12 Pieces of Lifting Gear to THROW AWAY (and What to Replace Them With) - Part 2

We’re back with Part 2 in our series on gear that should be avoided, gear that should be thrown away, and gear that actually works well. If you missed Part 1, you can check that out by clicking here.

Let’s get to it . . .

Bench
Specifically, don’t get a slick bench. You need to be firmly affixed to the bench when performing the bench press, and a slippery bench makes it difficult or even impossible to (a) create stability by effectively driving with your legs, and (b) keep your shoulders retracted.

We have several Rogue Fitness benches at Testify, and while I don’t regret buying them, there are probably some better options out there in terms of grip (granted, it’s possible that Rogue has improved their bench since we last purchased one).

If I were shopping for a bench right now, I would lean toward the Rep Fitness bench. I don’t have personal experience with it, but a number of our online members have it, and I’ve heard solid reviews from them.

Power Racks & Squat Stands
Stay away from the 3” x 3” uprights.

This is absolutely a champagne problem, and if someone gave me a rack with 3” x 3” uprights, I would gladly use it. With that said, all of our racks have 2” x 3” uprights, and I strongly prefer this configuration.

First, 3” x 3” racks are more expensive than 2” x 3” racks. Second, consider unracking and racking your squat on a 3” x 3” rack versus a 2” x 3” rack. By comparison, 3” x 3” uprights give you 2” less space either between the outside of the uprights and the plates or between the inside of the uprights and your hands (or a combination of the two).

If you lose space on the outside (which is usually the case), you’re more likely to bump into the uprights when unracking and racking, and losing space on the inside of the rack can be rough on those with tight shoulders (and thus a relatively wide grip).

Nathan squats 485 lb for a set of 5 reps inside the rogue r-3 rack, which has 2” x 3” uprights.

Thus, for example, I’d recommend the Rogue R-3 or Titan T-3 over their 3” x 3” cousins. With that said, the 3” x 3” racks usually have more options for customization and accessories, so if you’re looking for more than a basic power rack, you’ll probably need to go that route.

Belts
Choose wisely when purchasing your lifting belt. Here are a few considerations:

1. Don’t get a tapered belt (i.e., wider in the back, narrower in the front). Your belt is as good as its narrowest point, so simply get a belt that is a uniform width all the way around. A 10 mm thick belt that is either 3” wide or 4” wide will work for 99% of lifters.

2. Don’t get a padded belt. A belt helps you brace and create stability, and cushioning defeats this purpose.

3. Don’t get a cheap belt. Buy a quality belt (usually $100 or more) - it will be far sturdier than a cheap belt, and it will probably outlast you.

There are a number of quality belt manufacturers out there - Pioneer, Dominion Strength, The Strength Co., and Inzer just to name a few, and with that in mind, here are a few belt options I typically recommend:

• Pioneer Cut - single prong with 1/2” adjustments, 4” wide x 10mm thick

• Pioneer - PAL V2, 4” wide x 10mm thick (if you’re looking for a lever belt)

• Dominion Strength - single prong, 3” wide x 10 mm thick

• Dominion Strength - single prong, 4” wide x 10 mm thick

Blocks
Blocks are very useful for deadlifting from a higher position (i.e., a block pull), deficit deadlifts, and snatching and cleaning from a higher position.

DC Blocks are a specific brand of block – they are stackable and durable, which makes them very useful. However, they’re a bit on the small side (in terms of surface area), and specifically, they are quite expensive. With this in mind, I would not recommend them unless you get can get them at a steep discount as we did when we purchased over $1000 of used DC Blocks for $300 at a garage sale.

Instead, most people are better off building their own blocks from horse stall mats, or if you need taller blocks, constructing them from a combination of wood and stall mats. You can check out the videos above and below for how to do this.

Lifting Gloves
Don’t.

A glove puts a layer - it puts distance - between you and the barbell.

If you’re benching with gloves, now you have a padded surface between you and the bar, and a pad is not good for force transfer.

