Restore Movement With The Turkish Get-Up
In order to correct movement dysfunction, it is necessary to re-visit some of the more fundamental movement patterns such as rolling and crawling.
These ‘corrective exercises’ are great for restoring functional movement and can also be really fun at the same time. Anytime we ask new clients to crawl or roll around on the ground, you can see their inner child emerge with a big smile and some giggles. It's the perfect combination of play and movement therapy.
When you were a little human, you spent a lot of your focus learning how to get up off the ground and move around. It was a tall task, but with relentless perseverance you were determined to succeed. Through trial and error, you figured out how to master the milestones of crawling, standing and walking (and you probably received some praise for these accomplishments too).
You sure have come a long way since you were a baby, but if you’re like everyone else in our culture, you’ve probably actually regressed in your ability to perform basic developmental movements like rolling, crawling and getting up off the ground. Fortunately, there is one single exercise that helps to restore the primitive patterns for those demonstrating movement system dysfunctions (which is most of us). This perfect exercise is called the Turkish Get-Up (TGU).
At Oakville Performance & Wellness, we love the Turkish Get-Up. It is the fundamental exercise to help restore human movement while taking you through the developmental movement stages all over again.
Mastering this drill will translate into better movement quality and performance across the board, regardless of what your goals are. It has tremendous carryover to both athleticism and pain-prevention.
The TGU helps to improve body awareness through all movement planes while allowing you to focus on the breath and feeling your body in time and space (proprioception). The sequential nature of the drill really allows you to be mindful of your body and hone in on each step to create control and awareness.
Tip: Don’t rush through this exercise. Make it precise and intentional. Two phrases we like to borrow from Dr. Perry Nickelston (creator of Stop Chasing Pain) are 'Own slow' and 'Speed hides need'.
1. “Own slow”
2. "Speed hides need”
If you can’t do it slow, you don’t own the movement.
Our personal trainers at OakPW like to program the Turkish Get-Up on Mondays to set the week off right. Try adding this drill to your exercise routine and reap the benefits.
Some Benefits of the Turkish Get-Up:
Promotes upper body, lower body and trunk stability.
Requires mobility of the hips and legs.
Connects all the limbs to the core and each other.
Stimulates proprioception (being aware of your body in time and space).
Develops full body functional strength.
Trains the body in both closed and open chain movements.
Promotes thoracic spine extension and rotation.
Requires full body stability in all movement planes.
If you need any help to learn this wonderful drill, give us a call at Oakville Performance & Wellness (905) 337-7778 or book a session online.
Always remember, motion is lotion. We encourage you to Move well. Live well.™