I love the Turkish Get Up – rep for rep it gives you more than just about any exercise. I recently refined how I coach this great exercise and so I decided to shoot a video going over how to do it and how it applies to mountain biking. First, here are the steps to a great Turkish Get Up:

To get set up for the Turkish Get Up follow these steps:

1. Start by lying on your back with your shoulders packed in and your toes pointed up to the ceiling. Press a kettle bell or dumbbell up with your right arm until your elbow is locked out. Do not let your shoulder “unpack” and round forward.
2. Bring your right side heel up and in towards your butt. You want to place your foot flat on the ground slightly to the side and in as close as you can to your butt as you can.

From here there are 7 steps to complete the Turkish Get Up:

1. Get up onto your left elbow.
2. Get up onto your left hand.
3. Elevate your hips off the ground.
4. Pull your left knee in towards your chest.
5. Roll your left knee under you, placing it on the ground under your right shoulder.
6. Elevate your torso so that you are in a lunge position.
7. Stand up.

To come back down just do it in reverse. It will break down like this:

1. Lunge back with your left foot.
2. Place your left hand on the ground, leaning over so that it is placed under your right shoulder.
3. Roll your left knee up towards your chest.
4. Straighten your left leg out.
5. Lower your hips back down to the ground.
6. Come down to your elbow.
7. Roll back down to your back.

Here is the video demo:

-James Wilson-