If you’re deadlifting with gloves, you have the same problem, and you have the significantly worse problem of effectively making the bar larger in your hands (since your hand now goes around the bar and the inner surface of your glove).

I was once silly enough (many moons ago) to use gloves. Then I started using my brain like a sane person and threw them away. Learn from my silliness and avoid the gloves (or throw them away if you have them).

Technical Shirt
A tech shirt is also known as a “dri fit” or “moisture wicking” shirt, and indeed, they are excellent at wicking moisture away from your body, which makes them great for running, basketball, soccer, etc.

However, they are rather terrible for lifting as they tend to be slick.

The last thing you want when training is a slippery surface between you and the bar when squatting or between you and the bench when benching.

Ditch the dri fit shirt and wear a basic, cotton t-shirt. It’s not high-tech, but it’s remarkably effective.

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:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(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?

This Mistake Will RUIN All Your Lifts!

Want to improve every one of your lifts with one fix? Make sure you're doing this. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/27/23)

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

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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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?

Lifting Straps | What You're Doing WRONG (common mistakes)

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/27/23)

If you’re new to using lifting straps (or even if you’re not so new), there are a few common mistakes that you might be making. At best, these mistakes make the use of straps cumbersome, and at worst, these mistakes make straps a liability instead of an asset.

With that said, these mistakes are relatively easy to fix, and once we’ve solved them, you’ll never make them again, so let’s get to it.

As a quick side note, all of these mistakes and their solutions are far more easily seen and understood on video than in print, so be sure to watch the included video.

Figure 1: The correct position for straps (on the hand)

Mistake #1: Wearing straps in the wrong spot
Lifting straps are worn down on the hand (Figure 1) - not up on the wrist or arm. Although lifting straps are sometimes referred to as “wrist straps,” that can be a bit misleading - if you wear them on the wrist, you are wearing them too high. Whether it’s the type of DIY straps that we recommend (the black strap you see in these photos) or the “strap-and-loop” style of straps, be sure to wear them down on the hands.

See the included video for how to easily, cheaply, and quickly make yourself a pair of virtually indestructible lifting straps.

Mistake #2: Wrapping the straps in the wrong direction
When setting up and wrapping the strap around the barbell, always wrap toward the thumb, i.e., toward the middle of the bar (Figure 2). Do not wrap the strap so that it heads toward the plates. This brings us to . . .

Figure 2: Correctly wrapping (the black strap) toward the middle of the bar

Mistake #3: Setting up the straps incorrectly
If you are using the “strap-and-loop” style of strap, make sure you have it positioned so that the strap points toward your thumb (Figure 3). If you have it set up so that it points toward your pinky, you won’t be able to wrap the strap in the correct direction (i.e., toward the middle of the bar). The straps for your right and left hands will need to be set up so that they mirror each other.

Figure 3: Positioning the strap so that it points toward the thumb

Mistake #4: Wrapping the strap multiple times
Wrap the strap around the bar once (Figure 4). That’s it - just once. Some straps do not have much excess length (like the black straps in these photos), so wrapping the strap around the bar won’t be a temptation anyway, but for straps that do have a lot of extra material, you still just wrap the strap once. Wrapping it around the bar multiple times is a waste of time and effort, and it doesn’t improve the grip of the strap. One time around.

Figure 4: wrap the strap only once as shown here. the extra material just hangs there.

Mistake #5: Wrapping in front of the bar
This will be obvious if you’ve used straps correctly, but it’s not very obvious for those who are new to straps - when you initially grab the bar, your palm goes in front of the bar, but the strap goes BEHIND the bar (Figure 5).

figure 5: correctly positioning the strap behind the bar when initially taking your grip

If you mess this up and put the strap in front of the bar (i.e., on the same side as your palm), the strap will not help your grip at all, and in fact, it will make the situation worse and make the bar harder to grip. The bar will simply want to roll right out of your hand, so be sure to put the strap behind the bar when you reach down to grab the bar.

