10 Bench Press Pro Tips ("Don't Bench Vertically" and more)

The bench press looks simple—but small mistakes can hold your numbers back for years. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 10 practical tips, including why you shouldn’t bench vertically.

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?

The Testify Herald - March 9, 2026

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A post shared by Testify Strength & Cond. (@testifystrengthconditioning)

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Most Squat Advice Ignores These Three Conceptual Errors (click the title to watch):

Максим Баборыкин
So basically, the thought is "squat with your back"? Right?

Phil
In the sense that a squat is a hips, knees, and back exercise, that could be a reasonable description.

The muscles surrounding the hips and knees are responsible for generating the force during the lift, and the muscles in the trunk/back are responsible for creating rigidity and thus transferring that force directly to the barbell.

In short, some muscles get stronger because they create movement in the squat, and some muscles get stronger because they prevent movement in the squat (i.e., the muscles of the trunk/back get stronger because they are responsible for creating rigidity).

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TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Interested in getting stronger working one-on-one remotely with us? Click here to book your free strategy session.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start Today.

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Most Squat Advice Ignores These Three Conceptual Errors
You can’t fix what you don’t understand. We cover three conceptual errors that show up frequently, why they're wrong, and how to easily correct them. Click here to watch.

LIFT MORE WEIGHT: 10 Simple & Quick Training Tips (Starting Strength Coach Explains)
Phil breaks down a quick yet comprehensive list of 10 things you need to know, do, or have when training. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: The TRUTH About Lifting (What No One Tells You!)
Phil briefly covers why lifting weights is pretty stupid and - more importantly - why it isn't. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Barbell Rings - What Are These Things For?!
We cover the difference between the weightlifting rings and the powerlifting rings and why it's important. Click here to read.

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TESTIFY CAMPFIRE MUGS ARE AVAILABLE!

For lifters who train hard . . . and like a little campfire-style to go along with their training sessions. Durable, no-frills, and proudly wearing the Testify logo. From campsite to squat rack, this mug's for you.

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

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WHAT'S COMING UP

Below are a few of our upcoming events, and you can find out what else is on the calendar by heading to our events page at www.testifysc.com/events.

Testify Strengthlifting Challenge

• April 11, 2026

• The annual Testify Strengthlifting Challenge is back, and we invite you to be a part of it! This is a strengthlifting meet, which means the contested lifts will be the squat, press, and deadlift.

• Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Barbell MAYhem - The Clean & Press Classic

• May 1, 2026

• The annual Barbell MAYhem is back, and this year's event is a Friday night clean-and-press!

• This is a single-lift weightlifting meet wherein competitors will perform the clean-and-press. Each lifter will receive 3 attempts, and the heaviest successful lift will determine their score.

• There will be prizes - for feats both serious and outlandish - throughout the night!

• Click here to register or for more information.

Testify IronFest VIII

• July 10, 2026

• IronFest is a team-based strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will perform one upper body lift and one lower body lift, and each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.

• Click here to register or for more information.

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THIS WEEK’S CONDITIONING

Option 1
Sled
Outdoors:
10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every minute, push the sled 25 yards, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.

Indoors:
10-20 x 100 ft EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every minute, push the sled 100 feet, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.

Compare to 2026.02.02.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes

Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = lowest distance.

Compare to 2025.12.15.

Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
100 ft farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2025.11.17.

Option 4
1. 5 yoke carries @ 30 yd (15 yd downback) – work up to heaviest carry
2. 5 rounds of 5 reps on the axle “clean and press away” – work up to heavy set of 5

Compare to 2025.11.17.

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

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.

LIFT MORE WEIGHT: 10 Simple & Quick Training Tips (Starting Strength Coach Explains)

Coming at you rapidfire – 10 things you need to know, do, or have before lifting heavy. Here we go.

1. Valsalva Maneuver
Before you start your rep, take a breath, hold that breath against a closed glottis (i.e., not against your lips), tighten every muscle in your trunk like you expect to get punched, and stay that rigid until the rep is over.

