Shilpa Shetty throws a mobility test for fitness enthusiasts: ‘This one's a challenge, especially for men'

Indian Express

12-07-2025

Shilpa Shetty Kundra's toned physique and sculpted abs are a result of hours spent in the gym and a dedicated focus on nutrition and diet. In a recent Instagram post, the actor shared a video documenting a mobility test, captioning it: 'Looks like rest but it's a mobility test 😂 This one's a challenge, especially for men. It's harder than it looks! Challenge thrown to you: Can you get up without using your hands?'
But what is it?
According to Yash Fadnavis, yoga therapist and mobility and conditioning coach, the exercise Shilpa shows is known as the 'Kneeling Prayer Stretch to Stand' or 'Kneeling Get-Up Mobility Challenge.' It's a test of dynamic flexibility and control, transitioning from a deep kneeling forward fold (almost like an extended child's pose) to a fully upright kneeling position, often with hands behind the back, and then returning. The key is to perform the movement without using hands for support during the transition.
Fadnavis pointed out the following health benefits associated with doing this exercise:
Spinal Mobility and Flexion/Extension: It deeply stretches the back and spine in the initial 'prayer' position and then requires significant spinal extension to come upright. This promotes a healthy range of motion in the vertebral column.
Hip Flexor and Quadriceps Flexibility: The kneeling position and forward lean intensely stretch the hip flexors and quadriceps muscles, which are often tight due to prolonged sitting.
Shoulder Mobility (Internal Rotation/Extension): Placing the hands behind the back (if attempted as part of the whole challenge) requires good shoulder internal rotation and extension, counteracting the typical forward shoulder posture.
Core Strength and Control: Maintaining balance and control throughout the transition, especially without using hands, heavily engages the core muscles.
Proprioception and Balance: It significantly improves your body's awareness in space and your overall balance as you move through different planes of motion.
Functional Movement: This type of movement mimics real-life actions, such as getting up from the floor, improving overall functional strength, and preventing falls.
A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty)
Fadnavis clarified that there is no truth to the myth that only women can perform this exercise. 'It's a challenge of mobility and flexibility that anyone can achieve. '
According to him, the reason men (or anyone, really) might find this particular 'Kneeling Get-Up Mobility Challenge' harder can be attributed to the following:
Thoracic Spine and Shoulder Mobility: The deep forward fold combined with the need to bring the torso upright and potentially place hands behind the back demands excellent mobility in the upper back and shoulders. Many men tend to have more stiffness in these areas.
Hip Flexor and Quadriceps Tightness: As men often have more developed leg musculature or spend more time in positions that shorten the hip flexors (such as sitting), they may experience greater tightness in this area, making the deep knee bend and upright transition difficult without compensating.
Relative Proportions: While not a definitive factor, some subtle differences in limb-to-torso ratios can sometimes make specific deep mobility movements feel more awkward for some individuals, regardless of gender.
Training Focus: As before, training biases play a huge role. If someone, male or female, has focused primarily on strength training without incorporating dedicated mobility work, they will naturally find challenges like this difficult.