The sitting-rising test has been widely accepted as a way to predict mortality risk in the elderly. The test developed in the 1990s asks subjects to rise from the floor using as little support as possible. Points are deducted every time the test subject places a hand, knee, etc as a leverage point to propel themselves up rather than relying on their muscular strength and balance.
While most of us prefer not to guesstimate about our own mortality. The ability to rise from the floor unassisted is clearly a useful and necessary skill. We don’t want searching for a shoe under the bed to lead to us being trapped on the floor unable to go forward with our day. Or, even more terrifying, falling down somewhere when we are alone and not being able to get up and get back to our safe and cozy home.
It’s easy if we are fit to dismiss the sitting-rising test, but as they say- ‘use it or lose it’. Rising from the floor is an easy skill to lose before we even know it’s slipped out of reach.
While it’s not the most elegant exercise, even young people should add getting up and down from the floor into their fitness routines. We should build some rising skills and strategies when it’s not a big challenge, so we’re better prepared for the time when we naturally lose muscle mass with age or if we need to rehabilitate from an injury, illness or surgery. Practicing options for rising in new ways can gives us options in case an injury or surgery makes our preferred way to rise no longer possible.
It can be easy and fun to practice your rising skills- and there is no equipment necessary!
Follow these simple steps to get started:
- Give yourself a reasonable goal of repetitions. Maybe start with 3-5 times a day.
- Find an open patch of floor. If you have sensitive knees or hips add some padding; a rug, mat or even a blanket. Make sure that your padding is secure and won’t slide easily, maybe try a sticky yoga mat under a blanket if you do not have carpet.
- If rising is a challenge for you keep a phone nearby (in case of emergency) and an additional support like a sturdy chair in the case that you need an intermediary level to pull yourself up with.
- Lower yourself to the floor and stand up.
- Note for yourself the pathway that you habitually use to stand. For example: do you tend to roll to your right side, tuck your right knee, press your right palm to the floor to roll onto the knee, put your left foot to the floor, press your left palm against your knee, throw your body weight to the left and press your right palm to your left knee- before finally rising?
- Next time you rise try to eliminate one step of support or experiment with changing the pathway. For example; roll left first and challenge yourself to do everything on the opposite side.
- Do your best to use muscle rather than a rocking motion of momentum to bring yourself off of the floor.
- For extra challenge you can time yourself and work towards shortening the amount of time it takes to ascend and descend while improvising alternative pathways through your body to accomplish the task.
- Listen to music and make it a dance!
I hope you enjoy the sitting-rising game and see you in the studio soon!