This Fitness Test Takes Seconds to Complete—and May Reveal How Long You’ll Live

A simple test who only takes a few seconds to be completed can help predict how long you could live, New research suggests.

THE “Assessing test”, “ Or SRT, measures how much you can sit down and get up from the ground without help. According to a study published in June European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

The SRT is a good predictor of the lifespan because it measures several aspects of the non-aerobic form, which is increasingly recognized as just as important for the longevity as Cardio, Claudio Gil S. Araújo, MD, PHD, main study author and director of research and education at the clinic-cliniiwimo exercise, said Health.

Here is what you need to know about the test and what it might say about your physical form and your longevity.

The SRT test measures to what extent you can sit down and get up from the ground, deducing the points if assistance is necessary. Starting with a maximum score of five points for the session and five for the increase, a point is deducted if part of the body, like a knee or a hand, is necessary to be supported during the execution of the test. Any instability or loss of balance during the test eliminates half a point.

To try the home test, follow these steps:

1. Start standing Barefoot on an unlisted surface like a thin carpet. Make sure you wear clothes that allow you to move your body freely.
2. Without worrying about speed, try to Sit on the ground Using the the least assistance required.
3. Sitting, try to go back to the standing position, Using the least assisted assistance again.

Throughout the test, you can cross your legs without any deduction, as long as you do not use the sides of your feet to support. A perfect score of 10 indicates the ability to stand up and get up without help, while a score of zero indicates that someone is unable to stand up and get up alone without help.

Experts say that people with physical or who are pregnant or elderly should not try the test.

The article is based on a 2014 study led by Araújo, which found a link between the low SRT scores and an increased risk of death of any cause.

The new study is expanding this research by using the same participants – those enrolled in a Brazilian research program on the exercise – but excludes the non -natural causes of death, including deaths related to COVID, and divides participants into more detailed rating groups, explained Araújo, who pioneer the SRT as an evaluation tool at the end of the 1990s.

Participants included 2,892 men and 1,390 women aged 46 to 75 without any physical restrictions. They were invited to sit and get up from the ground using the least possible support, without worrying about movement speed.

The researchers divided the scores into five groups, the lowest being zero and the highest being 10. Then, they then followed the participants after a 12 -year median.

Researchers’ results suggest that It could be.

During the follow -up period, 665 participants died of natural causes, most often cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory diseases. The results revealed that:

• Participants who had a score of 10, the highest, had an average mortality rate of 3.7%
• The mortality rate tripled to 11% for those who have a score of eight
• Those of the lowest score group had an increase in the mortality rate

Also noticeable: almost 50% of participants who could not get up from the ground alone died during a period of 10 years. Only three people with SRT scores of 10 died of natural causes during the first four years of follow -up.

Nicholas Mortensen, PHD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, said Health that the study was “large” and specifically noted its long duration and large sample size.

However, the authors noted that the participants came mainly from superior socioeconomic and education, which means that the results may not apply to a wider population. The use of drugs and current physical activity levels, which have a significant impact on longevity, was not included, added Mortensen.

The researchers did not studied why SRT could predict longevity. However, the test effectively Measure several components of non -aerobic physical condition that studies have shown are linked to longevity, said Araújo.

One of these factors is balance, Especially in the lower back and the abdominal muscles. It is “crucial to alleviate the risk of falling, a vital consideration as we age,” said Mortensen.

Falls are the main cause of fatal and non -fatal injuries in adults 65 years and over, according to centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition, someone’s ability to easily perform the SRT reveals a good amount on their Range of movement, Who tends to decrease with age if he is not trained regularly, added Mortensen.

A bad score could indicate a loss of muscle power, Or Dynama, which occurs with aging, explained Araújo. Research has shown that Dyapie is a strong mortality predictor in average age and the elderly.

If you try the SRT and your score is in the lower beach, Don’t worry – you can always improve, said Araújo. The key is whether the weak score is due to the lack of strength, flexibility, muscle power, balance or any combination of these factors, he said. A physiotherapist or a personal trainer can make this assessment.

The scores also decrease with age, although Anyone under 40 should get a perfect 10, advised Araújo.

Those who have trouble with SRT should prioritize the exercise – even in climbing stairs regularly can help develop the strength of the legs and the coordination of the full body, said Mortenson.

Studies have shown that sitting down and then standing from a chair can be “extremely precious because it teaches individuals to sit and stand up and can cause similar muscles used in the SRT test, but through a smaller and perhaps safer amplitude,” said Mortensen.

What is clear, he added is that the manufacture of a cardio and non-aerobic part of your regular routine is essential to long-term health.