health condition or concerns about falling.
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