Best Strength Exercise for BJJ: Turkish Get Up + Our Standards

If we could only choose one exercise to build BJJ-specific strength - it would be the Turkish Get Up
The benefits of the TGU are many:
- shoulder stability
- core strength
- lower body stability and coordination
- development of base
- strengthens and reinforces your ability to frame effectively
The TGU is one of the Bulletproof For BJJ Strength Standards, because we believe it to be one of the best strength exercises for BJJ. As such it is a key feature of our program. In this video we outline how to perform the movement efficiently, as well as the other important exercises we use to build a strong, coordinated TGU.
Those exercises are:
- Get Up Sit Up
- Overhead Back Lunge
- KB Windmill
Most people hit a plateau when trying to increase the weight of their TGU. By combining these other 3 movements into your training you will strengthen all of the areas required to make consistent progress. This will allow you to take your strength, and performance on the mats to new heights.
THE BULLETPROOF FOR BJJ TGU STANDARDS:
Blue: 15% of bodyweight x 2 reps each side
Purple: 25% of bodyweight x 2 reps each side
Brown: 35% of bodyweight x 2 reps each side
Black: 40% of bodyweight x 2 reps each side
As an example - a 72kg athlete would be required to perform 2 reps each side with an 18kg weight (kettlebell/dumbell) to achieve purple belt status in the Bulletproof For BJJ program.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 intro
00:41 Get Up Sit Up
01:33 Overhead Back Lunge
02:22 KB Windmill
03:38 Turkish Get Up
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[@surfing1998]

Hey thanks for your windmill tips. It worked for me, finally. I've got a 40% BW TGU but have never been able to windmill press correctly until this video, which appeared in my feed. Even Pavel's tutorial didn't help me. Today I used that tip of yours "weight on back heel, then hip hinge," and it clicked. I was able to overcome a decade-old, left-side posterior iliac crest "knot," and go the full ROM. I'm grateful for the help!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

How awesome is that! Happy to hear it. Oss 🤙🏼

[@jamesprocter6584]

I'm 56yrs old. I' started on 1st September doing 10 get ups (5 each side) with 24kg and have continued every single day. since 1st December I moved up to 28kg. I use it as my morning routine. I do nothing else. it has transformed me. I feel so strong just walking down the street. my muscle tone especially around the midriff is like a drum. mist amazing exercise of all in 5 minutes a day. the holy grail of exercises. no more 2hr sessions in the gym 3 times a week.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

thats amazing. keep it up!

[@kettlebellken]

Excellent demo... I started doing TGUs at 50 nine years ago and they have totally restored my body's strength & flexibility despite aging

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Ken, thats amazing. They're a hell of an exercises. And thank you!

[@VDarksteel]

This is by far the best description of the TGU I've seen. Straight to the point, very descriptive but not unnecessarily long.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Thanks so much, we are glad you are enjoying the content.

[@dryancu86]

Went looking for video after hearing the insane TGU numbers JT puts up on a recent podcast. This is a great instructional on my favorite exercise. Also, you are a monster. Thanks for all the work, you both and your team have been an enormous assist for me.

[@scotnicos5383]

First work out in the bag, thanks JT. Came home from Jits last night a bit disheartened as I'd lost a tonne of strength after a rib injury. Got to get a heavier kettlebell, but fell like I've turned my negative mood into a positive. Great, valued content. Thanks Bulletproof!

[@1981billiam]

I really enjoy the kettle bell. I’m 42 and I enjoy the functionality of what you can do with it.

[@Fengshawn86]

I’ve watched about a dozen videos on this and this one is the best explanation and demonstration without wasted talk. Thank you!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

happy to hear it! thank you

[@gerdsiebern9648]

This is the very, very best tutorial for TGU beginners.👏👏👏👏👏😉

[@peteuthai]

Thank you for the breakdown

[@PnPModular]

Great explanation and awesome to see someone who fully understands the TGU perform the actions

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Thanks so much! Yeah we've spent so much time on the TGU. Sound like you have too?

[@kettlebellmusclegain]

Kettlebell training is the top resistance tool for BJJ and grappling. Hands down.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Hard to argue 👌🏼

[@AleksanderArtun]

Great video 💪⚔️

[@ashwinkumar3751]

00:02 Turkish Get Up is a great strength exercise for BJJ. 01:02 Develop a strong elbow drive for stability during the Turkish Get Up exercise. 01:52 The Turkish Get Up is a great strength exercise for BJJ. 02:37 Proper form for overhead lunge press with kettlebell 03:26 Maintain weight on back heel, focus on stability and rotational push through the hips. 04:14 Maintain alignment and engage glutes for maximum clearance 05:00 Proper form and alignment are key in performing the Turkish Get Up exercise for BJJ. 05:46 Turkish Get Up is a bulletproof strength exercise for BJJ

[@jigssscupid8836]

Wow wow. This video is the Best I seen, well explained, properly shown, thank you 👍

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Thankyou glad you like the content!

