Prisoner Get-Up

The Prisoner Get-Up is a dynamic exercise that enhances core strength and stability. It involves transitioning from a lying position to standing while maintaining an upright torso.

  1. Start lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place your hands behind your head, elbows wide.
  3. Engage your core and roll to one side, pushing through your elbow to lift your torso.
  4. Transition to a kneeling position, then stand up while keeping your hands behind your head.
  5. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

How to perform the Prisoner Get-Up

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Prisoner Get-Up using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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