Performance coach Mike Aidala just set the new world record for the Turkish get up by lifting a total of 13,823 pounds within an hour. Learn more about this incredible feat and the motivation that drove Aidala to smash the previous record by over 820 pounds!
WHO IS MIKE AIDALA?
Mike Aidala is a performance coach with over 15 years of experience in the fitness industry. Aidala played football in college and has participated in a variety of athletic sports from calisthenics to mountain biking to stand-up paddle-boarding to yoga; he believes in having a well-balanced approach to fitness and overall wellness. He focuses on 1 to 1 training, helping men and women optimize their health, you can check out his website here.
TURKISH GET UP WORLD RECORD
Aidala set the new world record for Turkish get ups at the V23 Athletics gym located in Englewood, Colorado. Aidala’s new Turkish get up record was set on February 3rd, 2022, when he lifted a cumulative 13,823 pounds within the span of an hour. Besides setting the new record, he also did it for a worthy cause of raising awareness for veteran suicide.
Aidala’s quest to set a new world record began last fall when he searched for the heaviest Turkish getup world record. Last year, Chris Cox set the record with a total of 10,732.5 pounds in an hour and then was broken by Nolan De Leon in October 2021 with a total of 12,998.5 pounds in an hour's time.
Aidala set a goal of 13,000 pounds that he surpassed by over 800 pounds. He spent time training using different weights to increase his endurance.
When push came to shove, Aidala ended up using two different size kettlebells, a 97-pound kettlebell to use with his stronger right arm and an 89.5-pound kettlebell with his left arm.
Aidala lifted these weights in 3-4 rep sets for a total of 149 reps by doing 75 with his left arm and 74 with his right.
Aidala’s Motivation To Break The Turkish Get up World Record
Aidala used this record-setting opportunity to bring awareness to veteran mental health and suicide prevention. This cause hits close to his heart because he had personal experience in the subject as his grandfather, who was a veteran, died by suicide. He spoke about how his grandfather’s death affected his family and wanted to help others facing similar situations.
The record-breaking event helped raise over $4,000 for Mission 22, an organization that helps veterans facing mental health challenges. While performing this feat of strength, Aidala had his grandfather’s pictures and medals on display to help motivate him. Guinness Book of World Records will go through the standard approval process and should have the official confirmation completed within a month.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It was fantastic to see Aidala shatter the Turkish get up world record for such a worthy cause that we should all get behind. Aidala has his sights set on his next fitness-based charitable cause, Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis, an 80-mile stand-up paddle-board race from Bimini in the Bahamas across the Gulf Stream to south Florida. We can’t wait for this event as SET FOR SET’s very own Garett Reid will participate in his kayak, feel free to donate here.
Kiel DiGiovanni
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