Improve ALL of Your Lifts with This Cue?!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/20/23)

Due to their technical nature, cues usually are very lift-specific. For example, “hips back, chest down” works really well for the squat, but it doesn’t work for a press or a bench press. However, there are exceptions to this rule; not too long ago, we made a video (check it out below) about the idea of a positive cue versus a negative cue. I'm not going to give the whole video away right here, but that concept - it's not really a cue, but it's a type of cue - applies to all lifts, and today’s topic is very similar. 

We’re talking about the cue of “slow start” or simply “slow down.” Typically, when you use this cue (either of them), you're going to use it in your warm-ups or at least when the weight is light enough that slowing down shouldn't negatively affect the lift, i.e., it's not always going to work so well when the weight gets heavy. 

Let’s take a look at a few examples of this cue in action. On the press, some people struggle with “winding up the hips,” i.e., the hips should move forward first, but some lifters tend to move the hips backward before moving them forward. This can be a difficult habit to break, but if you simply tell yourself “slow down” or “slow start,” you can resist the urge to have your hips go back and instead slowly force your hips to go forward.

On the squat, a common error is to lead with the hips on the descent; in other words, the lifter bends or breaks at the hips first and then bend the knees, whereas we would like to see simultaneous breaking of the hips and knees.

If you break at the hips first, just tell yourself “slow start,” and that will give you the time - during those first couple inches of descent - to focus on making your knees go forward and out at the same time that your hips go backward.

On the clean, you want to make sure that the barbell touches your thighs at the jumping position (roughly the mid-thigh), so when we teach it - and you can always do this when you're when you're practicing this on your own - we go slow at first because we have to learn to touch that point on the thighs every single time.

Eventually, it will be quick, and in fact, eventually it must be quick since a heavy clean or snatch won’t be successful if it’s slow, but the lift needs to be correct before it’s quick. As a result, if you're missing that point on the thighs, simply tell yourself to slow down, and when you get to that point on your thighs, that’s when you speed up. Again, in reality, the entire lift should be speeding up, but if you’re working to correct something, slowing down can be very useful.

Hopefully, this helps you in your training, 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:

• 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

A while back, I had a conversation at the gym with one of our members - “Lou” (name changed to protect the poor soul who I dragged into a conversation). Lou was having a problem with his squat on this particular day, and specifically, he was struggling to effectively utilize the stretch reflex - AKA the “bounce” - out of the bottom of the movement.

Lou is certainly not the first person to struggle with this, nor will he be the last, so let’s briefly discuss how to get a useful bounce out of the bottom of the squat.

What is this bounce that you speak of?
As the squat starts, you descend under control, and then you want to get a tight bounce upward when you hit depth. We refer to the stretch reflex as a “bounce” because this is what it looks like if performed correctly, so don’t worry, you’re not actually bouncing off of anything (such as your calves or something else equally silly). The word “bounce” simply refers to the visual phenomenon that we witness - the rebound out of the bottom will somewhat resemble a ball bouncing off the floor (albeit slower).

The stretch reflex is very useful, and without going into the anatomical specifics of the situation, for now, it suffices to say that it makes for a more effective, forceful muscular contraction when used correctly. In other words, it makes your squat stronger.

With that said, there are two ways to mess this up, so let’s cover them both as well as how to fix each situation (watch the video below to see these solutions in action).

Mistake #1: Pausing at the bottom of the squat (or descending too slowly)
Quite simply, don’t pause at the bottom of your squat. This makes for a harder and less efficient squat as it ruins the effect of the stretch reflex - this is precisely why a pause squat always utilizes less weight than a regular squat.

To eliminate a pause at the bottom of your squat, cue yourself “think up all the way down.” In this way, you are preparing yourself for the upward aspect of the bounce throughout the entire descent, so you’ll be ready for a nice, sharp turnaround the moment you hit the bottom of the squat.

On a lesser note, don’t descend too slowly, either. If it takes you three seconds to reach the bottom of your squat, speed things up a bit. You want a controlled descent, but not a painfully slow descent.

Mistake #2: Descending too quickly
The problem of descending too fast shows up in two ways. First, a lifter might go down too fast throughout the entire movement. Second, he goes down too fast only near the bottom of the descent, i.e., he descends at a normal pace for most of the squat and then speeds up or “dive-bombs” the last few inches of the descent. The second version of this error was Lou’s problem - most of his descent was solid, and then he would drastically speed up the last few inches of the downward movement in an effort to get a better bounce.

