A Turkish get-up is moving from lying on your back to standing up while holding a weight overhead in one hand, then reversing back down. To learn it safely after 40, break it into seven steps and practise with no weight or a shoe balanced on your fist before using a light kettlebell. Keep your eyes on the weight and your arm locked straight up throughout. Go slowly; each rep should take 30 seconds or more.
Why it’s worth learning
The get-up trains shoulder stability, trunk strength, hip mobility and balance in one movement. It also rehearses something you want to keep doing for decades: getting up off the floor without effort. For men in their forties and fifties, that matters more than it sounds.
It’s slow and controlled, which makes it a good counterpart to fast exercises like the kettlebell swing.
Setup
Lie on your back on a mat. Place a kettlebell beside your right shoulder. Roll toward it, grip the handle with both hands, and roll back to press it up over your chest with your right arm straight, wrist straight. Bend your right knee with the foot flat; the left leg and left arm lie on the floor at about 45 degrees from your body.
The seven steps up
- Roll to the elbow. Push through your right foot and roll onto your left elbow, keeping the weight vertical.
- Post to the hand. Push up from your elbow onto your left hand, arm straight.
- High bridge. Lift your hips off the floor by pushing through your right foot and left hand.
- Sweep the leg. Slide your left leg back under you so your left knee lands below your hips.
- Windshield wiper. Lift your torso off your hand and turn your back foot so your shin points straight back. You’re half-kneeling.
- Stand up. Push through your front foot and stand tall, weight still locked overhead.
- Reverse. Step back with the left leg, then reverse every step back down to lying.
Errors to watch
- Looking away from the weight. Eyes up on the kettlebell until you’re standing helps keep the arm vertical.
- Bent elbow or wrist. The weight should be stacked over a straight arm and wrist. If it wobbles, go lighter.
- Rushing transitions. Each step is a position to hold briefly, not a move to blur through.
- Skipping the bridge. Without the hip lift, there’s no room to sweep the leg under.
Sets and reps
| Stage | Load | Sets × reps per side | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning steps | No weight, or a shoe on your fist | 3 × 1–2 | As needed |
| Building | Light kettlebell | 3 × 1–2 | 60–90 s |
| Strength | Moderate kettlebell | 3–5 × 1 | 90 s |
| Partial practice | Up to the half-kneel only | 3 × 3 | 60 s |
Easier, harder and joint-friendly options
- Easier: practise only to the elbow or hand for a few weeks; it trains the hardest part of the shoulder work.
- Harder: a heavier bell, or a bottoms-up kettlebell grip for more shoulder and grip control.
- Sore shoulders: use no weight, stop at the half-kneel, or hold the weight at chest height instead of overhead.
- Sore knees: use a pad under the down knee and move slowly through the sweep.
- Limited overhead range: work on that with overhead press mobility before loading the get-up. The side plank trains the bottom-arm support position.
Programs that use it
The Turkish get-up appears in the kettlebell workout, the mobility routine and the core workout. For a plan that fits get-ups into your week, see the DIY programs.
Questions people also ask
What does the Turkish get-up work?
Almost everything: shoulder stability, trunk strength, hip mobility and the coordination to get from the floor to standing. It's a strength and movement exercise in one.
What weight should I start with?
No weight at all, or a shoe balanced on your fist. Then a light kettlebell, often 8 to 12 kg (18 to 26 lb) for men starting out.
How many get-ups should I do?
Few. One to three per side per set is typical, because each get-up takes 30 seconds or more done slowly.
Is the Turkish get-up good for shoulders?
It trains the shoulder to stay stable in many positions under load. If you have shoulder pain overhead, though, don't hold a weight overhead until it's assessed.