The Turkish lift is a one-handed exercise that can be performed with kettlebells, dumbbells, or a bar. It improves total body lifting power, shoulder flexibility, and grip strength. The exercise involves transitioning from a prone position to a standing position while holding a weight overhead. It requires balance, stability, and strength and can improve overall weightlifting performance.
The Turkish lift is an exercise popularized by the strongmen of the early 20th century. It is now used in training programs to maximize total body lifting power, shoulder flexibility, and grip strength. This exercise can use kettlebells, dumbbells, or dumbbells, and involves transitioning from a prone position to a standing position, while holding a weight overhead. It is a one-handed exercise that can be performed with either the left or right hand.
To perform a Turkish lift, lie on the floor with a dumbbell in your left hand. The right arm should be flat on the floor at 90 degrees to the body. Raise your left hand off the floor until your weight is directly over your face. Pull your left heel toward your buttocks and twist slightly to the right side of your body, pushing down with your right shoulder and right arm. Once stable on your right elbow, and with your left foot tucked into your buttocks, raise your body and slide your right leg back and under your body to a kneeling position. Bring the body to a standing position.
Once standing, the steps of the exercise must be performed in reverse order. One repetition is completed once the body returns to the prone position. It is crucial that throughout the entire Turkish lifting sequence, your eyes are not taken off the weight. The weight will always be above the head and if it becomes too heavy or stability is lost, the athlete must abandon the attempt. Don’t try to recover, just drop your body weight and get up.
If you use a kettlebell, a circular weight with an attached handle, to perform a Turkish lift, the circular portion will rest on the back of your forearm, while the movement is performed. This allows for more stability and therefore a heavier weight to lift. When using a bar, stability will be very poor, and it is essential that the bar be held in the center. An experienced athlete can lift extremely heavy weights in one hand and can add up to three quarters of his body weight.
The main advantage that the Turkish raise has over other strength training exercises, such as the bench press, is its ability to improve multiple functions of the body. This exercise requires balance, stability, and strength, and uses both arms and your core. Performed routinely, the Turkish lift can improve overall weightlifting performance and better shoulder flexibility.
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