The problem with either version of this error is that if you descend too quickly, you will either relax or “collapse” into the bottom of the squat - which is not useful for getting a good bounce - or you’ll descend quickly enough that you’ve created more downward momentum than necessary, thus making it that much harder to turn around and drive back up.

One way to handle this problem is to cue yourself “tight bounce.” If you remind yourself to get tighter and tighter all the way down, you’ll probably do a solid job of not allowing yourself to relax any muscle groups at the bottom of the lift.

Another solution - and this is the solution that helped Lou - is to cue yourself “smooth down, smooth up.” When a lifter speeds up his descent for the last few inches, it’s usually in an effort (however misguided it may be) to get a better bounce, so by thinking “smooth down, smooth up,” Lou stopped thinking about the bounce completely and instead focused on a smooth turnaround (i.e., transition) between the downward and upward portions of the squat. As a result, he controlled his pace effectively and achieved a tighter and more efficient bounce in his squat.

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?

Basic Barbell Maintenance

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/13/23)

My wife, Becky, and I have two bare steel barbells in our garage gym, and while bare steel is unmatched in terms of grip and feel, it does require a bit of maintenance. Bars with a protective coating (e.g., zinc) will need some attention from time to time as well - simply less frequently.

With all of this in mind, let’s dive into how to perform some simple barbell maintenance.

Brush the Chalk Off the Barbell
The upside to chalk is that it absorbs the moisture of your hands and thus provides a secure grip on the bar. However, the downside is that chalk can hold some of that moisture and keep it on the bar even after you’re done training, and that can encourage rust formation on your bar.

To prevent this, simply brush the chalk off the bar every time you’re done training. A cheap nylon bristle brush will do the job just fine, and brushing off the chalk will take you about 20 seconds tops. Every member at Testify does this (whether the bar is bare steel or not) as well, and it helps tremendously.

APPLYING OIL TO THE BARBELL

Oil the Barbell Shaft
About once a month (perhaps even more infrequently), you’ll need a few things: 3-IN-ONE Multi-Purpose Oil, a brass bristle brush, and a clean rage or two. The oil will help remove rust from the bar as well as apply a protective coating to help prevent future rust. Simply apply a bit of oil to the bar (watch the video above for an example) and then use the brass bristle brush to brush in the oil. After that, take a clean rag and then wipe down the bar to absorb any excess oil.

You can spend more time on any trouble spots, but if you’re doing this on a semi-regular basis, this will do an excellent job of protecting and caring for your bar. If you’ve got a bar that needs some serious rust removal, we also have a video that goes into depth on that process.

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?

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

Today, we’re covering everything related to blocks - pulling blocks, jerk blocks, what they are, why you might use them, as well as what kind you might want to use.

DC Blocks
In short, DC Blocks are made of a very durable plastic, they’re very useful, and they’re also quite expensive. 

Figure 1: setting up to perform a block pull from DC blocks

DC blocks (Figure 1) are most commonly used as pulling blocks, i.e., blocks upon which you perform a pulling motion such as a block pull or a block clean. For example, suppose you want to perform a rack pull, which requires a bent bar or, at the very least, a bar that you’re willing to allow to bend, since rack pulls will do this to barbells over time. If you don’t have such a bar, you can simply perform a block pull instead with your regular barbell (with no worry about what will happen to that bar).

Note: Although DC blocks are quite durable, I’d recommend using bumper plates with them as opposed to metal plates. To be fair, I’ve seen metal plates used with DC Blocks on rare occasions, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lifter damage the blocks this way, and that would be an expensive mistake.

Figure 2: power snatch from DC blocks

You can also perform snatches and cleans from DC Blocks (Figure 2). If you’re working to eliminate a pesky early arm pull on your clean, you can start with a block height at which you pull correctly and then slowly lower the height of the blocks over time until you’re pulling from the floor.

As another example, if you struggle to set your back in the deadlift setup, you can practice this from a higher position (using blocks) where it’s easier to achieve. Then you can slowly work your way down by lowering the block height until you’re pulling from the floor with a correctly set back.

Since these blocks are stackable, they are very useful because of how versatile they are as well as how easy it is to achieve differing heights of blocks. However, they are a bit on the small side, which doesn’t give you a lot of room to err forward or backward when setting the bar down. This should not be a problem for a block pull, but it can potentially be an issue when lowering cleans and snatches.

