Why Do So Many Lifters Press with Their Hips Wrong?

There are three mistakes that lifters often make with their hips when pressing, so let’s identify them and fix them quickly.

To see these three errors in action as well as how to solve them, check out the video below (as they say, a video is worth three billion words.)

Mistake #1: Winding Up
At the start of the press, you might be committing the error of reaching back - or “winding up” - with your hips.

Remember that at the start of the press, the first movement of the hips should be forward - never backward. Reaching back with your hips causes the barbell to go forward, and you don’t want any unnecessary horizontal movement of the bar when pressing.

To fix this, take a big breath and get tight as usual, then pause for a very brief moment in that upright position. Cue yourself “push the hips forward” and then do exactly that.

A final note on this error - if you’re making it, you probably aren’t aware of it, so be sure to video yourself the next time you press and check for this mistake.

(To see this error and its solution demonstrated, check out the short video below.)

Mistake #2: Reaching Back with Your Shoulders
When pressing, you push your hips forward, but you might be throwing your shoulders backward instead. If you are committing this error, your balance shifts to your heels and you don’t get a nice bounce or “throw” from the hip movement, and as a result, you have a weaker, less inefficient press.

Make no mistake, when you push your hips forward, your shoulders and head will automatically move backward slightly as part of a natural counterbalancing movement, and an advantage of this is that you clear space (by getting your head out of the way) for the bar to travel in the correct path. However, you should not try to throw your shoulders back as it will ruin the hip action (i.e., the bounce) in the press.

You’ll notice this error on camera, but you’ll also notice it by paying attention to your feet. If you feel your weight shift onto your heels as you start the press, you are incorrectly throwing your shoulders backward. If, on the other hand, you feel your weight shift briefly to the balls of your feet when you push your hips forward, you’re performing the lift correctly.

With this in mind, to correct this error, you can cue yourself to “get onto the balls of the feet” as you prepare to push the hips forward.

(To see this error and its solution demonstrated, check out the short video below.)

Mistake #3: Timing
If you press the barbell upward at the same time you push your hips forward, your timing is off, and you’re losing out on the bounce (i.e., the “throw”) provided by the hip action.

The bar should not go up when you push the hips forward - rather, the bar should momentarily dip downward when you reach with your hips. This is the beginning of the bounce created by the movement of the hips.

To correct this error, remind yourself to “make the bar dip” or that “the bar goes down” at the start of the press.

(To see this error and its solution demonstrated, check out the short video below.)

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 most confusing notation in lifting, explained.

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/20/18)

You train - you don't exercise. And because you train, you keep a training journal. You record your warm-ups and your work sets, but one thing that keeps tripping you up is the notation. You can never remember which comes first . . . sets? Reps? Weights?

Let's talk a bit about this. Generally, there are two methods of notating your training: "sets x reps" and "weight x reps x sets."

Thus, if your program calls for you to squat 3 sets of 5 reps, you'll probably see "3 x 5" in your program, and when you record your work sets in your journal, you'll write "165 x 5 x 3" (if you squatted 165 lbs, for example).

You'll notice that the order of "reps" vs "sets" gets reversed in the two methods, and this is what throws people off. With that in mind, allow me to suggest a rule that might help you keep things straight: Reps are always second.

For example, if you see "4 x 6," you'll know that it means 4 sets of 6 reps since 6 is the second number, and reps are always second. Likewise, if you write "145 x 6 x 4" for your squat workout, you're indicating that you squatted 145 for 4 sets of 6 reps since - again - 6 is the second number, and . . . reps are always second. In this case, you call on your grade school skills and use context clues to determine that 145 lbs must be the weight and 4 must be the number of sets . . . since squatting 4 lbs for 145 sets is just plain ridiculous.

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?

10 TIPS to Help You DOMINATE the Starting Strength Squat

Want to improve your squat? Of course you do, and with that in mind, here are 10 quick tips to help you achieve your goal.

You can also check out the included videos to see these tips in action.

1. Position
Position the barbell below your traps and resting on your delts. It’s a very secure position as it is trapped - pun intended - by your traps from above and supported by your delts from below.

2. Stance Width
Take your stance with heels at roughly shoulder width. This is an excellent width to help you hit depth in the squat - not too narrow and not too wide.

3. Toe Angle
Point your toes our roughly 30°. You will be directing your knees to travel in this direction as you descend, so your feet function as arrows for the knees (or equivalently, your femurs). Again, this is useful for hitting depth in the squat and allows your adductors to contribute to the ascent of the squat as well.

4. Focal Point
Focus on a spot roughly four to six feet in front of you on the floor. This helps with your back angle - it helps you point your chest down as you start your descent, and it helps you stay leaned over (and thus drive your hips) coming up out of the hole. 

5. Breathing and Bracing
Before starting your descent, take a big breath, hold it, and clamp down on every muscle in your trunk - get tight like you’re going to be punched in the gut, and you’ll be doing a nice job of things. Hold that breath and tightness all the way down and all the way back up again until you finish the rep.

