Get-up!

There are several reasons I was thinking about Turkish Get-Ups this morning. Maybe it was because I was concerned that my clients, under whatever duress this holiday season, should have the capacity to peel themselves off the floor (especially with impaired balance) or maybe it was that getting my own butt out from under the covers this morning at 4:30a felt a little more like a workout than a spry start to my day. Really, though, I was killing time during a cancellation reading Coach Dan John's 'Get Up!' newsletter which is devoted to throwing and lifting. It's that simple: It planted a seed. Regardless, it seemed fitting that my first post and my first challenge to you is an exercise that barks a command and inspires rapid compliance.


Your Challenge in the next three days

• 1 Rep Max Turkish Get-up (per side)
• or, for those of you working at home, grab a lighter dumbbell and do as many Turkish Get-ups as you can complete in 20 minutes (alternating sides)

For those of you who have forgotten the Turkish Get-Up, there's a video here http://www.fullkontact.com/p_dvdency.html

No Get-Up?

• 150 Burpees for time
• or, 150 burpees any way you can - say, 25 every hour for 6 hours (set your computer alarm at your desk), or make it a game, 5 Burpees everytime someone at Microsoft uses the word "bandwidth"

E-mail your results and/or your questions.

I feel slightly relieved knowing that as many of you push yourself to limits with dumbbells teetering close to our gym's mirrors, I will not be standing next to you wearing a nametag.