We have a full set of DC Blocks, and they’re great, but we bought them used, and we never would have bought them new as there are other solid options at significantly lower price points. This corresponds to my recommendation for most people - if you can get them used at a great price, go for it, but otherwise, I’d recommend other options.

figure 3: one stack of jerk blocks (also pulling blocks if not stacked this high)

Wood Jerk Blocks/Pulling Blocks
Blocks such as those seen in Figure 3 are commonly known as jerk blocks if stacked this high since lifters can perform split jerks and power jerks from them. As they’re stackable, they are also referred to as pulling blocks since you can create a stack that’s much lower to the ground and suitable for block pulls, cleans, and snatches.

You can build these on your own or buy a set, and if constructed well, they are very durable and incredibly useful. Purchasing a set is comparable in cost to DC Blocks, but you have a much larger area onto which you can lower the barbell, which is a huge advantage when dropping snatches, cleans, and jerks (Figure 4). Constructing your own set does represent a significant investment in terms of building time, but it will also save you a lot of money.

We built our set, the total price was around one-third that of what it would have been if we had purchased a set, and the savings was even more when compared to a similar stack height of DC Blocks. Above, you can find one of our DIY videos we created for these blocks (the first of a three-part series), or you can simply click the links below:

figure 4: wood pulling and jerk blocks provide a large, durable platform for cleans, snatches, jerks, and block pulls.

• How to Build Jerk Blocks - Part 1: Stackers

• How to Build Jerk Blocks - Part 2: The Topper

• How to Build Jerk Blocks - Part 3: Finishing Touches

Horse Stall Mats
You can also make pulling blocks from horse stall mats. Simply take the typical 4’ x 6’ stall mat (¾” thick), and use a jig saw to cut it to the appropriate size. You can create stacks of multiple mats to create blocks of different heights.

These blocks are useful, easy to make, and we’ve got a video covering how to do exactly that (check out the video below). You can purchase horse stall mats by clicking here, but they are generally significantly cheaper if purchased locally, e.g., at a Tractor Supply or something similar.

This sort of block is easily stackable, but the stacks do get heavy rather quickly, and they don’t connect together in the secure fashion that DC Blocks or wood blocks do, so these are limited in height and thus will serve only as pulling blocks (and not as jerk blocks). However, if you only need blocks up to about 6-8” in height, this is the easiest and cheapest way to go.

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?

The 9th Circle of Deadlift Hell: The Drifting Barbell

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/29/21)

You’ve memorized the 5 step setup for the deadlift, you rehearse it in your head every night as you lie in bed, and yet, somehow, you still struggle with step 5 - “Drag the bar up your shins.” No matter how hard you try, that stupid bar seems to always swing away from your legs as you pull it off the floor.

In the deadlift, the barbell needs to be in a close, committed relationship with your shins as you pull it off the floor, and a bar that swings away from you betrays that relationship and makes for a much harder deadlift, so if you’re struggling to escape this 9th circle of deadlift hell, try out one of the following fixes:

Use Chalk
This is so obvious as to be painful, but please, for the love of all that is good in the world, use chalk when you’re lifting, and use chalk especially when deadlifting. Get some chalk on your hands before you start warming up the deadlift, and then apply some more chalk before you pull your work set(s).

If you won’t use chalk, summon up your inner Kelly Clarkson and just walk away. You’ve decided not to lift weights today, so leave the gym and come back when you’ve changed your mind.

As you can tell, the phenomenon of not using chalk aggravates me somewhat. Most people use chalk, and the phenomenon is - not surprisingly - restricted only to those who would lift more and be stronger if they also used chalk. I have other words on this topic, but they are not fit for print.

Chalk affects your ability to transmit force to the bar efficiently, and that, in turn, affects your ability to control the bar and keep it close. Use chalk.

Use the Appropriate Grip
You can’t use double overhand forever, so start using a hook grip, an alternate grip, or straps before your grip starts to become an issue. If you persist in using a grip that isn’t working for you, I have other words for you, too.

Grip affects your ability to transmit force to the bar efficiently, and that in turn affects your ability to control the bar and keep it close. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Get a grip.

Midfoot Balance
The combined center of mass of the lifter-barbell system should be balanced over the middle of the foot. In other words, you and the barbell together should be balanced - not on the balls of your feet and not on your heels - but rather right over the middle of your feet.

People often get onto the balls of their feet in steps two or three of the setup process - the “bend at the waist and take a grip” step or the “bend your knees to bring your shins to the bar” step, respectively - and this will cause the bar to swing away from you as you break it off the floor. The easiest fix is to simply make sure that you stay midfoot as you execute these steps, but if you find that you’ve rocked forward a bit onto the balls of your feet, simply rock back a bit until you are balanced over the middle of your feet again. Ideally, you want to do this before step four (i.e., before you squeeze your chest up to set your back).

