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A Fit&Well report describes two balance exercises recommended by Yancy Culp: walking slowly to extend time on each foot and performing slow high-knee cycles. Culp says to practice consistently and increase difficulty gradually; the report does not cite research establishing how much the drills improve balance or for whom.
Fit&Well has reported two simple balance drills recommended by Yancy Culp, a Spartan DEKA co-creator and senior director: walking slowly enough to prolong each step transition, and performing high knees at a deliberately slow pace. The exercises offer readers a graded way to practice balance, although the report does not provide clinical evidence or a measured estimate of their effects.
Culp describes the first exercise as “delayed walking.” Rather than moving at a normal pace, a person walks very slowly so they spend more time balancing on one foot as they shift between steps. Culp recommends doing it for several minutes each day and gradually extending the time spent on each transition. The account does not prescribe a fixed starting pace or a standard duration for each step.
The second drill adapts the familiar high-knee exercise. Culp advises lifting one knee slowly and taking three seconds to complete the cycle before lowering the foot, then continuing for two minutes a day. His proposed progression is to add one second to the leg cycle every fifth day. The report says this would bring the cycle to 10 seconds by day 35, but does not independently test or verify the claimed improvement.
Culp also suggests optional challenges, including briefly closing the eyes or reaching down to touch the raised foot with both hands. Those additions increase the task’s difficulty. People who feel unsteady should prioritize a safe setup and avoid progressing to harder versions unless they can perform the basic movement securely.
A Practical Way to Train Stability
Balance supports ordinary movements such as walking and standing while dressing, and a loss of steadiness can make everyday tasks more difficult. The report presents the drills as accessible practice that can be adjusted over time, rather than as a specialized workout requiring equipment. That may help readers who want to work on coordination but are not yet comfortable standing still on one leg.
Culp links balance with confidence in movement and fall risk, particularly as people age. Those are his stated reasons for treating balance as a useful fitness measure; the article does not offer a study showing that these two exercises prevent falls. The distinction matters: practicing a movement can be part of general fitness, but it is not a substitute for an individualized assessment when someone has persistent unsteadiness or a recent fall.
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Culp’s Balance Fitness Test
The Fit&Well report places the drills alongside Culp’s broader set of five fitness litmus tests, which he says cover balance, cardio fitness, strength and mobility. Standing on one leg while carrying out a task is the balance example. Culp says difficulty staying steady while doing something such as tying a shoe may indicate that balance and coordination need attention.
The report also includes the writer’s personal account of practicing by putting on socks while standing on one leg. The writer says improvement took months, but that experience is an anecdote, not a controlled test of the two drills. The article’s recommendations are attributed to Culp, and the material provided does not include independent expert review or research results.
““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 Safety Limits
The supplied report does not cite trials, measurements or other evidence establishing how much balance may improve, how quickly changes might occur, or whether the suggested schedule suits people with different fitness levels. Its prediction that the drills should improve balance is Culp’s guidance, not a quantified result reported from a study. There is also no information about how the advice applies to people with injuries, medical conditions, dizziness or a history of falls.
The eye-closing and foot-touching variations are described as challenges, but the report gives no safety protocol for them. They may be inappropriate for someone who cannot safely complete the basic movement. The source does not specify a required support surface, supervision or when a reader should stop.
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Build Up Only When Steady
The practical next step in the report is to begin with slow, controlled movement and increase the challenge gradually: extend step transitions during delayed walking, or add time to slow high-knee cycles according to Culp’s suggested schedule. Readers should not treat the 35-day progression as a guaranteed outcome.
Use a clear area and a stable support nearby if needed, and skip the eyes-closed or reaching variations if they make the exercise unsafe. Anyone with ongoing balance problems, a recent fall, dizziness or a relevant health condition should seek advice from a qualified health professional before attempting more challenging drills. The report does not announce a follow-up study or further guidance.
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Key Questions
What are the two balance drills?
Delayed walking means walking slowly to spend longer balancing between steps. The second drill is slow high knees, lifting and lowering a knee through a deliberately extended cycle.
How often does Culp suggest doing them?
Culp recommends doing delayed walking for several minutes each day and slow high knees for two minutes daily. The report does not set a precise daily duration for the walking drill.
How does the high-knee progression work?
The report says to begin with a three-second leg cycle and add one second every fifth day. Culp says this reaches a 10-second cycle by day 35; that schedule is a recommendation, not a guaranteed result.
Are these drills proven to prevent falls?
The supplied report does not cite evidence that the drills prevent falls. It presents them as balance practice and attributes the exercise guidance to Yancy Culp.
What if I feel unsteady doing the exercises?
Do not add harder variations such as closing your eyes or reaching for your foot if you cannot do the basic movement safely. Consider using nearby support and ask a qualified health professional for guidance if you have persistent unsteadiness, dizziness, a recent fall or a relevant health condition.
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