Kettlebell Comparing Benefits of Turkish Get up to Clean and Press

[rickyw]

Does anyone have any insight on how the two exercises develop the body differently?

TGUs makes me feel like "one piece" more than C&P does
C&P seems to hit my upper body harder and develop it more than TGUs.

Mastering shoulder packing with a press is IMO somewhat more difficult than with a TGU. Good shoulder packing means less chance of impingement.

Both are equally satisfying to me in different ways

 

[malleus]

Great discussion, very interesting!!! But what about the bent press? Tgu VS bent press?? Bent press VS c&p?

 

[North Coast Miller]

To me the Bent Press falls between the TGU and C&P.

The C&P stands out for its eccentric/concentric, the TGU stands out for its static load/isometric. The BP has elements of both, and depending on how its performed with or without an overhead squat, will almost hit as many muscle groups as the TGU. Normally I don't do a lot of C&P, in my workout I tend toward press/front squat. If I'm doing C&P its with two KBs.

Personally I find the BP to hit my back more than TGU. TGU incorporates the bridging, opposing arm. Both do a good job with hip mobility. TGU has a bigger change in levels and takes longer to perform, so from a work load it feels a lot more taxing. Per rep, time under tension, a single TGU is worth about 2-3 BPs with the same weight IMHO.

I've attempted to replace the role of the TGU in my own workout, as it aggravates a pinched nerve on my right shoulder sometimes - or more accurately if the pinched nerve is already aggravated it will get worse with a few TGUs - this is a recent development. Also doesn't agree with my wrists so much. Haven't found any movements or ready complexes that can do what the TGU can do.

 

[Kozushi]

TGUs makes me feel like "one piece" more than C&P does
C&P seems to hit my upper body harder and develop it more than TGUs.

Mastering shoulder packing with a press is IMO somewhat more difficult than with a TGU. Good shoulder packing means less chance of impingement.

Both are equally satisfying to me in different ways

Thank you. That is a very helpful observation for me. Paying attention as much as possible to how I feel while doing the two exercises and afterwards, I feel like the TGU is more of an entire athletic event and the C&P more of a specific weightlifting exercise. TGU feels like I'm fighting judo or BJJ. It gets my heart rate up in a nice way without overstraining anything. It's awesome!

 

[Kozushi]

The more I'm thinking about all this the more I have to wonder if one would be going wrong in simply continuing with the S&S programme but adding in C&P and snatches at another time in the day in order to benefit from the high profile exercises in both Strongfirst kettlebell programmes.
I wonder if anyone out there has done that.

 

[masa]

I've done ROP in the past and might do a cycle or two in the future too. But in all year round use TGU wins hands down. I'd rather spend ten minutes with TGU than 45 mins with C&P 5X1,2,3,4,5 ladder. Of course C&P does wonders for shoulders etc. but in a long term use TGU is a lot safer and time efficient... at least for me.

 

[Kozushi]

I've done ROP in the past and might do a cycle or two in the future too. But in all year round use TGU wins hands down. I'd rather spend ten minutes with TGU than 45 mins with C&P 5X1,2,3,4,5 ladder. Of course C&P does wonders for shoulders etc. but in a long term use TGU is a lot safer and time efficient... at least for me.

Like I've written elsewhere, I feel like I've been through a BJJ or judo match every TGU cycle.

 

[J Cox]

The more I'm thinking about all this the more I have to wonder if one would be going wrong in simply continuing with the S&S programme but adding in C&P and snatches at another time in the day in order to benefit from the high profile exercises in both Strongfirst kettlebell programmes.
I wonder if anyone out there has done that.

It doesn't hurt to practice C&P and snatches. You're training, remember?

I can say that the TGU, like the swing, is one of those indispensable skills that translates into WTH effects. For me, I noticed my snatch became powerful at the top. Granted, swings had a lot to do with it as well. My shoulder just sucks right into that perfect little cup of strength at the top each time. I lock out without a thought (other than the times I caught myself thinking "Hey, this feels like the top of my TGU"). I would keep you S&S in there, because it is the base from which all other skills spring.

So, taking the long way around the barn for getting to my point, you wouldn't be wrong in adding the C&P and snatches. Just be sure you're taking an intelligent approach to training it. Based on what you've said so far in this thread, that likely won't be a problem for you.

 

[Kozushi]

It doesn't hurt to practice C&P and snatches. You're training, remember?

I can say that the TGU, like the swing, is one of those indispensable skills that translates into WTH effects. For me, I noticed my snatch became powerful at the top. Granted, swings had a lot to do with it as well. My shoulder just sucks right into that perfect little cup of strength at the top each time. I lock out without a thought (other than the times I caught myself thinking "Hey, this feels like the top of my TGU"). I would keep you S&S in there, because it is the base from which all other skills spring.

So, taking the long way around the barn for getting to my point, you wouldn't be wrong in adding the C&P and snatches. Just be sure you're taking an intelligent approach to training it. Based on what you've said so far in this thread, that likely won't be a problem for you.

Good advice, thank you.

 

[Tjerr]

Hopefully a kinesiologist or someone can elaborate and correct my thoughts but I find isometric movements like the TGU and carries kind of elegant from a tension or force curve perspective. An isometric movement has a constant tension applied and a steady muscle length which to me is very uniform and symmetric.

Nothing on topic, but reacting to what I saw.

The kettlebell community has praised the core-activating benefits of the Turkish Get Up (TGU) for many years. It's taken quite a while for some strength coaches to catch on but nowadays most coaches are having their athletes perform the TGU in their warm-ups. The TGU was the only exercise in this experiment that had over 100% peak activation in all four core muscles that were tested. Good job kettlebellers!

Inside the Muscles: Best Ab Exercises | T Nation

Bonus:

A hardcore plank?
A while back a colleague of mine named Joe Sansalone taught me how to do an RKC (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) plank. Basically, he had me get into my normal plank position and then made adjustments. First, he had me place my elbows slightly further out in front of me and closer together to increase the lever arm length and reduce the width of the base of support. He then had me forcefully lock out my knees by contracting my quads.

Finally, he had me contract my glutes as hard as possible to the point where my pelvis posteriorly rotated. These adjustments left me quivering like a school girl. I highly recommend experimenting with this new variation as it blows away the core activation of a normal plank. (In fact, I suggest you stop reading right now, drop down to the floor, and try it for yourself.) Chalk up another one for the kettlebellers!