None of this “breathe in on the way down and breathe out on the way up” garbage.

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

If you’re not sure how to correctly hold your breath against a closed glottis, check out the video below.

2. Focal Point
Have one.

Your focal point will vary by lift, but it should not vary during the lift. Stare at that point before the rep, during the rep, and between each rep.

Check out the video below for the correct focal point for several of the major lifts.

3. Midfoot Balance
For each of the lifts except the bench press, you want to be balanced on the middle of your foot. Put another way, your weight should be evenly distributed throughout your entire foot.

It’s easy to accidentally have more of your weight on the balls of your feet (i.e., your balance is forward) or on your heels (i.e., your balance is backward) than you should without realizing it, so pay attention to where you feel your weight in your feet.

4. Plan of Attack
Don’t think about how heavy the weight is. Don’t hope you’re going to get that lift.

Instead, have one cue in your head before the lift starts and focus only on that cue. Execute that cue.

5. Chalk
You have to have it, and you have to use it.

You will probably need to bring your own chalk (regular or liquid if you’re really sneaky) if you train at a commercial gym, but this is normal for people who care about their training, and my guess is that includes you.

If you don’t use chalk, it will be the cause of missed lifts, missed strength progress, and you might not ever even realize why.

Be a person. Use chalk.

6. Personal Gear - Belt and Lifting Shoes
Buy yourself a pair of lifting shoes. Next, get yourself a quality leather lifting belt and learn to use it (check out the video below).

There are people out there who will argue, “I wasn’t born with a belt, and I wasn’t born with lifting shoes, so I don’t think I should use them. It’s not natural.”

True, but we weren’t born with a barbell, either (or clothes, for that matter). A barbell is not natural, but it’s a very useful tool to get stronger, and the same logic applies to lifting shoes and lifting belts.

Don’t buy Chuck Taylors. They are not lifting shoes. They are squishy hipster shoes for people who started to think about lifting shoes but never completed the thought. They have enough cushioning to be perfectly comfortable for walking and everyday wear, and that cushioning tells us that they are a silly choice for lifting.

7. Collars
On every lift except the bench press, use collars (the olympic lifts are a separate topic for another day). I’d recommend not using collars on the bench press since - on the chance that you don’t have spotters and forgot to set the safeties at the correct height, you might be able to save yourself from disaster by dumping the plates off the bar (i.e., side-to-side) during a failed lift.

Especially for the squat and press, collars are critically important. Disasters can, have, and do happen with lifters who don’t use collars.

Don’t want to use collars for your warm-ups? I understand . . . it takes a phenomenal amount of energy and willpower to put on some collars. With this in mind, here’s a good rule of thumb: if the weight is heavy enough to use a belt, it’s heavy to use collars, too.

If you use a belt for all of your sets or, conversely, you never use a belt, then a good rule of thumb is: use collars for your last warm-up and all of your work sets.

You might think I recommend collars because I care about you.

No.

I care about the people around you, and they are the people who get hurt when a plate (or plates) slides off the bar, the bar cartwheels in the opposite direction, and plates are flung across the room (I also care about the equipment that gets damaged in the process).

Yes, I’ve seen it happen. Multiple times. It’s nasty and scary.

Be a person. Use collars.

8. Training Log
Get a notebook and keep a training log religiously. This is your most important piece of training gear.

You can find another bar, you switch squat racks, and you can buy another pair of lifting shoes, but your training log is personal to you.

It has your history, which means it helps guide you forward and make intelligent decisions. The training log separates training from exercise.

9. Keep It Simple
Like many endeavors, lifting weights is not about doing a bunch of complicated movements.

It’s about doing a few simple movements rather well and with consistency.

You probably don’t need a cue designed specifically for you. You simply need to execute the one you’re already thinking about.

10. Check Your Bar
If you lift long enough (and it doesn’t take long), you’ve made the mistake of a misloaded barbell. You’ll make this mistake multiple times in your training career, but you can minimize the number of mistakes by remembering three things . . .

