Turkish Getup (kettlebell)
Bodyweight Strength - The Turkish Getup is a fairly high level exercise that is very effective at increasing bodyweight strength. It requires strength, stability, balance, flexibility, and coordination of the entire body at once. For these reasons, it is very effective at developing functional strength and tying together strength of from different parts of the body by getting them to all work together in concert in an effective manner so that this strength can be utilized thoroughly in real life activity.
This exercise should not even be attempted until the following exercises have already been mastered:
Once you are ready to attempt a Turkish Getup with a kettlebell the technique is as follows:
First things, first…throughout this entire exercise, keep your eyes on the kettlebell. Never look away from the kettlebell. This is crucial. If you look away, you are likely to lose control of the kettlebell and drop it, making the likelihood of an injury increase significantly.
Lay flat on the ground with a kettlebell held in one hand and resting in the pit of the elbow (as it does when you catch a Kettlebell Clean). For our example to keep the explanation simple, let’s say that you are performing this exercise with the right hand. Bend your right knee (as you would if performing regular Sit-ups) and leave your left leg fully extended straight out laying on the ground. Place your left hand out to your side at a approximately a 45 degree angle from your body with you palm face down on the floor.
Press the kettlebell straight up rapidly and as the momentum of the kettlebell moves upward, utilize this momentum to help you sit up rapidly. As you sit up, utilize your left hand on the floor as a support to keep you stable, and let your torso move “under” the kettlebell (essentially keep the arm with the kettlebell in it straight up in the air as your torso moves up and forward, so that you end up sitting upright (leaning slightly left on your left support hand) with the kettlebell directly overhead).
Now, utilizing your left support hand on the floor and your right leg that is bent, lift your body (and you extended left leg) a few inches off of the ground by pushing your left hand and right foot firmly in to the floor. As you do this, slowly move your left leg all the way back until it ends up behind you instead of in front of you (this will require a tremendous amount of abdominal strength and control). Once the left leg get back behind you, place the knee on the ground so that your legs are now in a lunge position. Remove your left hand from the floor and allow your torso to become completely upright. At this point, you will be in a lunge position with the kettlebell still extended overhead. From there, stand straight up (exactly as you would if performing a walking lunge (stand up and bring your rear leg (left leg) forward, placing it next to your right leg).
At this point, you have reached to top of the movement and it is now time to reverse the exercise and do everything again in reverse, until you reach the starting position again. After you reach the starting position again, you can congratulate yourself…you have completely ONE rep. Repeat until you have performed the number of repetitions that you planned to perform and then switch to the other hand and perform the number of repetitions you planned to perform on that side as well.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com
This exercise should not even be attempted until the following exercises have already been mastered:
- Crunches
- Stepping Lunges
- Overhead Squats
- Sit-ups
- Kettlebell Clean and Press
- Hanging One-Leg Raises
Once you are ready to attempt a Turkish Getup with a kettlebell the technique is as follows:
First things, first…throughout this entire exercise, keep your eyes on the kettlebell. Never look away from the kettlebell. This is crucial. If you look away, you are likely to lose control of the kettlebell and drop it, making the likelihood of an injury increase significantly.
Lay flat on the ground with a kettlebell held in one hand and resting in the pit of the elbow (as it does when you catch a Kettlebell Clean). For our example to keep the explanation simple, let’s say that you are performing this exercise with the right hand. Bend your right knee (as you would if performing regular Sit-ups) and leave your left leg fully extended straight out laying on the ground. Place your left hand out to your side at a approximately a 45 degree angle from your body with you palm face down on the floor.
Press the kettlebell straight up rapidly and as the momentum of the kettlebell moves upward, utilize this momentum to help you sit up rapidly. As you sit up, utilize your left hand on the floor as a support to keep you stable, and let your torso move “under” the kettlebell (essentially keep the arm with the kettlebell in it straight up in the air as your torso moves up and forward, so that you end up sitting upright (leaning slightly left on your left support hand) with the kettlebell directly overhead).
Now, utilizing your left support hand on the floor and your right leg that is bent, lift your body (and you extended left leg) a few inches off of the ground by pushing your left hand and right foot firmly in to the floor. As you do this, slowly move your left leg all the way back until it ends up behind you instead of in front of you (this will require a tremendous amount of abdominal strength and control). Once the left leg get back behind you, place the knee on the ground so that your legs are now in a lunge position. Remove your left hand from the floor and allow your torso to become completely upright. At this point, you will be in a lunge position with the kettlebell still extended overhead. From there, stand straight up (exactly as you would if performing a walking lunge (stand up and bring your rear leg (left leg) forward, placing it next to your right leg).
At this point, you have reached to top of the movement and it is now time to reverse the exercise and do everything again in reverse, until you reach the starting position again. After you reach the starting position again, you can congratulate yourself…you have completely ONE rep. Repeat until you have performed the number of repetitions that you planned to perform and then switch to the other hand and perform the number of repetitions you planned to perform on that side as well.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com