TL;DR
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Fit&Well reported two balance exercises suggested by Yancy Culp: deliberately slow walking and slow high knees. Culp recommends practicing regularly and increasing the challenge over time, but the report does not provide research evidence or clinical guidance confirming the drills’ results.
Fit&Well has reported two simple balance drills recommended by Yancy Culp, a Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director: walking very slowly to lengthen the time spent balancing on each foot, and raising the knees slowly in a controlled cycle. The exercises are presented as ways to practice balance and coordination, including for people who do not yet feel steady standing on one leg.
Culp’s first drill, which he calls “delayed walking,” is to walk slowly for several minutes a day. The point is to extend the transition between steps, so the person spends longer balancing on one foot than during their usual walking pace. Culp recommends gradually increasing the time for each step transition during practice. The report does not specify an exact starting speed or a required duration for each step.
The second exercise adapts a familiar high-knee drill. Culp says to raise one knee slowly and take three seconds to complete the movement before returning the foot to the ground, continuing for two minutes daily. He suggests adding one second to the leg cycle every fifth day. His proposed progression reaches a 10-second cycle after 35 days; that is his suggested schedule, not a result independently verified in the report.
Culp also describes optional challenges, including briefly closing the eyes or reaching down with both hands to touch the raised foot. These make the movement harder and may affect stability. The article does not give a formal safety assessment or individual modifications for these variations. Anyone practicing should use a clear area and a nearby stable support, and should not attempt eyes-closed or reaching variations if they feel unsafe.
Practicing Balance in Daily Movement
Balance supports ordinary movements such as walking, dressing and changing direction. The report’s practical focus is on repeated, controlled practice, rather than requiring people to start with a demanding one-leg hold. Slow walking and knee lifts can make a balance challenge part of a short daily routine, with the option to raise difficulty gradually.
Culp says balance is connected to confidence in movement and fall risk, and that it becomes more important with age. Those points are his rationale for the drills, not evidence in this report that these particular exercises prevent falls or produce a specific health outcome. Readers should treat the recommendations as general exercise suggestions, not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional advice when balance problems are new, persistent or affecting daily activities.
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How the Two Drills Build Challenge
The Fit&Well report frames standing on one leg during a task as one of Culp’s five fitness “litmus tests.” The other tests, according to the article, concern cardiovascular fitness, strength and mobility. The example used is standing on one leg while tying a shoe. Culp says difficulty staying steady during such a task may indicate that balance and coordination need attention; it is not presented as a clinical test.
The article’s writer also recounts struggling to put on a sock and shoe while standing on one leg, then practicing by putting on socks that way. The writer says improvement took months. That is an individual experience, not a controlled study. The two drills offer a more structured progression for people who are not comfortable beginning with a one-leg task, but the supplied report does not cite trials comparing them with other balance exercises.
““Balance is one of the clearest indicators of how well the body is functioning day to day.””
— Yancy Culp, Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director, as quoted by Fit&Well
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Evidence and Personal Safety
The supplied report does not identify a study testing these two drills, quantify expected gains, or establish that they reduce falls. Culp’s claim that balance will improve with practice and the article writer’s personal account should not be read as proof of a guaranteed result. The best starting pace, appropriate progression and effects for people with different abilities are also not specified.
The report does not provide guidance for people with injuries, health conditions, dizziness or a history of falls. Those readers may want to seek advice from a qualified health professional before trying balance challenges. The exercises should be adjusted or stopped if they cause pain, marked dizziness or a sense of falling; the eyes-closed and reach-down variations carry greater stability demands.
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Start Slowly and Track Progress
Culp’s plan is to practice the drills consistently, then increase the challenge in small steps: lengthen the balance period during slow walking and, for high knees, add one second to the leg cycle every fifth day. Readers following the high-knee schedule can use the 35-day progression as a suggested routine, while recognizing that the report does not establish it as suitable for everyone.
A cautious approach is to begin near a stable support, keep movements controlled and progress only when the current version feels manageable. The report offers no follow-up data or independently measured outcomes, so any change in steadiness will vary by person. People with ongoing balance concerns should discuss them with a clinician or qualified exercise professional rather than relying on the drills alone.
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Key Questions
What are the two balance drills?
Delayed walking means walking very slowly to spend longer balancing during each step. Slow high knees means raising a knee and completing the movement in a controlled cycle, initially taking three seconds.
How often does Culp recommend practicing?
For delayed walking, Culp suggests practicing for several minutes every day. For slow high knees, he recommends two minutes daily.
How does the high-knee progression work?
Culp suggests adding one second to the leg cycle every fifth day. His schedule reaches a 10-second cycle in 35 days, but the report does not establish that this timetable is right for every person.
Are the drills proven to prevent falls?
The supplied Fit&Well report does not cite research establishing that these specific drills prevent falls. Culp discusses balance in relation to fall risk, but that is not the same as evidence of a proven effect from this routine.
What if I feel unsteady while trying them?
Use a clear space and stay near a stable support; do not attempt eyes-closed or reaching variations if they feel unsafe. If balance problems are persistent, new or linked to dizziness or a health condition, seek guidance from a qualified health professional before progressing.
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