As always, we hope these tips help you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

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

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

(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?

12 Pieces of Lifting Gear to THROW AWAY (and What to Replace Them With) - Part 1

Not all lifting equipment is created equal, and some of it is downright awful. From “this-is-fine-but-there-are-better-choices” gear all the way to the “heavens-to-betsy-don’t-ever-use-that” category, we’ll keep it quick and cover what to avoid, what to throw away, and what actually works well.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series, so be sure to check back next week for Part 2.

Knee Sleeves
5 mm thick knee sleeves – don’t buy them.

They’re useful, but once you’ve used 7 mm sleeves, you’ll never go back. If you’re shopping for your first pair, avoid the 5 mm sleeves in the first place and simply get a pair of 7 mm thick sleeves.

A few solid options are provided below:

• Rehband (these are what I have)

• Stoic

• Iron Bull

Lifting Straps
With knee sleeves, it’s a case of “option 1 is fine, but option 2 is better.”

This is not the case with lifting straps.

Don’t train with cloth lifting straps. They will tear at some point, and inevitably, it will happen at a very inopportune moment.

They can be useful for putting on a stiff pair of knee sleeves, and you can check that out in the video below.

For actual lifting, however – not just putting on your knee sleeves – you want straps that are durable, such as the DIY version that we make from climbing webbing (watch the short video below).

We’ve also linked to a few quality, commercially available options below in case you’re not interested in making your own straps.

• IronMind Sew-Easy Lifting Straps

• IronMind Strong-Enough Lifting Straps

Lifting Shoes
First of all, on a “champagne-problem” level, I’d recommend avoiding the Adidas Powerlift or any other lifting shoe that uses a compressed foam sole. They’re not terrible, but there are firmer, more non-compressible sole options out there, and the heavier your lifts are (or the heavier you are), the more you’ll notice the difference.

Now – the actual problem . . . Chuck Taylors.

chucks are great for toddlers . . . not lifters.

Remember – Chucks are a lifestyle shoe, not a lifting shoe. They’re comfortable to walk around in, which tells you that the sole is far more compressible (i.e., squishy) than you want for lifting.

Instead, go out and get yourself an actual pair of lifting shoes. The non-compressible sole makes for a fantastically solid platform on which to lift. Other shoes feel like lifting on pillows by comparison.

Here are some solid choices to get you started on your shopping:

• Nike Romaleos 4

• Inov-8 Fastlift 360

• VS Athletics Weightlifting Shoe

• Adidas Adipower 3 (not the Powerlift)

Wrist Wraps
Don’t get 12 inch long wrist wraps. They don’t provide much in the way of support. Instead, get yourself a pair of 18 inch wraps or perhaps a pair of 24 inch wraps, but be warned that the 24 inch variety can be mildly cumbersome to put on.

• Harbinger Red Line Wrist Wraps - 18" (my wrist wraps)

• Stoic Wrist Wraps - 24"

Chalk
Specifically, we’re talking Spider Chalk versus everything else out there. Your basic magnesium carbonate chalk is a solid choice and will work fine.

However, the blocks from the folks at Spider Chalk are dense, solid, and tend not to break nearly as easily as regular chalk blocks.

It’s a bit silly to be a huge fan of a specific chalk company, but we are, and Spider Chalk is the only chalk we order.

Barbells
Don’t buy a 30 mm thick barbell. With a diameter of 30 mm or greater, you’re looking at a low quality barbell that had to be that thick since it was built from cheap steel.

Thick barbells make it very difficult to maintain a secure grip with heavy pulls, and this type of barbell also tends to rotate poorly (and loudly). Another sign of a low quality bar is a hex bolt in the place of an end cap. Avoid that bar like the plague.

Get a 28-29 mm diameter barbell and don’t skimp on quality. The barbell is the place to spend your money.

