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Turkish Get-Up

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Advancedcore

Home Setup

Use a heavy book, filled water jug, or backpack loaded with books as your weight. Start with bodyweight only to master the movement pattern before adding load.

Heavy bookWater jugLoaded backpackYoga mat

💡 Pro tip: Place a shoe on your fist to practice keeping your arm vertical throughout the movement without dropping it

Gym Setup

Kettlebell (start with 8-16kg for men, 4-8kg for women), open floor space, optional yoga mat for comfort

Safety: Always keep eyes on the weight throughout the entire movement and ensure adequate space around you to prevent collisions

💪 Muscles Worked

ShouldersCoreGlutesQuadricepsTriceps

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The Turkish Get-Up is a comprehensive full-body movement that builds shoulder stability, core strength, and functional mobility through multiple planes of motion. It enhances body awareness, coordination, and the ability to maintain tension under load while transitioning through complex positions, making it invaluable for injury prevention and overall athletic development.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Bodyweight Turkish Get-Up

none

Removes load to focus purely on movement pattern and transitions

2. Half Turkish Get-Up

kettlebell + dumbbell

Stops at the seated position, reducing complexity while building foundational strength

3. Tall Kneeling to Stand

kettlebell + dumbbell

Practices only the final phase of the movement with simpler mechanics

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Double Kettlebell Turkish Get-Up

two kettlebells

Adds a second kettlebell in the opposite hand for increased load and stability demands

2. Bottom-Up Turkish Get-Up

kettlebell

Holding kettlebell upside down dramatically increases grip and stability requirements

3. Weighted Turkish Get-Up with Pause

kettlebell + dumbbell

Adding 3-5 second pauses at each position increases time under tension and control

↕️ Similar Movements

Windmill
Shares overhead shoulder stability and hip hinge mechanics in a similar position
Overhead Squat
Develops similar overhead stability and mobility required for the standing phase
Arm Bar
Builds shoulder mobility and stability in the lying position used to start the get-up
Single-Arm Overhead Carry
Trains unilateral overhead stability and core bracing in a simpler movement
Floor Press to Bridge
Develops the initial pressing and bridging mechanics of the get-up's first phase

Form Checklist

✓Keep your eyes on the weight throughout the entire movement
✓Press through your grounded heel to initiate the bridge, not your toes
✓Sweep the leg through like a windshield wiper when transitioning to kneeling
✓Maintain a vertical arm position - stack wrist over elbow over shoulder
✓Create a straight line from your down knee to your overhead hand in the half-kneeling position

Common Mistakes

  • •Looking away from the weight, which compromises shoulder stability and balance
  • •Rushing through transitions instead of maintaining control and tension
  • •Allowing the overhead arm to drift forward or backward instead of staying vertical
  • •Collapsing the supporting shoulder or losing active engagement
  • •Using momentum instead of strength to move between positions

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can complete 5 consecutive reps per side with perfect form, maintaining a vertical arm throughout, smooth transitions between all positions, and no loss of balance or control. You should be able to pause for 3 seconds at any point in the movement without compensation.