Kettlebell Turkish Get Up

Lie on the floor and hold the kettlebell upright toward the ceiling with one hand. Bend the knee on the same side and spread the opposite arm and leg for support, keeping your forearm and the kettlebell vertical without bending your wrist.

Keep pressing the kettlebell toward the ceiling as you rise onto your elbow using your bent leg and opposite arm. Transition to your palm, lift your hips, and sweep your leg back into a half-kneeling position while keeping your eyes on the kettlebell.

From half-kneeling, straighten your torso, then press through your front foot to stand slowly. On the way down, reverse the steps exactly, pausing at each stage while maintaining the stability you built on the way up.

The Turkish get-up is a full-body movement that takes you through several positions while you maintain core and shoulder stability. If the kettlebell tilts or your arm shakes, lower the weight and check your arm’s vertical alignment at each stage.

Looking away from the kettlebell or rushing through the steps can disrupt your shoulder position and throw off your balance. Forcing your leg through without lifting your hips also stresses your lower back, so always lift into a hip bridge before moving your leg.

Set your breath and brace your core before starting; take a short inhale with each position change and exhale as you exert force. Resetting your breathing at each stage is much more stable than holding your breath continuously.

At first, practice with a shoe or light object balanced on the back of your hand so you notice immediately when your arm loses its vertical alignment. Pause for 1 second at each stage to check your balance instead of standing up quickly in one motion; you’ll learn the movement much faster.