“Pin It to Your Shins”
Your lats are responsible for keeping the bar close, i.e., keeping it on your shins, but you don’t need to think about your massive lats while deadlifting. Instead, just cue yourself to keep the bar pinned to your shins as you squeeze the bar off the floor. Pin it to your shins.

Step 4: Squeeze Your Chest Up . . . Then Pause
During step four of the setup process, you squeeze your chest up and set your back in rigid extension. Many people will squeeze their chest up and immediately try to break the bar off the floor. This often results in hips that drop and a bar that swings away from the lifter (if it actually comes off the floor at all).

Instead, try this: Squeeze your chest up hard like you always do (without dropping your hips), putting a lot of tension on the bar, and then . . . pause one second.

Do NOT relax that tension that you’ve placed on the bar - keep pulling. It should feel like the bar is bending upward in the middle, and indeed, if it’s heavy enough, it will be. THEN put even more tension on the bar, pulling harder until the bar comes off the floor.

This pause has helped a number of lifters for two reasons. First, it tends to discourage dropping the hips right before pulling the bar off the floor. Second, it also allows step four to function as a quick diagnostic step of sorts - when you’ve got a decent amount of tension on the bar, you can assess whether or not you and the barbell are still balanced on your midfoot and you can also assess whether or not you’re trying to keep the bar pinned to your shins. If you’re not doing one of these tasks, you can make a small correction and then pull the bar off the floor.

If your deadlift keeps swinging away, see if one of the tips above helps. Dante will be cheering for you.

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?

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?

Most Common Deadlift Error? (it's not what you think...)

Today’s deadlift error is most commonly seen in newer lifters, but even experienced lifters have been known to make this mistake. 

Figure 1: Loren makes the error of releasing his grip between reps.

The Error
The mistake is simply that of releasing your grip on the barbell between reps (Figure 1). This error makes the entire set take longer, you don’t gain anything by releasing and re-gripping the bar, and it makes your life miserable because you now have to wait that much longer before you get to move on to the best resting position for the deadlift . . . the chair that you’re going to sit in when you’re done with your work set.

Why This Happens and Why It’s a Problem
Lifters commit this error out of procrastination. The last rep was hard, you’re not exactly thrilled at the prospect of pulling the next rep, and so you start fidgeting with your grip instead of getting set to pull, subconsciously thinking that perhaps you’ll get a bit more rest between reps in the process.

The problem is that - instead of recovering for the next rep - you’re actually tiring yourself out in that position. The “resting position” for the deadlift - i.e., when the bar is on the floor - is not much of a resting position at all. You’re crouched over, supporting yourself on flexed knees, and it can also be hard to breathe in this position.

Spending extra time at the bottom of the deadlift is inefficient and exhausting, so instead of spending additional time in this position, you actually want to spend as little time here as productively possible.

What to Do and What NOT to Do
As is the case with many situations, don’t think about how to avoid the problem. In other words, when you set the bar down, don’t bother cueing yourself, “don’t let go of the bar, DON’T let go of the bar.”

Instead, give yourself something to do as opposed to something to avoid doing. If you’ve learned to ride a motorcycle, you know how this works - you are taught to always look toward where you want to go as opposed to focusing on something you’re trying to avoid (for example, if you’re a new rider and find yourself drifting toward the curb, don’t look at the curb - instead, focus on the middle of your lane, which is where you want to go).

The same concept applies here - again, give yourself something to do, not something to avoid doing.

The Solution
Part of the solution is to remind yourself before the set starts, “I’m going to hang on to the bar throughout the entire set.” Then, every time you set the bar down, remind yourself of this task - “Hang on to the bar.”

figure 2: mike has midfoot bar position, midfoot balance, and his shins are touching the bar.

Beyond that, assuming you set the bar down over the middle of your foot (and if you didn’t, get it there first) and that your balance is over the middle of your foot, you can simply bend your knees to bring your shins to the bar, squeeze your chest up to set your back in rigid extension, and then pull.

Those three criteria (Figure 2) are what you should focus on between reps - bar over midfoot, balance over midfoot, and shins touching the bar. If those three aspects are covered, you’re ready to set your back and pull.

In summary, remind yourself to hang on to the bar and then take care of the three criteria just mentioned - after that, you’re ready to set your back and pull. Giving yourself something to do and work toward will make it that much easier to avoid fidgeting with your grip - you’ll be too busy taking care of important things.

As long as the bar is over the middle of the foot, your balance is over the middle of the foot, and your shins are touching the bar, you are ready to set the back and pull.

This will make for a more efficient, quicker set, 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:

• 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?