Show & Tell: Process - The Turkish Get-up

Recently, during one of our meetings at work, a guest presenter came in to demonstrate proper technique for using Russian kettlebells. One of the exercise that he demonstrated was called the Turkish Get-up. It is an advanced kettlebell exercise that works nearly ever muscle in the body in one series of movement. It is extremely difficult to master, but below are the steps in how to perform it (along with a series of images for each step).

Step 1 - Get into position. The starting position has you lying on your back with your left knee propped up and your right leg flat on the ground. Raise your left hand to the ceiling. If you want to begin the Turkish get-up with some resistance, hold some weight, such as a kettlebell, in your raised hand.

Step 2 - Prop up to your elbow. The first movement in the exercise is propping up to your right elbow (or to whichever elbow is not extended upward). Do so by keeping your raised hand completely straight. Roll from the shoulder up and slightly to the side to prop up. Make sure to keep yourself looking at your raised hand (or the weight you're holding) at all times.

Step 3 - Form a base. Once you are propped up on your elbow, you need to form a base. Do so by pushing your hips up, moving from balancing on your elbow to your hand and fully extending your leg on the same side. Make sure as you do this that your raised hand stays raised and that you continue to look at your hand or weight.

Step 4 - Move to a kneeling position. From your base position, move the front foot (the one on the opposite side of the raised hand) back and underneath you until you can put your knee on the ground. By this point you should still have your left arm raised to the ceiling, your left foot flat on the ground and your right knee posted on the ground.

Step 5 - Stand up. From the kneeling position simply stand up. Do so by extending your left knee as you raise your right leg to a straight position. Again, keep your raised arm straight as you do this. Once you have finished the exercise, reverse the steps back to a lying position. Then change sides and repeat.