Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Kettlebell Turkish Get Up (Squat Style): How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The kettlebell Turkish get up (squat style) is a complex, full-body movement that targets the glutes and also works the quadriceps, hamstrings, and core. It requires strength, coordination, balance, and mobility, making it a challenging exercise.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Equipment
Kettlebell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the kettlebell turkish get up (squat style)
Front view: muscles worked by the kettlebell turkish get up (squat style). Primary: glutes. Secondary: abs, quads, hamstrings and obliques.
Back view: muscles worked by the kettlebell turkish get up (squat style). Primary: glutes. Secondary: abs, quads, hamstrings and obliques.
Primary Secondary

How to do the kettlebell turkish get up (squat style)

  1. Step 1: Start by lying on your back with your legs extended and the kettlebell held in your right hand, arm fully extended above your shoulder.
  2. Step 2: Bend your right knee and place your right foot flat on the ground, keeping your left leg extended.
  3. Step 3: Pressing through your right foot, lift your hips off the ground, coming into a bridge position.
  4. Step 4: Slide your left leg underneath your body, bending your left knee and placing your left foot flat on the ground.
  5. Step 5: Rotate your torso to the left, bringing your left hand to the ground for support.
  6. Step 6: Pressing through your right foot and left hand, lift your torso off the ground, coming into a kneeling position.
  7. Step 7: From the kneeling position, stand up, keeping the kettlebell extended overhead.
  8. Step 8: Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
  9. Step 9: Repeat the exercise on the other side, starting with the kettlebell in your left hand.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the kettlebell turkish get up (squat style) by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Kettlebell Turkish Get Up (Squat Style) alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.