There's a simple test that takes about ten seconds and can tell you more about your longevity than most blood panels. It's called the Sitting Rising Test, and it was developed by a Brazilian physician named Claudio Gil Araújo. The concept is almost embarrassingly simple: sit down on the floor and stand back up without using your hands, knees, or forearms for support.

A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that adults aged 51 to 80 who scored poorly on this test were five to six times more likely to die within the next six years than those who could do it cleanly. Five to six times. From a floor test.

The good news is that even if you can't do it right now — and plenty of healthy people can't — it's a trainable skill. With the right progression, most people can go from needing both hands and a knee to standing up smoothly within a few months of practice.

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How the Sitting Rising Test Works

You start standing, wearing comfortable clothes and bare feet. Lower yourself to a cross-legged sitting position on the floor. Then stand back up. That's it.

Scoring is on a 10-point scale: 5 points for sitting down, 5 points for standing up. You lose one point each time you use a hand, knee, forearm, or the side of your leg for support. You lose half a point for a noticeable loss of balance.

A perfect score is 10. The study found that scores below 8 were associated with significantly higher mortality risk. But don't panic if your score is low — the test is measuring a combination of strength, flexibility, balance, and motor coordination, all of which improve with practice.

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What the SRT Actually Measures

The test isn't just about leg strength, although that's part of it. It measures hip mobility (can you get into and out of a cross-legged position?), core stability (can you control your trunk during the transition?), balance (can you maintain equilibrium while your center of gravity shifts dramatically?), and coordination (can you sequence the movements smoothly?).

These are exactly the physical capacities that decline with aging and predict functional independence. A person who can get off the floor without assistance can also recover from a fall, get out of a bathtub, play with grandchildren on the floor, and perform dozens of other real-world tasks. For targeted ankle and balance training, see our dedicated morning routine.

That's why it predicts mortality so strongly — it's not measuring one thing, it's measuring everything at once.

Step One: Assess Where You Are

Try the test in a safe space — next to a bed or couch you can grab if needed. Have someone nearby the first time, especially if you have any balance concerns.

Don't be discouraged by your initial score. Most Americans over 55 who haven't specifically trained this movement score between 5 and 7. That's normal. It reflects our chair-based lifestyle more than any inherent limitation.

Record your score. You'll want this baseline for comparison as you improve.

Step Two: Build the Foundation Movements

If you can't get down to the floor safely yet, start here. Practice sitting on progressively lower surfaces: from a standard chair to a low stool, from the stool to a stack of firm cushions on the floor, from the cushions to the floor itself.

Hip mobility is usually the first barrier. Practice sitting cross-legged on the floor for 30 seconds to two minutes daily, using a wall for back support if needed. This alone restores hip range of motion over two to three weeks. If tight hip flexors are limiting your mobility, our guide on psoas release can help.

Core strength is the second barrier. Planks (hold a push-up position on your forearms for 20 to 30 seconds), dead bugs (lying on your back, extending opposite arm and leg while keeping your back flat), and bird dogs (on hands and knees, extending opposite arm and leg) all build the trunk stability you need.

Step Three: The Half-Kneeling Progression

The half-kneeling position — one knee on the ground, the other foot flat in front of you — is the bridge between the floor and standing. Master this transition first.

From a kneeling position on both knees, step one foot forward into a half-kneeling lunge. Then press through the front foot to stand. Practice this ten times, five leading with each leg. Use a chair for hand support initially and remove it as strength improves. Building overall leg strength will accelerate your progress here.

Reverse the movement: from standing, step one foot back and lower the knee to the ground gently. Then bring the other knee down. This controlled descent is the harder part for most people and requires more quad and glute strength.

Step Four: The Cross-Legged Sit-to-Stand

Once you can reliably move between kneeling and standing without hands, it's time to work on the full cross-legged version.

Start from a seated cross-legged position. Lean forward, shift your weight onto your feet, and press up to standing. The trick is to get your center of gravity far enough forward over your feet before you push up. Most people fail because they try to stand up straight from the seated position — you need to lean forward first.

Practice near a wall or sturdy furniture. Use one hand for balance if you need to, then gradually reduce your reliance on it. Going from two hands to one hand to fingertip touch to no hands is a normal progression that takes four to eight weeks.

How Often to Practice

Daily practice is ideal, but three to four times per week produces meaningful improvement. Each session takes five to ten minutes.

Practice on a carpeted surface or yoga mat for comfort and joint protection. Bare feet provide better traction and sensory feedback than socks or shoes.

Retest your SRT score every two to three weeks. Most people improve by 1 to 2 points within the first month and reach their maximum improvement within three to four months.

💡 Your SRT Improvement Plan

Follow these steps to systematically improve your Sitting Rising Test score:

  • Test yourself first to establish a baseline score — do it near a couch or bed for safety.
  • Spend the first two weeks on hip mobility (daily cross-legged sitting) and core work (planks, dead bugs).
  • Practice the half-kneeling to standing transition before attempting the full cross-legged version.
  • Lean your trunk forward before trying to stand from the floor — this shifts your center of gravity over your feet where it needs to be.
  • Reduce hand support gradually: two hands, one hand, fingertip touch, no hands.
  • Practice on carpet or a yoga mat, barefoot, for comfort and traction.
  • Do it daily if possible, or at minimum three to four times per week.
  • Retest every two to three weeks to track measurable progress.

⚠️ Common SRT Practice Mistakes

These errors slow your progress or create unnecessary risk:

  • Trying the full test on a hard surface without padding — this punishes your knees and discourages practice.
  • Attempting the test without anything nearby to grab — the first several attempts should always be near a sturdy support.
  • Trying to stand up without leaning forward first — this is mechanically impossible for most people and leads to falling backward.
  • Skipping the foundation work — hip mobility and core strength are prerequisites, not optional extras.
  • Comparing your score to younger adults — the test is meaningful relative to your own starting point, and improvement at any level reduces mortality risk.
  • Giving up after a low initial score — the score is a starting point, not a verdict. It improves reliably with practice.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sitting Rising Test?

The SRT is a simple test where you sit down on the floor cross-legged and stand back up, scoring points based on how much support you need. It was developed by a Brazilian physician and has been shown to predict all-cause mortality in adults over 50.

What is a good score on the Sitting Rising Test?

A perfect score is 10. Scores of 8 or above are associated with significantly lower mortality risk. Scores below 8 suggest room for improvement in strength, flexibility, balance, or coordination.

Can I improve my SRT score at age 65 or older?

Yes. The movements tested by the SRT — hip mobility, core stability, leg strength, and balance — all respond to training regardless of age. Most people improve 1 to 2 points within the first month of regular practice.

Is the Sitting Rising Test safe for people with knee problems?

Practice on a padded surface and use hand support as needed. If you have severe knee pain or a knee replacement, modify the test by starting from a kneeling position rather than cross-legged. Consult your doctor or physical therapist if you're unsure.

How often should I practice the Sitting Rising Test?

Daily practice is ideal. Three to four times per week is the minimum for meaningful improvement. Each practice session takes only 5 to 10 minutes.

Summary & Final Thoughts

The Sitting Rising Test is humbling for a lot of people the first time they try it. That's actually the point. It reveals gaps in mobility, strength, and balance that you didn't know you had — gaps that matter for your health and independence.

But here's the thing that makes this test different from a blood pressure reading or a cholesterol number: you can directly practice the test itself, and the practice is the training. Every time you sit on the floor and get back up, you're improving the exact physical capacities that the test measures.

So try it. Score yourself honestly. Then practice. In a few months, that number will be higher, and your body will be more capable. That's a trade worth making.