We are big fans of the Starting Strength Bar from Texas Power Bars, and I’ve also heard good things about the Powerlifting Bar 2.0 from Bells Steel. Finally, Grant Broggi of The Strength Co. makes the best lifting plates in the business, and I have no doubt that his barbells live up to that standard as well.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better. See you next week in Part 2!

-Phil

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

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(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?

How to INSTANTLY Squat More Weight!

Want to add pounds to your squat right away? Make sure you're utilizing the stretch reflex - the "bounce" - correctly. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers shows you how real quick-like.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/22/23)

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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?

Bar Math: Are You Using the S.A.D. Method? Stop It Now.

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/01/21)

Bar math can be tricky, and if you’re a new lifter (or even an experienced one!), you might find that simply loading the correct weight on the bar is one of the more difficult aspects of your training experience. Let’s solve this (if you like, you can just scroll to the end of this article and watch the video instead!).

First - what not to do. Do NOT use the “subtract-and-divide” (SAD) method to figure out your bar math. Here’s an example - we want 110 lb on the bar (i.e., 110 lb total - including the bar’s weight), so we subtract the 45 lb bar from 110 lb, and we get 65 lb left over. We then divide 65 by 2 since we have to split that 65 lb between each side of the barbell to get 32.5 lb, and now we need to figure out how to load 32.5 lb on each side.

Again - do NOT do this. Mathematically, yes, it makes sense, but in the long run, it’s neither the easiest nor the quickest way to go about this process. We’ve seen people break out calculators to do this, and we’ve even seen people working some long division to accomplish this process, but no matter what tools you have at your disposal, SAD isn’t very practical, and it’s rather error prone as well.

The best method is to simply load the largest possible plate (without going over your target weight) that you can every single time. Your brain works decently with subtraction and division, but it works quite a bit better with addition and multiplication, and this “largest possible plate” (LPP) method takes advantage of this fact. An additional advantage to this method is that you’ll start to memorize some “milestone weights” or “landmark weights” along the way (this will happen whether you mean to do so or not!), and this is extremely useful.

Let’s run through the 110 lb example again - this time using LPP. (Warning - this looks bad on paper, but it’s far easier in practice.)

• Can I add a 45 lb plate (on each side)? 45 x 2 = 90, and adding 90 lb to the bar is too much, so no, I can’t. Move on.

• Can I add a 25? 25 x 2 = 50, and 50 + 45 (bar’s weight) = 95, so yes, I can.

  • By the way, 95 lb is one of those landmark weights you’ll eventually have memorized, which is very useful as you’ll build upon that for other weights.

• Now we’re at 95 lb. Can I add a 10? 10 x 2 = 20, and 20 + 95 = 115, and that’s too much, so no, I can’t add a 10. Move on.

• We’re still at 95 lb. Can I add a 5? 5 x 2 = 10, and 10 + 95 = 105, so yes, I can.

• Now we’re at 105 lb, and I’m close enough to 110 that I realize that I need 5 more lb total, so I simply add a 2.5 lb plate to each side, and I’m done. (Technically, there’s a little “subtract-and-divide” going on here at the end, but I get to do it with very small numbers, which is nice.)

To recap:

• Adding 25s (i.e., one to each side) takes us to 95 lb (in total weight).

• Adding 5s takes us to 105 lb.

• Adding 2.5s takes us to 110 lb.

This is actually far simpler in practice than it looks on paper, but you’ll have to try it out to believe me. Again, all you need to do is put the largest possible plate on every single time without actually going above the weight that you’re trying to reach.

By doing this repeatedly as you train each day, you’ll eventually know that 25-lb plates take you to 95 lb, 45-lb plates take you to 135 lb, etc., and this type of accidental memorization speeds up the process even more. In the long run, if you force yourself to keep doing your bar math in this manner, you’ll be a faster and more accurate “bar mathematician” than if you stuck with the ol’ SAD method.

Feel free to check out our video on this topic, and 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:

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

(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?