Turkish Get-Up — Exercise & Movement

Overview

The Turkish Get-Up (TGU) is a complex, multi-step movement pattern transitioning from lying flat to standing while maintaining a weight (typically a kettlebell) overhead with a locked-out arm. Pavel Tsatsouline and Gray Cook champion the TGU as both a corrective exercise and a full-body strength builder. The movement requires and develops shoulder stability, thoracic mobility, hip mobility, single-leg strength, and core anti-rotation — making it a comprehensive functional movement screen disguised as an exercise. Cook recommends that all adults should be able to perform a TGU with a shoe balanced on their fist (for proprioceptive feedback) before progressing to weighted versions. The floor-to-standing pattern directly trains the capacity tested by the sit-rise test, which predicts all-cause mortality.

Indications

• Functional movement screening and correction
• Shoulder stability development
• Floor-to-standing capacity (sit-rise test correlation)
• Core stability across multiple planes
• Full-body strength and coordination

Mechanism of Action

The TGU demands anti-extension, anti-lateral flexion, and anti-rotation at different phases, training all three core stability patterns in one movement

Dosing

Safety & Contraindications

• Learn with bodyweight or shoe balance before adding weight
• Keep eyes on the kettlebell throughout the movement
• Avoid if active shoulder injury without rehabilitation guidance
• Each step should be mastered independently before flowing together