What is a Turkish Get-up

Many of you already know about the Turkish Get-up, one of my favorite exercises. You start the exercise lying on the floor, and in the full version you get up to standing and then back down to the floor. Sounds easy, right? If you have ever done one with me you know it is not easy at all!  If you have not done it take a look at the pictures below. When I teach it, we always start with what I call a Turk, then move on to a Turkish, and finally, when you are ready, the Turkish Get-up.

So why do we do the weird exercise? The TGU is a highly functional movement that requires all the muscles of your body to work together; if they don't you simply can't do it. The TGU has all your muscles working together to balance and stablize you while building strength. The TGU can deliver a serious wake-up call if you have been going to the gym and doing a routine similar to this - the Smith Machine and leg press, adding the Deadlift, overhead press and some rows. If you train to build size, then this exercise is not for you. I know that most of you are not training to build size; you guys want to burn fat and build strength.

 There is a good chance that you haved lost some range of motion in your everyday "gym" routine, which is normal as your body has sacrificed some mobility to gain stability. With the TGU you will help to restore some of that, particularly in the shoulder girdle, which can get tight in most regardless of activity level.

With kettlebells you are not sacrificing your health! Of course, it is your preference how you want to train.