The Turkish Get-Up (TGU) was developed by Turkish wrestlers hundreds of years ago. This comprehensive sequence of movements involves lying on your back while holding a load over your chest and moving through several positions until standing with it over head. We believe it is second to none for individuals looking for total body mobility, stability and strength. (See video)
The TGU is an impressive display of fluid strength and control. The Greeks call this Kalos Sthenos, which means “beautiful strength” and is where the word “calisthenics” is derived. The modern definition of calisthenics refers to any bodyweight exercise or any exercise performed with beautiful useable strength.
The TGU fits well with One on One’s philosophy towards training…move better, move more, keep moving. Instead of working muscles in isolation, we train movement patterns that replicate those we see in athletics as well as activities of daily living, such as getting up off the floor. When we create movement, we push energy into the ground and the ground gives us that energy back. In order to use that energy to perform a given task (lifting a bag of groceries, throwing a ball, pulling a door open), we must be solid in our midsection as we route the energy to our extremities. This ability to link our upper and lower extremities through a solid torso is among the top benefits of the TGU.
The following is a list of several other benefits:
- Posture and bone density improvements
- Shoulder mobility and stability at a variety of joint angles
- Thoracic spine (upper back) mobility
- Hip and leg mobility/flexibility
- Single leg hip stability
- Rotary and linear stability
Intelligent fitness training focuses on creating balance in our bodies to maximize performance while reducing the risk of injury. The TGU serves as an assessment of right and left side asymmetries. Eliminating asymmetries, dysfunctions, and compensations is just another benefit of performing the TGU.
We believe the TGU can be used with any population. If you are looking to build strength, increase your metabolism or simply make sure you can get up off the floor, the TGU is for you. Talk with your trainer today.