Try the Sit-Stand Test

Guess what? I've finished the last of my gravel bike races of the season! I’m definitely ready for a break from riding so I can chill out, hike, and swim some more. All of this riding has taken up a lot of time, and some things in my life have taken a back seat (for better or worse). But as I read somewhere, you won’t look back at 80 and wish you’d spent more time doing housework! 

I’m also making time to take care of myself. My knees have been my weak point for the past ten or so years, so I’m seeing a physical therapist to see what I can do to help that. Stairs aren’t that fun for me, and I know it will only get worse if I don’t do something now. 

When I think about my knees, I always think about “the longevity check”. It’s called the sitting-rising test. Here’s how it works: 

1. Stand in the middle of the floor.
2. Cross your legs and lower yourself all the way down to the floor without using your hands, knees, or any support.
3. Then stand back up the same way.

Now, let’s score it:

• Give yourself 5 points if you could get down to the floor, and 5 points if you could stand back up. 
• Subtract 1 point each time you use a hand, knee or forearm
• Subtract 0.5 points for any wobble or loss of balance

What your score means:

• 8–10 points: You’ve got a strong baseline. Keep doing what you’re doing!
• 4–7 points: You’re getting up and down, but there’s room to improve strength, balance, and mobility. 
• 0–3 points: This is your sign to prioritize mobility, balance, and strength (and it’s very fixable).

How well you do on the test doesn’t only depend on your strength, but also muscle power, flexibility, balance, and body composition–all things that directly impact how you move and feel day-to-day.

A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that people who scored highest were about 6x less likely to die from cardiovascular issues and about 4x less likely to die from any cause.

If your score wasn’t where you want it to be (like mine), that’s actually the best part, because you can change your number! Here are a couple of exercises to get you started.

It’s never too late to start moving or start moving better!

REFERENCES:

www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/10-second-sitting-rising-test-longevity/

www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-the-sitting-rising-test-says-about-your-health

https://myheartsisters.org/2015/01/04/sitting-rising-test-whats-your-score/