Izmir-based performance coach Burak Yazgı has once again pushed the limits of functional strength, reclaiming the Guinness World Record for the heaviest single-repetition Turkish Get-Up by hoisting an astonishing 116.8 kilograms.
Yazgı sealed the mark on Dec. 5, 2025, completing one flawless repetition of the Turkish Get-Up – a movement widely regarded as among the most demanding in strength training – and regaining a title he has now held twice in just over a year.
The lift surpassed the previous record of 115.6 kg set earlier this year by American strength athlete Michael Aidala.
The Turkish Get-Up tests far more than raw power.
Beginning flat on the back with a heavy weight locked overhead, the athlete must rise through a precise sequence – elbow, hand, bridge, kneel and stand – before reversing the entire motion under full control.
Any loss of balance, stability or coordination invalidates the attempt.
Executed correctly, the lift recruits nearly every major muscle group while demanding elite mobility, core strength and concentration.
Guinness World Records recognizes the category as the “Heaviest single repetition Turkish Get-Up,” with strict rules: the weight must remain overhead throughout, no assistance is allowed, and the movement must be completed in one continuous repetition.
Yazgı’s return to the top caps a rapid and fiercely competitive evolution of the record. Swedish athlete Hamdi El Hissy initially set the benchmark at 80.5 kg.
Yazgı broke through later with a 90.97 kg lift, becoming the first Turkish athlete to hold the title.
Aidala then raised the bar to 115.6 kg in February 2025, prompting Yazgı to begin months of targeted training to reclaim the record – a pursuit that culminated in his 116.8 kg success.
Beyond its technical difficulty, the Turkish Get-Up carries deep cultural symbolism in Türkiye.
The movement is commonly linked to the legend of Ulubatlı Hasan, the Ottoman soldier said to have raised the empire’s flag atop Constantinople’s walls in 1453 despite suffering fatal wounds.
The imagery of rising under extreme adversity while holding a weight aloft has long resonated in Turkish fitness culture – a connection that adds national pride to Yazgı’s achievement.
Yazgı, a multi-discipline athlete and coach, describes sport as a way of life rather than a single pursuit.
He has competed across various branches while training athletes from different backgrounds, a versatility he credits for mastering such a high-discipline movement.
“I believe we must be strong both mentally and physically to withstand any adversity,” Yazgı said. “Thanks to my multi-branch background, I reached a level where I could break the world record twice in one year. I believed a record many athletes dream of should belong to a Turkish athlete – and I achieved it. As long as my health allows, I will continue to carry this legacy.”
