Author: Darlene Rivera

The Turkish getup is one of the most popular Bulgarian Bag workouts that is a favourite with both trainers and clients. It is a complex exercise comprising several movements with the Bulgarian Bag across different planes. It is one of the best examples of how Bulgarian Bags provide a comprehensive; total-body workout with all the benefits of cardiovascular exercise, strength personal training course and flexibility training. Training with a Bulgarian Bag should be both fun and challenging!

As a trainer, you are likely to learn all about the Turkish getup during your personal training courses. You should use all that knowledge to teach you clients the right way of doing this wonderful workout and enjoy all its benefits. Bulgarian Bag Australia has some excellent Instagram videos that you can watch and follow along to.

Benefits of doing the Turkish Getup
First and foremost, the Turkish getup is an extremely effective functional workout that targets all the major and minor muscles of your entire body. As you move through the different steps from lying on the ground to the point where you are upright, your body goes through range of motions that tones and toughens your body like no other workout.

The Turkish getup is just perfect for strengthening your core, improving shoulder stability, enhancing stamina in your lower body and also improves your stability and flexibility. Dangerously Fit Functional Training explains it best, check out their website for a detailed explanation.

Being a functional workout, doing the Turkish getup regularly vastly improves the way you perform your daily chores. Every motion of this complex workout helps you move better, reach out further, bend lower and lift heavier loads easily without the risk of injury.

While doing the Turkish getup, you are required to coordinate the right hand with the left leg and the left hand with the right leg. This interlinked coordination vastly improves reflexive stability of the limbs and reciprocal response between your upper and lower body extremities.

With regular practice of the Turkish getup, your body will definitely move like a well-oiled machine with each and every muscle and joint performing at their best in perfect harmony.

Safety Tips
Do remember that the Turkish getup is a highly intense workout involving several muscles and joints. So even if you have mastered the steps while doing your fitness courses, your clients may not be comfortable with it at the beginning.

It is best to avoid doing the Turkish getup with clients who have never exercised before. You should make them master the technique of handling Bulgarian Bags properly and improving their stamina before trying out this complex workout.

When starting with the Turkish getup, it is best to begin with lighter weights or even no weight at all! Your clients should first learn the correct way of going through each step and then try out heavier weights. Starting with heavier weights from the very beginning can make you prone to injuries.

As you have learnt in your fitness courses, the Turkish getup is a slow exercise so do not rush through the steps. Pause for a few seconds at each position and catch your breath. Check your form to ensure you are doing it correctly before moving on to the next position.

The Turkish get up provides maximum benefit when each and every position is done accurately. So form and technique are more important than the amount of weight you are handling.

The Two-arm Kettlebell Row

This is another easy kettlebell training workout that ladies can do to tone the arms, shoulders and back. And performing this workout with two kettlebells instead of one makes it more fun; challenging and effective.

To do this, place two kettlebells in front of your feet and bend your knees slightly. Do a hip hinge and grab the two kettlebells and drag them towards your stomach. Remember to keep elbows close to your body and maintain a neutral spine. Lower kettlebells to the ground and repeat. There are some great businesses on the Sunshine Coast that can help you, check out Personal Trainer Courses Sunshine Coast on Yelp or the Personal Trainer Courses Linkedin page.

The Kettlebell Figure 8

This is a wonderful exercise that can be extremely fun. However you need good practice and perfect the technique before you attempt this at high speed reps. To do this, begin by placing feet wider than hip-distance and lower yourself into a quarter squat position. Grip the kettlebell with right hand and swing it in an arc around the outside of your right leg.

Pass the kettlebell to the left hand and similarly swing it in an arc around the left leg. Maintain the motion; keeping in mind to switch direction of the arc midway (i.e. clockwise and anti-clockwise alternately).

The Kettlebell High Pull

This workout is perfect for toning the shoulders, arms, legs and glutes. Begin by placing toes at 45-degree angle to the feet and lower to a squat. While lowering, grip the kettlebell with one hand and push through your hips to rise to a standing position pulling the kettlebell upward with you. For more info, register in a Dangerously Fit Kettlebell Course.

Choosing the right kettlebell size is crucial to the way you train with this unusually shaped fitness equipment. The wrong size can dilute the outcome of your efforts or even lead to grievous injuries that can force you to quit training midway.

So before beginning with your kettlebell workouts, it is absolutely important for you to know how to select the right kettlebell size.

Online Fitness Australia CEC points can be obtained through the official Kettlebell Courses website or if you call their sales team for their upcoming course dates.

Kettlebell Courses are located at;

Selecting the Right Kettlebell
Choosing the most suitable kettlebell will depend on several factors such as your weight, age, present fitness level and how active you are.

Moreover, some kettlebell movements such as swings, lifts, cleans, snatches are ballistic movements that are better done with heavier kettlebells. On the other hand, moves such as overhead press, bent press, windmills, Turkish get-ups are done in a controlled manner and a lighter kettlebell would be more suitable.

Kettlebells for Men
Unfortunately, men tend to reach out for a heavy kettlebell without considering their own capacity. Even if it’s too heavy, most men would want to continue with a big kettlebell because that’s the ‘man’ thing to do. And then there are those that already train with dumbbells and barbells and consider the kettlebell as just another gym equipment.

However, the truth is that kettlebells are uniquely shaped cannonball like solid masses with a much lighter handle on top. This difference in weight makes it off-balance and that much difficult to handle. It takes real time and patience to master the right technique of handling kettlebells.

It is therefore crucial for you to start your kettlebell workouts with the right size so that you can learn to maneuver it correctly.

Men of average height and weight with normal health conditions should start with a kettlebell weighing 16kg. Those who are already training with other equipments and have more strength and flexibility can try out a kettlebell weighing 24kg. Men of slighter build or those who do not consider themselves fit enough should begin kettlebell workouts with a 12kg weight.

Kettlebells for Women
Women, on the other hand, often tend to start their kettlebell workouts with a much lighter weight. They underestimate their own stamina and are scared of the heavy look of the solid cast iron ball. But the truth is that women are often stronger than they know and handling kettlebells is absolutely safe if the correct technique is followed.

Moreover, kettlebell training never makes you bulky with huge muscles so women will never look like bodybuilders.

Women of average build and normal activities can safely begin with kettlebells weighing 8kg. Those who train regularly can select kettlebells weighing 12 kg while those who lead an extremely sedentary lifestyle or do not have enough strength should start with 6kg weight.

Kettlebells for Controlled Movement
As mentioned above, kettlebell workouts with controlled movements such as the overhead press, windmill or Turkish get-up requires you to press the kettlebell overhead several times in one circuit. So if you are just starting with kettlebells, do select a weight that is light and easier to handle.