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Kettlebell TGUs and alternatives

Pavel.Kosenkov

Level 5 Valued Member
Guys - don't take this the wrong way. I have done my share of TGUs. And I think it is a very useful exercise that can teach us a lot.
However.
Let's say I am outside and there is no place to lay down. Or - let's say my elbow hurts when I push the floor. Or - let's say there is no room to lay down.
Please, don't feed me the "you need to get your form checked" and "find a better place" stuff. Think with me.
How can we get the similar benefits?
Let's say we make the program press focused. Great.
Then - maybe adding loaded carries and windmills?
Or - maybe just loaded carries and heavier goblet squats for the core strength?
I am not denying the TGU - that is a great movement. But - what if there is no option to load it? What can give us similar benefits?
 
Guys - don't take this the wrong way. I have done my share of TGUs. And I think it is a very useful exercise that can teach us a lot.
However.
Let's say I am outside and there is no place to lay down. Or - let's say my elbow hurts when I push the floor. Or - let's say there is no room to lay down.
Please, don't feed me the "you need to get your form checked" and "find a better place" stuff. Think with me.
How can we get the similar benefits?
Let's say we make the program press focused. Great.
Then - maybe adding loaded carries and windmills?
Or - maybe just loaded carries and heavier goblet squats for the core strength?
I am not denying the TGU - that is a great movement. But - what if there is no option to load it? What can give us similar benefits?
KB Athletic drills, KB OH SQ with 1 and 2 bells. TGU squat variation if you have enough room to sit down.
 
How can we get the similar benefits?
A few years ago when I was doing S&S daily, the missus had taken up crocheting and our very modest home and garage went through a phase of gathering bins and bins stacked, and full of all sorts of yarn.

This crowded my opportunity to do getups from the floor.

So for myself I had a short period of doing reverse getups as far as I could.

I cheat cleaned the bell (not well), pressed it over my head , and proceeded downward as far as I could . I remember getting down into the half kneeling windmill stance and my head touching a plastic bin next to me. So other times I just went down into the lunge. I did hold each position for a noticably long number of seconds , somewhere between 10 and 20, and practiced breathing behind the shield. I eventually cleared a space in the garage . But that's what I did when things got really crowded, and I hadn't really learned other movements at the time.
 
Hello @Pavel.Kosenkov

My first answer would have been to play with various pushing angles (ovh, oaol, oap, archer...) but it seems that's not possible. Therefore, I'd play with several crawling variations, if that's possible. For instance: bear crawl, lizard crawl, even crab walk. Overall, I'd play a lot with "animal walks". For a while, a YT channel called "Vahva Fitness" had extensive content on the topic. Some variations can be loaded (using dragging a weight or using a weight vest (or both)).

For straigtharm work, I'd do handstand work (using a kick off instead of frog start, to avoid pushing).

For the leg per se, I'd do pistol squats

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
... I think it [getup] is a very useful exercise that can teach us a lot.
However Let's say I am outside and there is no place to lay down. Or - let's say my elbow hurts when I push the floor. Or - let's say there is no room to lay down.
How can we get the similar benefits? ...
What can give us similar benefits?

@Pavel.Kosenkov, what if you consider each movement - getup, windmill, bent press, strict press, etc. - as a martial arts "form," as kata. Is one kata better than another? Can one kata substitute for another? Perhaps a similar question is asking, if one chooses to exercise by dancing, which kind of dancing? Or if one wants to keep up one's musical chops, which instrument is best? Focus on doing whatever you're doing well. Comparison is not necessary. The getup isn't the Holy Grail, it's "just" a very good choice for many people.

JMO, YMMV.

-S-
 
Thanks to OP for the question. I also have limited space and tile floors, so it's been a logistic challenge for me also.

Question to the team: What's a "windmill"?
 
@Pavel.Kosenkov, what if you consider each movement - getup, windmill, bent press, strict press, etc. - as a martial arts "form," as kata. Is one kata better than another? Can one kata substitute for another? Perhaps a similar question is asking, if one chooses to exercise by dancing, which kind of dancing? Or if one wants to keep up one's musical chops, which instrument is best? Focus on doing whatever you're doing well. Comparison is not necessary. The getup isn't the Holy Grail, it's "just" a very good choice for many people.

JMO, YMMV.

-S-
A very good point.
The thing is - kettlebell training is often described as efficient and easy.

I am all pro skill practice and ownership of your training, skill and the kettlebells :) . I have 5 and I love them.

But - I would like to think not "What can I do for a better TGU?", but "What can TGU do for me?". Isn't this why we train?
Your example of a kata, or dancing, is not really applicable. Both are pure skill items. We do them to practice a skill.
Kettlebells fall under "strength and conditioning" after all. They are supposed to make us better.

For the TGU - if the main selling point of the exercise is shoulder stability and core stability.
How can we achieve that alternatively?
In my example - if the surface does not permit a TGU, or let's say you have an elbow injury that prevents you from doing it, - another exercise with the similar benefits would be a good thing to consider.

There should always be a reason to do an exercise. If something is done for the sake of doing it - it's a bad choice.
Further - for the exercise selection, - I think we should be choosing "as simple as possible" and "as hard as possible".
So - hard to do, but technically easy to perform.
This would be the best choice for strength and conditioning exercises, IMHO.

By the way, I very much agree with @Brett Jones comment, based on my year of TGU practice. I would add chinups, if possible: for the lat action during "to the elbow" transfer. If a pullup bar is present, of course.
 
We are pursuing, promoting and practicing the skill of strength.

Some do it with bodyweight, others kettlebell, others barbell and others a mix of those with other skills like BJJ or dance etc.

Might be overthinking this a bit.
 
I agree. But if it's only the skill that develops, not the body - what are we doing here?
You referenced both kata’s and dance. If you have ever practiced Sanchin kata you will soon see both skill and the body develop.

Likewise, with dance… dancers such as Nureyev, and Baryshnikov come to mind as being both skilled and strong.

But as @Brett Jones was getting at…. Maybe we are overthinking it a bit…
 
You referenced both kata’s and dance. If you have ever practiced Sanchin kata you will soon see both skill and the body develop.

Likewise, with dance… dancers such as Nureyev, and Baryshnikov come to mind as being both skilled and strong.

But as @Brett Jones was getting at…. Maybe we are overthinking it a bit…
Yeah, while doing my TGUs :)
 
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