I found this video on Boing Boing, a treasure trove of inanity and great stuff like this. This video has great appeal for me because when clients come to learn to walk I am studying them from the minute they walk in. I open a mental dossier on each and every client and take notes. One of the first things I look for when we get started is how easy or hard it is for someone to get up and down off of the floor.
It is an amazing thing to watch as what many people take for granted is a great deal of work for others.
The first video relates to a study that found a higher mortality rate among those who moved less smoothly. Fascinating stuff. I filmed myself and my kids taking the test. I am usually posting clips of things that I do very well so here I get to take a bite of humple pie. On my way down you can see my piriformis and gluteal issues. As at certain point I can no longer control my descent and I hit the ground hard. Coming up, it takes me one or two tries but I sort of figure it out—though it ain’t pretty.
My kids are interesting to watch as well. You should take the test yourself and see how you do. Make a video and send it to us and we will share our analysis with you.
I have to brag a little on this one. At 62 (almost), I can still easily sit and stand on the floor using no hands or other props! It’s due to many years as a dance teacher (primarily ballet, with some modern dance and yoga in there too), so I was up and down off the floor every day, often several times a day. I’m retired from my university teaching job now, but hope to continue doing a little teaching, and keep my ability to get up and down off the floor easily!
I love it! I have to admit that I thought it would be a bit easier for me. We went to see Leonard Cohen last week and at 78 he was getting up and down from the floor over and over again with no hands. I am shooting for that.
[...] couple of weeks ago I put up a video showing me doing a sitting and standing test. I acquit myself well enough but my descent lacks control for the final foot or so and I plop onto [...]
I think cultures that incorporate sitting on the floor must maintain core musculature much better than modern western societies. We should probably all get rid of our furniture!
Really love your blog so much!
Forgot to add, I found the test much easier to do without crossing the ankles. I think you get some quad leverage going down and coming up without the crossed ankles, but that might just be me.
Do you have to cross the ankles? From a wise legged squat it is significantly easier for me. Like malasana only with like heels on toes off the mat kinda thing?
I think anything works if you can get straight up without the help of your hands. I could never do it without crossing my ankles while my son is the opposite and does it from a squat.
Do you have any recommendations on what to do for someone who can’t get up without help of hand, knee down, etc.? My daughter and I can do this with ease, but my husband and 16 year old son can’t get up (even with rocking) without using a hand. I’m assuming this means something about their core muscles.
You have to start by figuring out why they can’t get up. For some it is tight hips, some lack of core, etc. Start by figuring out what isn’t help and then develop that.
[...] I am well pleased to have reached fifty will no prescriptions in my medicine cabinet, the ability to sit and stand with no assist from my hands, and a marriage and children that feed me in a way that I could never have imagined ten years [...]