Physiologists from Brazil have developed a simple exercise that allows you to quickly evaluate the flexibility and physical endurance of a person. Its implementation does not require any special equipment, and the exercise itself, according to its creators, can determine how soon any of us will leave this world.
Brazilian physiologists believe that the physical exercise, which consists in the ability to quickly sit on the floor and get up equally quickly without using hands, can measure the physical endurance and flexibility. They have developed a special system of evaluation according to the 10-point scale. It turned out that the people who received 3 points or less for this exercise were 5 times more likely to pass away during the next six years of life than those who received more than 8 points.
Initially, one of the creators of this test, Claudio Gil Araujo from Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro created a test together with his colleagues to assess the flexibility of professional athletes, but then he decided to use it with all the patients who needed to stay active to maintain the muscle mass and balance that contributes to longevity. As we age, our muscles become weaker, and balance is lost, increasing the risk of falls.
The existing methods of evaluating this physical endurance take a long time and are not too practical and accurate for the doctors who prepare their patients for a surgery. Dr. Araujo says that any person can easily pass this test as it does not require any special equipment. The first step is to sit on the floor, with the legs bent in front of you, while during the second stage you need to stand up fast. The first and second stages can bring you up to 5 points each. The total number of points is reduced by one point each time you use hands or knees to carry out the actions and support yourself. Half a point is deducted each time when a significant lack of stability, swinging, bending etc. is observed.
