Sit and rise test.
Down to the floor and up again, scored out of 10.
Sit down on the floor and stand up again, using as little support as you can. You start with 10 points and lose one each time you need a hand, a knee or another support. In a study of adults aged 46 to 75, scores of 8 and above sat in the lower risk groups, and the lowest scorers had about six times the risk of death from heart disease of the highest: a link found across a group, not a forecast for any one person.
Count as you go.
Press a button each time you need help or wobble, once for sitting down and once for standing up. Or ask someone to watch and press for you.
Your score: 10 of 10
Full score.
Worked out on your device. Nothing is sent or stored.
| Score | Result | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Full score | Down and up with no support and no wobble |
| 8 to 9.5 | Good | In the range that sat in the lower risk groups |
| Under 8 | Worth working on | Where I would start |
Source: Araújo 2025 (European Journal of Preventive Cardiology). The scores describe groups of people, not a diagnosis for any one person.
No hands, if you can.
- 1. Stand barefoot with clear space around you, and a wall or a sturdy chair nearby in case you need to steady yourself.
- 2. Without holding on to anything, lower yourself to sit on the floor, crossing your legs if you can.
- 3. Then stand back up, as smoothly as you can.
- 4. Score it. You start with 10 points: 5 for sitting down and 5 for standing up. Take off one point each time you use a hand, a knee, a forearm or the side of your leg on the floor, or push a hand on your own knee or thigh. A wobble costs half a point.
A score of 8 or more sat in the lower risk groups in the study. If yours came in under 8, leg strength and hip mobility work together in this test, so that is where I would start.
One test is one piece of the picture. The Five Minute Baseline adds a one leg stand, push-ups, an overhead squat and waist to height, each against the published average for your age.
What people ask first
What is a good score on the sit and rise test?
In a study of adults aged 46 to 75, scores of 8 and above sat in the lower risk groups. A full 10 means you sat down and stood up with no support and no wobble.
What does a low score mean?
In the same study, the lowest scorers had about six times the risk of death from heart disease of the highest scorers. That is a link found across a group, not a diagnosis or a forecast for you. If it worries you, talk to your GP. It is also where I would start.
Is this the same as the 30 second sit to stand test?
No. The chair test counts how many times you stand up from a chair in 30 seconds. The sit and rise asks you to sit on the floor and stand up again with as little support as you can, and it is scored out of 10.
Why is it hard to get up from the floor without using your hands?
Leg strength and hip mobility work together in this test, so a weak link in either shows up as a hand or a knee on the floor.
Is it safe to do at home?
Clear a space, keep a wall or a sturdy chair nearby, and stop if you feel pain or feel unwell. If you have had falls, a joint replacement or dizziness, ask your GP before you try it.
Twenty minutes, with me.
We talk about your week, your health and what you have tried before. If the programme fits you, I will say so. If it does not, I will say that too.