If the bar is moving - you’re not breathing.

6. Reach Back
As you start your descent, reach backward with your hips because . . .

7. Chest Down
. . . you’re going to point your chest at the floor as you descend, i.e., you’re going to lean over as you reach your hips back.

8. Knees Out
Additionally, as you descend, shove your knees out (i.e., apart from one another). Remember that your feet (specifically, your toes) are arrows for your knees, so your knees will travel forward and out in the same direction as your toes.

9. Hip Drive
When you hit the bottom of the squat (i.e., hip crease below the top of your patella), drive your hips up. Don’t think about driving your chest up. Drive your hips, and because you locked your back in rigid extension using tip #5, your chest and the bar will come up with your hips.

10. Stay in Your Lean
Stay leaned over a little longer than you think. You will “get vertical” eventually, i.e., your back angle will eventually become vertical (since you finish the squat in an upright position), but don’t try to get vertical right away as this makes makes for a weaker, harder, less efficient squat.

Stay in your lean.

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?

Knee Sleeves: What, Why, Where, and When!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 07/16/21)

What on earth are knee sleeves, and why might you want to wear them? Let’s chat.

What is a knee sleeve?
A knee sleeve is a sleeve . . . that goes on your knee. They are generally made of neoprene, and they should fit quite snugly. A reasonable approach is to make sure that they are snug, but not so snug that you need someone else to help you put them on. If they’re so tight that you need to take them off between sets, I’d recommend something a little less snug.

Why might you want knee sleeves?
The main reason is if you have the highly specific medical condition known as “cranky knees.” Now, if you have achy knees when you squat (and we’re generally talking about the squat here), there may be some technical considerations to examine as well as some programming considerations, and your coach can help you with that.

Nonetheless, to put it simply, knee sleeves simply help your knees feel better. They provide some warmth and some compression, and without getting into the weeds here, both of those factors generally make your knees more comfortable. It’s a nice, warm hug for your knees. One of our coaches, Mike, once accused me years ago of holding out on him because I evidently hadn’t suggested knee sleeves until a year or so into his training. Once he put them on, it was love at first squat.

Where can you get knee sleeves?
You can find some at your local sporting goods store, but your best bet is this thing they’ve developed called the internet, which they have on computers now. The usual suspects - Amazon, Rogue, etc. - will have a host of options, which brings us to . . .

What should you get?
5 mm and 7 mm are both common thicknesses, and having used both, I’d recommend the 7 mm option. There are a ton of companies that make them - some of the more popular ones are brands like Rehband, SBD, STrong (Mark Bell), Stoic, and Rogue. 

There’s a big price range from about $35-$45 for a pair of sleeves to $35-$45 for a single sleeve (which reflects the prices of the brands listed above). The biggest difference seems to be simple longevity - the cheap ones tend to wear out and tear within a couple of years, whereas the pricier ones typically last quite a bit longer - to the point that I’d probably say you’ll spend less money in the long run by going with the more expensive pairs. Of course, your mileage may vary. 

Below are links to a few knee sleeve options that are popular with a number of our members at Testify:

• Rehband knee sleeves (my personal knee sleeves)

• Stoic knee sleeves

• Iron Bull knee sleeves

When do you use knee sleeves?
The short answer is - squats and Olympic lifting. You’ll appreciate them for squatting, and you’ll appreciate them for the Olympic lifts because of the squatting involved in both snatching and cleaning (there is probably some benefit for the impact of landing as well). 

What about using them on the press and bench press? Go ahead if you’d like - they won’t help, but they won’t hurt either. 

The deadlift gets a little more discussion. In the deadlift, the knee doesn’t go through a large range of motion (as opposed to the knee’s longer ROM in the squat), so if your knees ache while squatting, but they feel fine while deadlifting, I’d recommend not wearing sleeves. The thickness of the sleeve - while not huge - is still one more thing you have to deal with when trying to keep the barbell close on the pull, so if you don’t need them, don’t use them. But if your knees also ache on the deadlift, and you find that the sleeves help, then go right ahead.

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?

No Deadlift Jack? THREE Tips for Loading Your Deadlift SUPER Easy

Your deadlift is going well - you’re getting stronger. You’ve gotten to the point where you’ve got one, maybe two, perhaps even three 45-lb plates on each side.

What’s your reward?

You now have to deal with loading more full size plates (i.e., 45-lb metal plates) on the barbell each time you train, and this, of course, is a pain as you have to pick up the end of the bar enough to get the plate on and then slide it into place (the problem is even worse if you deadlift with bumper plates as most of your plates are full size plates).

Adding a 10-lb plate? A 25-lb plate? Piece of cake - they slide easily on as they are much smaller than a 45-lb plate. But those 45-lb plates? They can be a pain without knowing a few tricks of the trade, so let’s cover those right now to help you out.

