5 Reasons Your Turkish Getup Sucks

Fix These Getup Gaffes

1) Your setup is all wrong

Many guys curl the weight up to their shoulder while on their back, which can lead to rotator cuff injuries. Instead, “lie on your side with knees and hips at 45-degree angles and put both hands on the weight, pull it close to your chest, and then roll onto your back,” says Matt Pudvah, head strength coach at the Manchester Athletic Club in Manchester, MA.

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2) Your arm placement is off

“Your nonworking arm should be angled roughly 45 degrees away from your torso, with your palm flat on the floor,” Pudvah says. If it’s too close to your body, you’ll have to adjust your arm, which throws off your stability.

3) You keep rolling

“Don’t reach across your body with the bell and roll to your side—you’re just using your body weight to get up,” Pudvah says. Instead, prop yourself up onto your hand from your back by contracting your abs to raise your torso off the ground. If you’re rolling, use a lighter dumbbell.

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4) You neglect your toe

When you’re getting into the kneeling position, the big toe of the leg you sweep back should dig into the floor. If it’s not planted, “you’ll be less stable, and it’ll be harder to lunge up,” Pudvah says.

5) You don’t look at the weight

Keeping your eyes on the weight allows for better stabilization during the movement.