[@charlieinabox1164]

I used to do these over a decade ago and recently started BJJ this year and was looking for an exercise that I could do to help me condition, how convenient. thanks!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Hey Charlie, glad we were able to reconnect you with it! Such a great exercise. I'm excited to be focussing on them again myself.

[@x-Musashi-x]

I dislocated my shoulder 3 weeks ago when my opponent (2x my body weight)went for an armbar on my left arm while I was posted on the right elbow. His outside thigh slid off my head and he ended up fully seated on my right shoulder (popped!) I’ve been slowly doing rehabs and flow rolling. But today was the first day I did 5 lb kettle bell Turkish get up, and it hurt like hell, but after a couple of reps, my shoulder eased into it and now it feels so good. I used to be able to do 80 lbs on each side max. I’ll slowly ever slightly load up until my shoulder is confident into getting those awkward positions in combat sports, Slowly but surely I’ll be 110% Thanks for the video? It helped touch up on my tgu technique

[@TDR85]

TGUs have helped me more on the mat way more than deadlifting or benching ever has. I'd also suggest double kb cleans, dips, and goblet squats to round it all out.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Fantastic movements right there 👌🏼

[@AlexandroBekos]

very nice video brother

[@maximepalette6693]

Amazing !

[@bulletproofforbjj]

thank you for watching!

[@FreddieDowner]

I add an over head squad at the top of the rep for some reason. Love the TGU

[@dustinholmes1399]

Burn Notice guy put on some mass!! Great video!!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

he probably had some ice cream the night before

[@Elwin_MMA]

5:05 I have a kettlebell on each side and use the other one when I switch sides.

[@kcwliew]

New to this channel. Everyone is talking about how great the instruction is (and it IS ofc) but bro, you LOOK like you got gorilla strength - no skinny calves... just chonky AF all round. How old are you? 46 here and I've lost a lot of muscle mass over the past decade meanwhile doing BJJ and getting injuries so I'm definitely going to start incorporating this exercise into my life. Thanks for the free content. I'll check out the rest of your channel!

[@randolphpinkle4482]

The Turkish Get-Up is a great movement, but it should also be learned with a much lighter bell than one might think they need. In the attempt NOT to drop the bell as you are going through the movement, the muscles of the back/shoulder may slightly twist or move in an unnatural direction causing injury. It's a movement that deserves a series of progressively heavier weights. Something a kettlebell doesn't necessarily offer.

[@reptilefrenzyllc3721]

Good shit guys!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

oss thanks for watching!

[@gokdenizadyaman7357]

The "Turkish get up" movement was discovered by retired Turkish SAT commando "Namik Ekin" and his friend "Özdemir". Namık Ekin is also a contestant in 24 different branches. He holds eighteen (18) unbroken Guinness records. Despite the age of eighty, he continues to try to record records, including records such as skydiving and being buried in a coffin and fed only with water for seven (7) days.

[@morenoh149]

5:50 strength standards 2 reps each side Purple belt 25% body weight Black belt 40% body weight

[@lmk2869]

Fantastic viddy! You mentioned two reps with the correct form, each side for 25% and 40% percent respectively to one's own body weight. If we were to do this in a routine say a couple of times a week, would we do more reps with less weight for overall strength gains or not? If so, how many reps? You've got me interested in your program now...

[@bulletproofforbjj]

you could go either way, but generally speaking low reps (1-3) work great for the TGU as it's such a big movement (and takes quite a long time per rep)

[@kronk420]

Many kettlebell movements and also running have helped improve my mat time, TGU's have never played a part in it. Maybe they're useful for other people but but not for me.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

If you are not doing them then you are missing out from a strength perspective.

[@kronk420]

@@bulletproofforbjj I appreciate your point, I've programmed TGU's over the years and not been on the mat and thought to myself I'm glad that I did them. I don't doubt that they work for some people but from a power and strength endurance perspective for the mat then heavy double kettlebell clean and jerk done for high sets and reps I've found to translate very well.

[@rikkic7000]

I enjoyed this video, currently injured (ego + old age = problem ) but when I’m good to go this will be one of my go to exercises

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Glad to hear it.

[@zxsw85]

Lies

[@rikkic7000]

@@zxsw85 which part ?

