More muscles worked at once means more bang for your buck, more calories burned, more strength gained and all in less time.
Plus certain full body moves not only make your body stronger but also help you develop a better mind-body connection.
And a better mind-body connections means your body moves better and you have more control over your movements AKA better coordination!
If you want one full body move that is essential for everyone from the beginning lifter to the elite athlete to do to improve their coordination, it would be the TURKISH GET UP.
The Turkish Get Up is such a complete move it could legitimately be a workout in and of itself!
It works on shoulder stability, core sequencing, coordination and full body strength.
So how do you do the Turkish Get Up?
Turkish Get Up Instructions:
1. Lie flat on your back. Bend the right knee and plant the foot flat on the ground. Lift the right hand straight up toward the ceiling. Beginners will do this without weight or may make a fist with their right hand and balance their shoe on it. Balancing something on their knuckles will help remind them to keep the arm up and pointing directly toward the ceiling. More advanced lifters may add a weight or even attempt a bottoms up kettlebell get up.
2. Straighten your left arm out to your side at right about shoulder height.
3. Your first move with the get up will be to roll to your left side and move up onto your forearm. Do not let your right arm bend and make sure your hand is still straight up toward the ceiling.
4. You will then replace your forearm with your hand. As you move to your hand, keep your right arm straight up toward the ceiling and your core tight. Do not let your back round as you sit up nice and tall supported by your hand. Your right foot is still planted on the ground and your left leg is still out straight.
5. Next drive up into a glute bridge. Lift your hips up as high as you can, driving off your left hand, your right foot and your left heel. Get your hips up as high as you can. The higher the better since you are going to need to swing your left leg back and through. Do not let your right arm bend or drop. Keep it straight up toward the ceiling.
6. Holding the glute bridge, bring your left leg back and through to kneeling. Do not set up in too closed a stance. Really bring the knee back and through as far as possible. Make sure you are stable before you take the hand off the ground. Do not let the right arm drop and keep your core tight and your chest pressed out (aka no rounded back).
7. Once you are stable kneeling down, lift the left hand off the ground. Do not let your chest fall forward. Use your obliques to pull yourself straight up to the side. You should be kneeling with a straight line from your tailbone up to the ceiling. Make sure the right arm stays straight up to the ceiling. Make sure your back foot, your left foot, is flexed so you can move to standing next.
8. Keeping the right arm straight up toward the ceiling, stop the front foot, your right foot, down into the ground and stand up.
9. Once up, you will reverse the steps and go back down to lying flat on your back. At no point should the right arm bend or fall forward. You want to make sure it is always pointed straight up toward the ceiling. It may also be helpful to keep your eyes on the right hand and the weight you may be holding as you stand up and then go back down.
10. To go back down, you will first drop the left leg back to kneeling. Drop the leg far enough back that you have a stable base and your front foot is flat on the ground.
11. Next reach your left hand out to the side and place it on the ground. Do not reach back. Try to reach out to the left right outside the left knee.
12. Once your hand is down, lift your hips and swing the left leg back through until it is straight out in front of you. The higher you get your hips, the easier this will be.
13. When your left leg is out straight, drop down to a seated position. Then lower down to your forearm.
14. Finally roll on to your back. Make sure your right arm has been straight and pointed up toward the ceiling the entire way down.
15. Repeat and complete all reps before switching to the other side.
That is how you complete the Turkish Get Up.
Each part of the Turkish Get Up can also be done in isolation to help improve strength and technique. Beginners may also need to isolate each part before completing the full move.
For some more fun, you could even try a sandbag get up!
Innovative Results is the premiere gym in Costa Mesa, offering unique, fun and effective workout programs that help people become more active, move more efficiently and help them feel better.
Madison murphy says
This is seriously the best full body move ever. It is so challenging but you can also do it as a beginner. Love it!