Most of us think about longevity in terms of blood tests, expensive scans, and sophisticated supplements. But what if one of the strongest predictors of future health lies in the most everyday movements: the ability to get up from the floor, stand on one leg while putting on a shoe, or shake hands firmly? In a new episode of the Huberman Lab podcast, Jeff Cavaliere, a physical therapist and fitness coach behind the ATHLEAN-X channel, joins Andrew Huberman to present a simple yet powerful idea: movement tests that take just seconds and require no equipment can reveal hidden weaknesses in balance, stability, and strength—weaknesses that science directly links to health risks. Most importantly, these tests are not meant to scare, but to serve as a tool showing you exactly what you should start training today.
What the Video Presents
Cavaliere presents what he sometimes calls the "old man test": try putting on a shoe while standing, without leaning on a wall or chair. It sounds trivial, but anyone who loses balance mid-movement discovers in real time that their stability on one leg is no longer what it used to be. Huberman and Cavaliere expand this idea to several simple home tests, all measuring the same thing: the functional ability that keeps us independent as we age: strength, balance, joint mobility, and posture. They emphasize that local weaknesses—for example, an unstable foot or dormant glute muscles—can masquerade as entirely different problems, such as lower back pain, and that improving this basic ability affects the entire movement chain. The central idea of the conversation is that these abilities can and should be actively practiced and preserved at any age, rather than waiting until they disappear.
The Evidence Behind the Tests
What makes this conversation particularly interesting is that behind each home test stands real, well-known research. These are not tricks; they are functional measures tested on thousands of people.
Test 1: The Sitting-Rising Test from 2014
In a Brazilian study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers led by Claudio Gil de Araújo followed about 2,000 men and women aged 51 to 80. Participants were asked to sit on the floor and rise from it in a stable manner, with each support on a hand, knee, or other aid deducting points from a maximum score of 10. People scoring below 8 showed a mortality rate 2 to 5 times higher over a follow-up period of about 6 years. Each single point improvement in the score was associated with about a 21% reduction in all-cause mortality. The test simultaneously reflects strength, flexibility, balance, and body composition, which is why it predicts so well.
Test 2: 10-Second One-Legged Stance from 2022
A follow-up study by the same group, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, examined about 1,700 people aged 51 to 75 and tested one simple thing: whether they could stand on one leg for 10 seconds. Those who failed the test had about an 84% higher risk of mortality over roughly a decade, and even after adjusting for age, sex, weight, and underlying diseases, the risk remained about 80% higher. 7.5% of those who failed the test died during follow-up, compared to only 4.6% of those who passed. Balance, it turns out, is a window into the state of the nervous system, muscles, and joints all together.
Test 3: Grip Strength from 2015
The massive PURE study, published in The Lancet led by Darryl Leong, measured grip strength in nearly 140,000 people across 17 countries. The finding was clear: every 5-kilogram decrease in grip strength was associated with about a 16% increase in all-cause mortality risk, as well as an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. In fact, grip strength predicted mortality better than systolic blood pressure. Grip strength here serves as a mirror for overall muscle mass and strength, making it a convenient and quick biomarker of physical condition.
Why These Tests Are So Powerful
The common denominator of the three tests is that they all measure complex functional ability in a single action. Getting up from the floor requires leg strength, hip flexibility, core stability, and balance simultaneously. Standing on one leg requires coordination between the nervous system, joint position sensors, and stabilizing muscles. Grip strength reflects overall muscle mass, which begins to decline in a process called sarcopenia as early as age 30 and accelerates after age 60. When one of these abilities weakens, it is often a sign that the entire system is starting to lose reserves. That is why a 10-second test can capture something a single blood test misses: your body's overall score in daily function.
The Important Caution: It's a Signpost, Not a Diagnosis
Here we need to be completely honest, and both Cavaliere and Huberman are very careful about this point. These tests are not a medical diagnosis or a death sentence. They are a population-level correlation measure, meaning they show statistical risk in large groups, not a prediction for what will happen to an individual. A person with a knee injury, an inner ear vestibular problem, or an orthopedic limitation may fail the test for a reason entirely unrelated to their life expectancy. The real value of the tests is twofold: first, as a source of motivation and awareness, a moment when your body signals that it's worth investing. Second, and most importantly, the abilities they measure are trainable and improvable at any age. A low score is not the problem; it is just the thermometer. Someone who fails the one-legged stance today can, in most cases, pass the test within weeks of focused practice.
How to Train the Abilities Behind the Tests
The good news is that strength, balance, and mobility respond quickly to training. Here is how to work on each ability the tests reveal:
- Leg strength and getting up from the floor: Practice sitting and rising from the floor as part of your routine; add squats, lunges, and deadlifts with moderate weight. The thigh and glute muscles are the engine of the rise.
- Balance and stability: Try standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, initially with a light hold and then without. As you improve, close your eyes to further challenge the balance system.
- Grip strength and muscle mass: Carrying heavy bags in your hands (farmer's carry), hanging from a bar, and general resistance training strengthen grip and build muscle mass that protects against sarcopenia.
- Joint mobility and posture: Dedicate a few minutes daily to stretching hips, shoulders, and ankles. A well-moving joint enables all other movements.
- Consistency over intensity: A few minutes each day is better than an exhausting workout once a week. These abilities are maintained through regular upkeep, not a one-time effort.
If you want a structured program that builds all four abilities together—aerobic, strength, mobility, and balance—you can use our Longevity Training Program Builder, which adapts the practice to your level, age, and available equipment.
The Broader Perspective
The conversation between Cavaliere and Huberman brings the discussion on longevity back down to earth, literally. In an era where it is easy to chase miracle molecules and expensive genetic tests, it turns out that some of the strongest predictors of health and independence in old age are exactly the things you can practice in your living room, for free, starting today. The tests are not the goal but the mirror: they remind us that strength, balance, and mobility are not luxuries for athletes but the foundation of an independent life. The ability to get up from the floor at age 80 is worth more than any supplement, and the path to getting there begins with one simple movement you do right, every day.
References:
Brito et al., Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2014
Araujo et al., Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022
Leong et al., Prognostic value of grip strength, PURE study, The Lancet, 2015
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