A few weeks back we had a schedule change due to the Christmas holiday. This meant a condensed schedule leading to almost 30 people being packed into our little gym! With little space the Turkish get-up was an easy choice to address our warm-up/mobility needs. The diversity of the training age of the group allowed the us to see qualities of the Turkish get-up that were over looked in the past. These observations helped us move past the teaching aspect of the get-up, and instead understand why it even deserves a place in our program!

1) The unilateral nature of the movement provides a ton of information relating to front/back and left/right imbalances. And therefor is a fantastic tool to assess and address asymmetries and weaknesses from multiple angles and in varying positions.

2) The get-up enhances stability of the entire shoulder girdle, specifically all three major muscle of the rotator cuff.

3) Improved hip mobility in multiple positions and plains of movement. As well as both extension and flexion of the hip and ankle.

4) Midline stability while bending/twisting is unique and required for a proper get-up.

5) Balance and coordination is in demand from the start of the movement until it”s completion.

6) Lastly, they can be done as part of a general warm-up, mobility circuit/movement assessment, strength regimen, or as a conditioning tool…add sandbags, kegs, barbells or your neighbors St. Bernard to add some flair to this staple movement.