[@zxsw85]

@@rikkic7000 did u make it your go to exercise???

[@Kushgroove234]

does this need to be done with a kettle bell due to the position of the weight relative to where you hold it, or will a dumbell work just fine?

[@bagoroismaelarnaud2531]

Great kettlebell, much cheaper then a brand name or one from a store. Felt bad for the driver though.

[@TYLERSCHRIMSHER]

33kg would be 40% for me. My gym only goes up to 24kg and I have done it before while weaker. I’m trying to think if dumbbells would work so I can go heavier given high reps on the get up aren’t optimal imo. I feel so wonder if it’ll be harder or easier with a dumbbell. If anyone has experience let me know how it worked got you or any tips

[@americandissident9062]

Do I have to use a kettlebell? I have some good dumbbells for this.

[@edgarbarrazamusic6742]

Can you do these exercises with a dumbbell if you don’t have a kettlebell?

[@homerm.8176]

What weight is that kettle-bell?

[@smolderingvirtue]

Is it okay to bring the KB back to the shoulder and press back up on every repartition or is this discouraged? Thanks for the great information.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Good question. I don't think there's any rule saying thats not allowed. However once you're dealing with heavier loads, pressing on each rep might fatigue the shoulder unnecessarily.

[@bbduki]

Should we do this exercise both sides?

[@farstrider79]

Really one of my favorite exercises, but unfortunately I have a pinched nerve in my neck that flares up sometimes and the complexity of this movement makes it really easy for form to slip and bother it.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Thats a shame! But, have you tried breaking it up into small parts? ie. get up sit up, half get up (top or bottom half) overhead lunge etc.

[@farstrider79]

@@bulletproofforbjj 🤷‍♂️, there's so many exercises that it's hard to pick sometimes. I just try to shift to things that don't hurt.

[@bushcraftnorthof6012]

Are you able to do halos with a kettlebell to loosen things up over time? Mark Wildman has some excellent next stretches that might help, too.

[@rhysthomas8058]

Are there any advantages/disadvantages in using dumbbell instead of kettlebell for this exercise?

[@bulletproofforbjj]

Not really. Slight difference for the person doing it, but in terms of gains more or less the same.

[@sepereaude2664]

On the windmill I have big problems with my right foot back but seem to do it fine with my left foot back. Any suggestions on how to correct that?

[@bulletproofforbjj]

What exactly do you mean by big problems? Feel free to tag us in an instagram video and can happily help correct once I’ve seen it

[@GeorgeOu]

You look like the kind of person that if I had in side control, you'd shrug me off like a blanket.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

JT is definitely that kind of person : )

[@cloudalerts9383]

I am sure I am going to get hate for this, but in my opinion the TGU is highly overrated for grapplers for two main reasons: 1) The TGU involves a complex sequence of steps that forces you to go lighter than you should for certain body parts. For example, the shoulder in all honestly is getting the brunt of the work, but your bigger muscles like the legs and core region (back, abs etc) are not getting taxed as much as you think. Your shoulder will fail first - undertraining your larger more important muscles. Its more of skill lift, than a pure strength exercise. 2) The sequence of steps in the TGU doesn't directly translate to any specific grappling situations. For example, at no point are you completely extending your arm overhead while also standing straight-up - unless you want your opponent to get a hold of your arm! Only the first part of the movement where you transition from the ground to sitting up truly mimics a realistic scenario. That step I train. Personally I think people over complicate exercising. If you want to be better at the TGU you do the TGU. You want to be better at Squatting - you Squat. My philosophy for grappling is to use exercises that can properly overload all the different muscles in the body in a safe and efficient manner. It doesn't matter if its kettlebells, dumbbells, rocks, trees, machines, or some other object. Again, this is just my opinion, I am sure many of you will disagree with me.

[@irsh2786]

Interesting but I feel like it's not good for my back, especially the movements where we twist our chest to the side. Maybe strong abs compensate, though.

[@bulletproofforbjj]

If you are feeling your lower back you need to look at your hip mobility. Tight glutes and hip flexors are often a contributor for anyone who trains bjj.

[@strahinja95]

How much do i have to lift to finish Ryan Gordon? Just kidding. Great explanation!

[@bulletproofforbjj]

hahah! Thanks, glad it helped you.

[@TheSarapac]

Can kettlebells be substituted with dumbbells?

[@bulletproofforbjj]

absolutely

[@Dawood4]

Can I do this with a dumbbell?

[@bulletproofforbjj]

absolutely!

[@christo_life]

What is BJJ?

[@SammyZung-nv1cg]

I'm a Turkish but I can't do it. 😊