Happy Thursday to you,
Blimey it’s been a hot week here in England.
We’re just coming out of a heatwave. My home gym was 33.5 degrees, a bit too hot to really push myself so I’ve had a more gentle workout week.
My advice to everyone is always to do something each day, even if it’s not a demanding workout you can still go for a walk, cycle, swim, do some yoga, mobility, stretching, or practice a few kettlebell moves.
The worst thing you can do is nothing. Just getting outside is the perfect start.
Talking of practicing moves here is one exercise that I think you will enjoy…
Reverse Turkish Get Up
If you are familiar with kettlebell training then you have probably heard or even used the Turkish get up.
But have you tried my favourite variation, the reverse Turkish get up?
You may already know about the huge benefits of the get up:
- Core conditioning
- Joint mobility improvements
- Full body movement integration
- Stabiliser muscle conditioning
- Injury prevention
These benefits, are of course, important but what I really like is using the TGU as an assessment tool.
When you practice the get up it gives you immediate feedback on your current weaknesses.
Some common TGU issues:
- Have trouble sitting up or your leg pops up off the floor (core weakness)
- Sitting up on one side is OK but the other is a challenge (weakness in core sling system on one side)
- Trouble sweeping your leg through (hip mobility issues)
- Problems straightening from the kneeling position (core / glute issues)
- Painful shoulders during the movement (shoulder/thoracic mobility/stability issues)
The get up movement is closely connected to the single leg deadlift. So if you struggle with one you will usually struggle with the other.
Let’s say your TGU on the left side is more difficult than your right. When you perform the single leg deadlift you will usually find your left side struggles too.
The beauty here is once you strengthen the single leg deadlift, the TGU strengthens too.
This is all to do with your core sling system that connects your shoulder to opposite hip.
OK, now on to the reverse Turkish get up.
The one issue with the regular TGU is that you have to start from the floor and it’s a more awkward beginning.
However, with the reverse TGU you start with the kettlebell overhead and then descend down onto the floor and then return back up again.
You can then return the kettlebell to the floor, change hands, and start again.
So the reverse TGU flow would look like this:
- Clean and press overhead
- Reverse Get Up (down and then up)
- Take the kettlebell safely back down to the floor
- Change hands and repeat
I use the reverse get up a lot more than the standard variation because it is easier to combine with other movements.
For example, you could be performing a flowing circuit of moves and then drop into the reverse get up for 1 rep and then continue with your circuit.
The kettlebell never needs to touch the floor. Great for kettlebell classes!
I suggest you practice the reverse TGU first before including it into a flowing circuit where you may already be fatigued.
Learn more and watch the videos? Guide to the Turkish Get Up and Variations
Here’s an advanced workout option using the Reverse Turkish Get Up:
- Snatch to the top (left)
- Reverse Get Up (left) x 1
- Snatch to the top (right)
- Reverse Get Up (right) x 1
- Repeat for 10 total reps
At the end of this workout you will have complete 10 total reverse get ups, 5 on each side.
You can easily replace the snatch with the Clean and Press if you prefer. Ultimately, you are just using an exercise to get the kettlebell to the top position.
Take it steady and remember that once you start the Get Up your kettlebell arm should remain locked out.
Learn more and watch the videos? Guide to the Turkish Get Up and Variations
This weeks question:
Q. “I’m using a 12kg kettlebell for the Turkish Get Up but can swing a 24kg one handed. Why am I so weak at get ups?“
A. This is a large imbalance and something that you need to monitor very carefully. You obviously have some large weaknesses in either your core or stabilising muscles. Ultimately, you should generally be able to swing the SAME weight as you can get up.
I suggest you focus more on your get ups than your swings to prevent future injuries and imbalances. Swap out your swings for the single leg deadlift for a while and also practice 10 alternating reps per day of the get up.
I hope this helps.
Take care,
Greg