First, check your bar vs your book. Does what you have on the bar match what’s planned for today in your book?

Second, check your bar math. You meant to load 165 lb, so do a last second check to make sure it’s 165 lb and not 155 lb (you might have forgotten to put on that 5 lb plate on each side).

Third, check your bar symmetry. Do the plates on the left side of the barbell match those on the right side? It’s easy to load one side correctly, then get briefly distracted and forget to finish loading the other side.

As always, I 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 TRUTH About Lifting (What No One Tells You!)

Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers briefly covers why lifting weights is pretty stupid and - more importantly - why it isn't.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 04/24/23)

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?

Barbell Rings - What Are These Things For?!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 08/27/21)

Every barbell has one or two pairs of rings - also known as score marks or knurl marks. Today, we’re going to talk about the two types of rings, the purpose of the rings, and how they might pose a problem for a new or inexperienced lifter.

For further explanation and demonstration of the topics covered in this article, be sure to check out any of the included videos.

From top to bottom - barbells with (A) power rings only, (B) weightlifting and powerlifting rings, and (C) weightlifting rings only

The 2 Types of Rings
Using a dual-ringed bar (i.e., a bar with both sets of rings) for reference, the inner rings are known as the powerlifting rings or simply the power rings, and these marks are 81 cm apart (approximately 32 in). The outer rings are known as the weightlifting rings or the olympic rings, and these marks are 91 cm apart (approximately 36 in).

Purpose
Both sets of rings are used for reference points when you take your grip on the bar. In the sport of powerlifting, the power rings on a dedicated powerlifting barbell (or “power bar”) represent the maximum legal grip width for the bench press (i.e., at the widest legal grip, the index fingers still need to be in contact with the rings). In lifts other than the bench press (e.g., the squat) the rings still serve as a reference point upon which to base your grip.

In the sport of weightlifting - i.e., the snatch and clean-and-jerk - due to the wider grip widths used in the clean, the jerk, and specifically the snatch, it is useful to have a wider set of rings for reference, and thus, the weightlifting rings are set a bit wider than the power rings.

The Problem
A potential problem arises when a lifter switches from one barbell to a different barbell. Suppose, for example, that Jack is accustomed to training on a bar that only has one set of rings, and then he travels somewhere and ends up using a dual-ringed bar. Suddenly, Jack’s not sure which set he should be using for his reference point for his grip. 

Conversely, let’s say Jill has been training with a dual-ringed bar, and then she goes to her first competition, and the competition bar only has one set of rings. As Jill steps onto the competition platform, she isn’t sure whether she’s looking at the power rings or the weightlifting rings.

The solution here is pretty simple - know your equipment. If you’re not sure which rings you’ve been using, you can easily figure it out. If it’s a dual-ringed bar, you hopefully already know whether you’ve been using the inner set or outer set, and if it's a single-ringed bar, break out your tape measure and check the distance between the rings - the powerlifting rings are 32 inches apart (81 cm) while the weightlifting rings are 36 inches apart (91 cm).

If you have to go train or compete on a different bar, know the following points:

• At a powerlifting meet, you’ll either encounter a power bar (i.e., a bar with power rings) or a bar with both sets of rings (less common at a meet).

• At a weightlifting meet, you’ll either encounter a weightlifting bar (i.e., a bar with weightlifting rings) or a bar with both sets of rings (again, less common at a meet).

• In general training, if you encounter a single-ringed bar, you’re probably - probably - looking at the power rings as these bars are far more common than dedicated weightlifting bars.

• While the above points are useful, your best bet is to still measure.

Knowing these facts, you can keep your technique reproducible and therefore consistent wherever you 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:

• 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?

Most Squat Advice Ignores These Three Conceptual Errors

You can’t fix what you don’t understand. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers three conceptual errors that show up frequently, why they're wrong, and how to easily correct them.

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.

---

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?