Getting Up in Constantinople

JT Scott | 09/30/2018 | 5

I love a good Turkish Get Up. I am a giant fan of this motion. They test core stability, shoulder stability, midline engagement, leg strength, and a basic understanding of how weight is supported by our joints. In fact, I like them light, heavy, or even with wildly irregular objects. (Yes, that last vid is from CFSV and she weighs more than any KB we have; feel free to improvise in your training.)

The TGU can be used as strength training, as a warm up, or even as a metabolic challenge. Today, we’re doing it for strength, but I suspect that you’ll have your heart rate up quickly. After all, each time you do a TGU it’s like 6 reps in one. What do I mean by that?

Basically every lift we do is a set of transitions (unsustainable or difficult to sustain position) between stable positions that have a direct force path from the load to the floor supported by your skeleton. In a press, the stable positions are:
1) Front Rack
2) Full extension/lockout overhead
…and the transitions are just up and down through that shoulder activation and elbow extension.

Similarly, for a Power Clean the positions are “bar on floor” and “bar on shoulders” – you don’t wanna be holding that thing at your knees for too long.

One of the great things about a Turkish Get Up is that it’s a functional movement (standing up without using one of your hands) that breaks down into 7 positions the a series of transitions between them. In the TGU, the positions are:
1) Back on floor
2) Elbow on floor (some skip this, but it’s a stable point that can be used)
3) Palm on floor
4) Hip Bridge (Palm and Foot on floor)
5) Knee and Palm on Floor
6) Lunge bottom
7) Full extension Standing

Each one of the transitions between these positions is a valuable “lift” – and if you fail any of those transitions you fail the TGU. Much like the Overhead Squat, the TGU will show you where you’ve got work to do… and help you do it at a safe level.

After that? It’s time to get our cardio on. These rowing intervals are simple, but not easy.

STRENGTH:
Turkish Get Up (for max load)

WOD:
Row 1000-800-600-400-200
* Rest 1 minute between intervals

NOTE: We are cleaning out the cubbies at the end of this week! If you have GEAR you have been leaving in the cubbies, PLEASE take it home and keep it there until October 8. If it is at the facility next weekend, we’re going to donate it to charity when we go through to scrub the cubbies and keep everything nice and fresh for you!