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Why we love kettlebell get ups

Have you ever wondered about the purpose of kettlebell get ups? Just like everything we do at Rise, we do them for a reason! Read on to find out.

Chase Morlock

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Initially, you might look at the kettlebell get up movement and ask, "Why?". I thought the same thing early on. But after years of working with our adult clients, my eyes were opened to just how beneficial this exercise is. It's so beneficial that we've made it one of our Big Rock Exercises here at Rise.

We define Big Rock Exercises as movements that support longevity and health. If you're proficient in our Big Rocks, we truly believe you'll be prepared for any physical day-to-day task that life throws your way.

After watching our members get up and off the floor and seeing the difficulty and pain that many were dealing with, I realized the kettlebell get up might be more applicable than I originally thought. We say this often in our team meetings at Rise: “We reserve the right to change our minds.” We're constantly learning, evolving, and allowing ourselves to grow.

I realized the get up is a fantastic core exercise, a great shoulder exercise, and it really trains body control and proprioception. But even more importantly, it trains you how to safely get off the ground as you age, which becomes a fundamental movement pattern.

The kettlebell get up isn't just about one thing - it trains many things. Exercises that do that are some of my favorites. It gives you the most bang for your buck!

Here are a few benefits of the get-up:

  • Total Body Activation: This move works it all. Shoulders, core, legs, grip – you name it.

  • Functional: The get-up has real-life applicability. Think about getting off the ground, carrying something heavy, staying stable. The get up trains you for life.

  • Core Strength and Stability: Your core is your powerhouse, and the get up challenges it big time. It builds stability and strength, protects your spine, and helps your posture.

  • Coordination and Balance: The get up takes some serious coordination and body awareness. It helps you move better, with more control and confidence.

  • Mental Toughness: The get up is hard. That's part of the reason I love it. It not only physically pushes you, but mentally pushes you as well.

Recently when I was working out, I had 3 sets of 5 reps each side programmed in for kettlebell get ups as my first pod of exercises. Nothing else was paired with it. I can tell you from much experience, doing 3 sets of 5 kettlebell get-ups is tough! I had to stay mentally locked in and focus on each position, and it physically pushed me as well. By the end, just about everything in my body was fired up and ready to go for the rest of my workout. I’d be lying if I said that I didn't whine to the coaches about it a time or two, but ultimately I loved the challenge and was grateful to push through it. It’s all part of the fun!

So, that’s why we believe kettlebell get ups are a foundational movement skill and an exercise we want every single member to be proficient in at Rise. If you can do the kettlebell get up at a high level, you're one step closer to being ready for whatever life throws your way.

Want to chat further about training for real life? We'd love to sit down and chat with you! Get started with Rise today.