Side note: If you have a deadlift jack, then loading 45-lb plates on the bar is smooth sailing. You can buy one, of course, or you can make The Fishhook deadlift jack as shown in the video above. It’s easy, and it makes loading your deadlifts easy as well.

If you don’t make or purchase a deadlift jack, then there are three specific problems to solve when loading your bar, and not surprisingly, there are three specific (but simple) solutions to use. We’ll cover them below, and if you’d like to see them demonstrated, check out the short video below (photos are great, but video is better).

Step #1: How to Get the First Plate on the Bar
In short, you don’t.

That is, you don’t put the plate (i.e., the 45-lb plate on the bar. Instead, you put the plate flat on the floor, put the end of the barbell sleeve into the center of the plate (Figure 1), tip the barbell back down to the floor, and then slide the bar through the plate (Figure 2).

figure 1: put the end of the barbell sleeve into the center of the plate.:

figure 2: slide the bar through the plate.

In other words, you don’t put the plate on the bar. You put the bar through the plate.

Step #2: How to Get the Second Plate on the Bar
This is the only step that requires a little bit of lifting, but you’re going to keep the effort involved as minimal as possible - after all, the deadlift itself is supposed to be your lifting for the day, not the loading of the bar.

First of all, keep the plate as close to the floor as possible - you can even roll it over to the bar if you don’t have much ground to cover. Situate the plate so it’s right next to the end of the bar.

Second, pick up the end of the bar and get the plate on the bar - but just barely. That’s all the lifting you’ll need to do.

figure 3: pull the plate toward the collar of the bar.

Next, straddle the bar (facing away from the middle of the bar), grab the plate (with both hands) just below the halfway mark, and then lean back as you pull the plate toward the collar of the bar (Figure 3). You’re essentially using your bodyweight as leverage to slide the plate toward you.

Step #3: How to Get the Rest of the Plates on the Bar
This is now the easiest part.

Grab a 2.5-lb plate (or another small, flat item), and roll one plate up onto the 2.5-lb plate. You’ve now elevated your barbell just enough that sliding subsequent plates onto the bar (Figure 4) will be no trouble at all since they won’t be sliding across the floor.

figure 4: Note that the inside plate is sitting on a 2.5-lb plate. this makes it easy to slide on subsequent plates.

This also works very well for unloading your bar when you’re done lifting.

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?

TWO Signs You're Accidentally KILLING Your Deadlift... (Starting Strength Coach Explains)

Within the first five seconds of the video below, I commit two rather hideous mistakes. Watch those first five seconds and see if you can identify the two errors.

Did you notice the mistakes?

The Two Mistakes
The first error I committed was that of not getting tight against the barbell when setting my back and therefore trying to yank the bar off the floor when I started to pull.

In other words, when you squeeze your chest up to set your back in rigid extension, you should be putting a lot of tension (i.e., upward pull) on the bar. I didn’t do that, and this caused me to try to yank or jerk the bar off the floor - a tactic that falls apart quickly as the weight gets heavy.

The second error I committed was that of releasing my breath - releasing my Valsalva maneuver - at the top of the lift. Breath is support, so I should have simply held my breath for the extra half-second that it took me to set the bar down.

Holding your breath at the top of the deadlift isn’t difficult, of course, but the habit of releasing your breath at the top can be a tough one to break, so let’s fix this error as well as the previous one.

The Solutions
The solution to the problem of releasing your breath at the top of your pull comes courtesy of fellow Starting Strength Coach Mia Inman (click here for her excellent article).

The cue is simply: “Lift silently.”

During the actual lift, your mouth shouldn’t make any noise (since you already inhaled before starting the lift). Therefore, remind yourself that your mouth should be silent until the bar is back on the floor.

The solution to the problem of not applying tension to the bar during the setup (and thus yanking the bar at the start of the pull) is opposite that of the previous solution.

The cue is “Get loud.”

When you squeeze your chest up to apply tension to the bar, the bar will get pulled up slightly due to the slop between the shaft of the bar and the collars of the bar as well as due to the slop between the sleeves of the bar and the plates sitting on the bar.

Because of this slightly upward movement, you will hear - if you do this correctly - a click when this happens. We often refer to this movement as “pulling the slack out of the bar” or even “pulling the click out of the bar.”

When you squeeze your chest up, you’ll feel the tension in your arms (it should feel as though your arms are being stretched out), you’ll feel the weight of the bar in your hands, and you’ll hear the bar make noise.

You want that noise.

Yes, you’ll still hear some rattling as the plates shift when you pull the bar off the floor (and the more plates on the bar, the more you’ll hear that), but you should absolutely hear the bar make noise before you pull it off the floor.

Combining Things
To bring it all together, the single cue becomes: “Loud - then silent.”

Get loud - make that bar make noise when you apply tension to it.

But then - be silent. Don’t let your mouth make noise until the bar is back on the floor.

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?