Tried the Turkish Get Up for the first time in years

I practiced the Simple and Sinister kettlebell exercise program from February 24, 2019 to May 27, 2020. There are only 2 exercises in the program – the Swing and the Turkish Get Up. Looking back, I can’t believe I stuck with S & S for 15 months. What finally made me stop doing it was knee pain from allowing the bent knee to collapse too much while the foot remained in place on the rug I was using.

I bought both the original Kettlebell Simple & Sinister book, and the revised edition, aka S&S 2.0. Both books promised strength gains from practicing the Turkish Get Up. The 2.0 book attempted to present a more detailed plan for progressing to heavier kettlebell weights but I found that plan difficult to comprehend. In any case, I began S&S not being able to do the full TGU movement, due to lack of experience and understanding of the body mechanics, and frankly lack of strength as well. Even attempting the movement with just a shoe balanced on my fist was difficult. By the time I stopped S&S training, I was able to do the full movement with the 16kg KB, and just getting started with working the supine to either the elbow-supported position or to the tall sitting position with a 24kg KB.

My knee pain eventually subsided, and felt healthy enough for the resumption of TGU practice. However I did not feel that 15 months of practicing the TGU delivered satisfactory strength gains, so I dropped the TGU from my fitness lifestyle altogether.

Since I've been thinking of doing the Maximorum Master program in the near future, I was checking out some videos on Geoff Neupert's channel in which he talks about the KB snatch, and in one of those videos he recommended the TGU as one of the exercises to practice before learning the snatch. In this other video, he covers 11 benefits of the TGU. He also mentions how P3 method (implemented in the Sore Joint Solution program) improved his TGU and that he does TGU on his active recovery days.

Thus Neupert's shoulder "mo-stability" argument sold me on doing the TGU again, as an exercise to do on active recovery days rather than a main strength exercise. But what really sealed the deal was discovering a TGU variation that would allow me to practice the TGU on my living room floor, without having to use a rug or the interlocking foam tiles which I originally got for TGU practice, but found they do take some time to put togoether. This variation is taught by Zach Henderson. The big change compared to how I learned it from the S&S book, is replacing the windshield wiper move of the rear leg, with a stop of the front leg. This really reduces the pressure on the rear knee, and as Henderson states, allows greater control of positioning of the front foot for the lunge position.

I tried this TGU version with empty hand first, then with an 8kg KB. The right side will take more practice but I didn't expect to perfect this newer version right away. I look forward to routinely practicing this TGU on my active recovery days.