Turkish Getup
This is perhaps one of the most interesting exercises of all resistance exercises. It will test both your balance and strength. The actual movement is slow so, don’t try to be a jack rabbit with it or you’ll find yourself in a quandary. The exercise can be done with a dumbbell or a straight bar. I recommend the dumbbell initially because, unless you have great upper body and arm strength, a 45-lb Olympic bar is difficult to handle, not to mention once you load it. However, because the straight bar is the most difficult, I will utilize it to describe how to perform a Turkish Getup.
1. Begin the exercise flat on your back with the straight bar, with perhaps 5 kg (11 lb bumper weights) loaded – one on either end. Situate the weight so that the bar is in one hand, arm fully extended above your head, much like doing a one-arm bench press. However, the bar is in the same direction from head to feet of your body. Alternately, you may want a partner to hand you the bar.
2. Keeping your eyes on the bar, with your arm perpendicular to the floor and straight, slowly rise to your feet. Do whatever is required to get to your feet, but at the same time, the weight must remain extended above your headed at all times, you cannot drop it. I find easiest to place your opposite arm/hand next to your waist and slide it up as far as you can to beneath the bottom of the shoulder area to help push yourself into a sitting position. Once in a semi-sitting position, you can roll both knees toward one side and get a foot beneath you so that you can begin to stand as you get both feet beneath you.
3. Once in a standing position, your are fully erect and the weight is straight above you head. Next, switch the weight to the other hand and lay back down onto your back in the same manner you stood up. This means to do back to the starting position laying on your back, except now the weight is in the opposite hand.
4. Repeat until all repetitions and sets are finished.
Notes: lots of people believe they have great balance. Many of my martial arts students pro athletes are in that group. This exercise will test whether you have great balance or not. Either way it will improve it. Good luck on this one.