Turkish Get-Up: a quick guide.
The TGU, when performed properly, is a fantastic exercise that incorporates several functional movement patterns. However, it is one of the least understood, and most butchered exercises that I see people perform at the gym. To the untrained eye, the get-up seems like a silly exercise with no apparent benefit. In reality a well executed get-up will promote shoulder mobility, stability and strength, as well as thoracic spine and hip mobility. It also is a great exercise to promote core “linkage”, which is the ability to transfer power from the midsection to the pelvis and shoulder girdle, both of which are essential for athletic performance.
Before considering adding weight to the exercise, you need to know all the distinct positions, the last thing you want is to be second guessing what you’re supposed to do while holding a weight overhead. In addition, you also need to have the body awareness, mobility and strength, to be able to maintain a vertical arm on the side that is intended to hold the weight. To build this awareness, try balancing a yoga block (or shoe) on top of your closed fist while performing the get up, if you let that arm drift forwards, the block will fall. In the same respect, when performing the exercise with a heavier weight, there is simply no way you will keep that weight up if you let the arm deviate from a position directly over the shoulder.
The set up:
The quality of each repetition you perform is going to depend on your set up, poor set up = poor repetition. Think 45° angles and vertical lines. Laying on your back, put one arm up towards the ceiling, and the other on the floor away from the body at a 45° angle. For the legs, the knee is bent on the same side as the vertical arm, with the foot planted flat, again at a 45° angle away from the midline. The other leg will remain straight.
Setup position.
Now that you’ve got the set up down, we’ll cover the 6 distinct positions of the get-up. In the beginning, take about 5 seconds in each position to make sure both shoulders are “packed” meaning down and away from the neck.
Roll up to elbow. Push through your foot on the bent knee side to roll you onto your side, once you cross the midline, roll up onto your elbow.
Tall sit. Push up from your elbow onto your hand. Your planted hand should be in line with your hip. Check your shoulders.
Three-point bridge. Lift your hips as high as you can into a bridge position.
Leg sweep to kneeling windmill. Bring your straight leg underneath you and allow it to bend as you do so. Plant your knee on the sweeping side so that you form a triangle between your planted hand, knee, and foot on the other leg.
Lunge position. “Windshield wiper” the back knee into a kneeling lunge so that your calf on your back leg is parallel to your thigh on your front leg.
Standing position. Push through both legs to stand up. Lock out at the top with both glutes and your abs tight.
Roll to elbow.
Tall sit.
Three-point bridge.
Leg sweep to kneeling windmill.
Lunge position.
Standing position.
You’re halfway there! Going back down to the floor repeats the same steps in reverse. Reverse lunge, windshield wiper the knee and windmill to plant the hand, sweep the leg back through, come down to the elbow, and slowly lower yourself to the floor.
Other fine points: picking up the weight, eyes, switching sides.
Once you become comfortable with each position and are familiar with the exercise as a whole, start adding weight. To properly and safely get the weight into position, lay on your side and pull the weight close to your shoulder with both hands. Keep both hands onto the weight as you roll onto your back and press the weight up in one smooth motion. Once you have the weight over your shoulder, take your other hand away and plant it.
Keep your eyes on the weight at all times, except when you sweep the leg, you can look at the floor to make sure you are set up with that triangle base of support. This will help to promote awareness of the weights position in space, as well as safety.
When switching sides, grab onto the weight with your free hand to assist lowering the weight down the same way you picked it up. From the “cradle” position, halo the bell around your head as you roll onto the other side.
When to incorporate.
Use and scale the get-up depending on your needs. It can be used as a corrective exercise to teach people how to keep their shoulders organized in each plane of motion. Because it is dynamic in nature, it can be used as a warm up before performing a workout with overhead lifts. It can also be used as a great conditioning exercise, since it is a total body move that uses nearly every muscle in the body, it is highly demanding and will get your heart rate up in a hurry. However you decide to incorporate them, don’t rush them turning it into a “get off the floor by any means necessary” move, slow down, move with intention, and reap the benefits.