Today’s article is a guest post from my friend Will Safford, a pro when it comes to the kettlebell and using it to improve your grappling performance.
I love the kettlebell get-up and have it programmed into my training 3 x a week. It will help improve everything from stronger posture under pressure to better mobility and I highly recommend you practice this movement.
Will has added a link at the end of the article to download his Get-Up course for free. By all means, take him up on this and add the Get-Up to your training.
Let’s get into it.
What if there was one exercise that could mobilize, strengthen, and fortify your body for jiu-jitsu?
An exercise that replicated and improved actual grappling movements was used on the mat.
One that could be done anywhere and for only a few reps to get the benefits.
It sounds like something worth investing your time in, especially if staying on the mat for as long as possible is a priority.
That move is the Turkish Get Up, and it’s been my “secret weapon” for better BJJ resilience and performance for over a decade.
The Get-Up forges stable and resilient shoulders, a strong, resilient core and lower back, more mobile and symmetrical hips, and an unwavering, iron grip.
For a grappler past the 35-year mark, these qualities are crucial.
It can also be used as a warmup, for a workout itself, or for prehab and rehab work.
Its versatility and utility are nearly unmatched in exercise, but they’re also extremely relevant to functional BJJ.
Let’s take a look how.
Stronger Frames
The most obvious use case of the Get-Up is strong, resilient frames when bracing against an oncoming opponent.
Stabilizing a weight overhead for the duration of the Get-Up sequence improves the function and endurance of the entire shoulder complex.
This includes all of the small shoulder stabilizers but also the lat and serratus.
These muscles are vital for shoulder integrity when holding off an opponent, especially late in the round or deep into the training session.
Any grappler knows the importance of resilient shoulders, especially against joint locks and submissions, and for the dynamic nature of the martial art itself.
The Get-Up is your insurance policy for shoulders that last.
Better Sweeps & Wrestle Ups
The Get Up is nearly identical to a BJJ technique we use to safely and efficiently transition from lying on your back to standing.
We call it the Technical Stand Up. It’s one of the first moves you learn and is frequently used in warmups.
When you load this pattern, as in the Get-Up, you strengthen all the muscles required to perform this transition. The Get Up is a full-body endeavor that connects the upper and lower halves through the core. In return, you’ll acquire more control and better movement on the mat.
The beauty of the sequence is that it also mobilizes your hips and spine to make these types of grappling movements smoother and more effortless.
A stronger Get-Up will benefit any type of sit-up sweep, such as those from X Guard, Half Guard, or wrestle-ups.
Strength, endurance, and mobility are exactly what you need for effective transitions and better BJJ performance.
Wedges, Escapes, and Creating Space
Effective jiu-jitsu is very much about closing or creating space. Often, you must create space between you and your opponent to escape, counter, or transition.
However, you also need space to finish submissions and apply techniques.
The Get Up improves your ability to create space.
Specifically, it strengthens your ability to wedge yourself between the mat and a load above. In the Get Up, it’s the weight you’re stabilizing above, on the mat, it’s your opponent.
The better your ability to create wedges, the more successful you will become at creating space and escaping or applying technique.
This ability comes specifically from improved core strength, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, but also the integration between the core, shoulders, and hips.
This is a quality no other exercise can deliver quite like the Get-Up.
Final Thoughts
At first glance, it’s the strength, mobility, and resilience that make the Get-Up attractive.
However, improving functional grappling movements makes it useful to the Jiu-Jitsu fighter.
You can perform a few reps before class with no weight to mobilize and activate your joints and muscles for action.
Or, you can work up to a heavy single on each side to improve all the qualities and positions mentioned above.
A worthy goal for most men is to work up to a half bodyweight Get Up on each side, but even the ability to rep a slow, controlled 50lb Get Up for 3 will provide most grapplers what they need.
There are countless ways to progress and regress the Get-Up, but learning it correctly is the best first step for now.
Then, just adding a few reps per week is enough to move toward becoming a stronger, more resilient grappler.
Click here for a free intro course on the Turkish Get Up for BJJ.
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Will Safford is a functional fitness coach and writer, and has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for over 14 years. He specializes in high-value, minimalist methods to fortify your body for combat sports, and has been coaching and helping a wide range of clients reach their performance goals since 2012. He currently manages two fitness websites, Order & Progress, a resource for grapplers and fighters with free weekly content, and Fortify Training, which helps people reach their general health and fitness goals.