Turkish Get-Up links

I'm a big fan of Turkish Get-Ups (aka TGUs or the TGU), and I've bookmarked a number of videos and articles about them. This post is meant to pull them all together both for me and for others.

Yeah, but what's a Turkish Get-Up? You'll see more in the videos below. But this is a pretty classic olde-timey lift right here. Lay down next a weight, and get it held straight up above your head. Then stand up with it overhead. Reverse the motion to get back to the floor. It's been done with dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, and even people (!) as the resistance.

Here are the useful articles.

Mike Robertson "Examining the Turkish Get Up - This article is just a brief rundown of why the TGU is a good exercise to do. It's not a tutorial on how to do them, nor does it offer tips. It does have links to two .mp3 interviews with kettlebell enthusiasts who discuss the TGU - Dan John and Brett Jones.

Mike Robertson's Turkish Get-Ups Step By Step is outstanding, too.

Jeff Martone's TGU videos:
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

I have no idea where Part 1 is, and I don't recall ever seeing it.

These videos are an excellent primer on the TGU, and I used them when I first learned it. Like any video, it's not a substitute for hands-on coaching, but these are a pretty close second.

Dan John's Kettlebell DVD

These promo clips from the DVD (which I don't have) give you some good basic information on one way to get off the ground in a TGU.


As I find more TGU resources, I will update this post.