6 Hard Truths About Lifting Belts Most Lifters LEARN Too Late

A lifting belt is one of the most misused pieces of gear in the gym. In this video, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers breaks down six common mistakes and the simple corrections that go with them.

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Cleans vs Power Cleans vs Hang Cleans - What's the Difference?!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/20/23)

Cleans, hang cleans, power cleans, hang power cleans - what are the differences between these lifts, and how can we remember these differences in an easy and practical manner? To sort this out, we first need to understand two words - hang and power.

HANG
Hang refers to a starting position, so if you see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar hanging in your hands. Common hang positions include the mid-thigh, low thigh, above the knee, below the knee, and even mid-shin, but most often (without any other specific qualifiers), hang typically refers to a start position at the mid to low thigh. 

Finally, note that if you don’t see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar resting on the floor.

POWER
Power refers to a landing position (AKA receiving position), i.e., the position in which you catch or rack the bar. When you see the word power, simply think partial squat (tip: power and partial both start with the letter “p”). Thus, if you see the word power, you’re going to receive the clean in a partial depth squat (i.e., not a full depth squat). If you don’t see the word power, then you know you’re going to receive the clean in a full depth squat.

Now that you’ve got those two terms down, it’s time for the actual lifts . . 

CLEAN (AKA squat clean or full clean)
Since you don’t see the word hang, the bar starts on the floor, and since you don’t see the word power, it’s not received in a partial squat and is therefore received in a full depth front squat before being stood up. 

In summary, the clean starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers (i.e., stands up).

POWER CLEAN
You don’t see the word hang, so the bar starts on the floor, but you do see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth front squat.

In summary, the power clean starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG CLEAN
You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, but you don’t see the word power, so the bar is received in a full depth front squat.

In summary, the hang clean starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG POWER CLEAN
Not surprisingly, this is a combination of both the hang clean and the power clean - the love child of both of those lifts. You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, and you also see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth front squat.

In summary, the hang power clean starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

By knowing what hang and power mean - and knowing what it means when those words aren’t present - you’ll be able to consistently figure out these variations of the clean. As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

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Stop Using a Utility Knife to Cut Horse Stall Mats (Do This Instead)

Cutting horse stall mats with a utility knife is slow, frustrating, and unnecessary. Here’s a faster, easier method - plus the simplest way to move heavy mats by yourself. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Pulling Blocks: What, Why, and DIY vs. Commercial (Which Should YOU Use?)

What are pulling blocks, why are they useful, and should you buy them or make them yourself? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/15/23)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Ain't Nothing Worse than a Slippery Bench!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 09/24/21)

If you’re dealing with a bench that has a slippery surface, this is a situation that needs to be remedied.

We use our legs on the bench press as they provide lateral stability and support our arch, but we can only effectively drive up the bench with our legs if our shoulders are firmly pinned to the bench itself. In other words, sliding up the bench is not what we want, so if you’re training on a bench that’s a bit slick, this is a problem. Below are a few solutions, and if you don’t feel like reading, you can watch our videos on this topic instead.

Figure 1

Option 1
Take a couple of strength bands (AKA resistance bands) and place one (lengthwise) around each side of the bench as shown in Figure 1. The bands will stick to the bench quite nicely, and you, in turn, will stick to the bands quite nicely. Since many commercial gyms have these bands, this can be a handy solution if you’re training at a commercial gym while traveling.

Figure 2

Option 2
Find and buy a non-slip rug pad (or non-slip shelf liner). A 2 ft x 4 ft section should be more than sufficient, and you can get something in this size for under $10. Simply place the rug pad on the bench as shown in Figure 2, and you now have a very grippy bench on which to train.

This is probably my favorite option as it’s flexible, rolls up easily and compactly, and is therefore easy to bring with you in your training bag.

Option 3
If Options 1 and 2 aren’t available for whatever reason, you can substitute a yoga mat for the rug pad listed in Option 2. Most commercial gyms have something like this lying around. It will be a bit on the wide side, but it will usually get the job done.

Option 4
There are a few companies out there that manufacture shirts with grippy sections of material. These are designed to help keep the bar secure on your back when squatting as well as keep you in place on the bench when benching. A7 is one such company, but you can simply google “bench grip shirt” or “bar grip shirt” to find other options. I don’t have any personal experience with these types of shirts, but I’ve heard excellent reviews from those I know who train with them.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

2 Deadlifting Pieces of Equipment You NEED to Have!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/13/23)

Let’s quickly cover two pieces of equipment that will make you better at deadlifting . . . instantly.

Item #1: Long Socks
We are talking very long - socks that go above your calves (i.e., almost to your knees). You will simply be better at keeping the bar close when wearing long socks. Sweatpants and leggings will do just fine as well, but long socks are so much more stylish.

“But Phil, I’m already pretty good at keeping the bar close.” Good for you, and in this case, you already know that - every once in a while - you nick your shin with the bar. Shins bleed easily, and now that you’ve done this, it is annoyingly easy to catch that new scab with the bar and break it open again.

Because of this - whether consciously or subconsciously - you now try to avoid hitting that scab. As a result, you are suddenly worse at keeping the bar close to your legs, and this makes your deadlifts that much harder. So . . . wear long socks.

As an additional note, you might not care if you get a little bloody when you deadlift, but everyone else who has to use that same barbell does indeed care, so do your training companions a favor. Wear long socks and keep your DNA off the bar.

Item #2: Chalk
We’ve covered this before, and we’ll cover it again - chalk is hugely useful for all of the lifts, but it is especially useful for pulling lifts such as the snatch, clean, and deadlift. Rock climbers and gymnasts use it to save their lives - we’re just using it to save our deadlifts. But the reason for its use remains the same - it absorbs the sweat and natural oil from your hands so that you have as much friction as possible when taking your grip.

Side note: If you’re training at a commercial gym and don’t feel like sneaking in the usual chalk, you can also use liquid chalk.

Still don’t like using chalk? You have two options - pull a Kelly Clarkson and just walk away since you’ve decided not to lift today or put on your big boy (or big girl) pants and use chalk because it’s the intelligent thing to do.

It makes your current deadlifts easier, and it allows you to lift more weight with less effort, which allows you to get stronger more efficiently. We’ve had numerous conversations with members who started using chalk a bit later than they should have (which is on day one) and were astounded at how much of a difference it made.

A reasonable approach is to rub some chalk onto your hands when you start warming up the deadlift (brush your hands together lightly to get rid of any loose chalk) and then chalk up again when you get to your work set.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

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(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?