You’re Benching With Dead Legs — and It’s Killing Your Progress

Learn why your bench press feels weak — and how your legs might be the culprit. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers two factors to address as well as two ways your equipment may be ruining the effective use of your legs.

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 Voice of Testify - November 3, 2025

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

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Do This Once & Instantly Improve Your Squat Form (click the title to watch):

Stealth
I'm really going to try this out today with Squats and also deadlifts, theyve always felt so awkward for me since ive always lifted having my back and torso so vertical straight up and down I almost feel like im about to fall over or im all but standing straight up in the case of the deadlift before I even do the lift in the first place. Thanks for the advice

Phil
You're very welcome, and I hope it proves useful to you!

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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

Why Your Squat Feels Off (But You Can't Explain Why)
Something about your squat just doesn’t feel right — but you can’t quite put your finger on it. In this short video, Phil explains what’s really going on and gives you a few simple cues to fix it fast. Click here to watch.

One Clue to Identify a Bad Squat EARLY
How can you tell that your squat is going to be harder and less efficient than it should be? Watch for this tell-tale sign on the descent and learn how to fix it. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: LIFTING SHOES: The Complete Guide to the Best and WORST Shoes! (Lifting Gear Series)
Phil covers everything you'll ever want to know about lifting shoes, including what NOT to buy. This is the 5th video in our "Lifting Gear" series. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Power Clean vs Split Clean vs Squat Clean: Which One is Best?
We cover the three different landing positions for the clean as well as the advantages that go with each position. Click here to read.

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“GET STRONGER - LIVE BETTER” SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE!

Why do you train? Because getting stronger makes everything else easier. Get stronger. Live better. “Testify” to this message and represent your favorite gym with this shirt in several color options.

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.

Benching Bonanza! The Annual Testify Bench Press Jubilee

• November 21, 2025

• Benching Bonanza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - not surprisingly - the bench press. There will be one bar, and the meet will be conducted in a "rising bar" format, so the weight on the bar only goes up! It’s a great time for all involved, and we hope to see you there!

• Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Christmas Classic

• December 13, 2025

• The Christmas Classic is a team strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2-4 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; 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
“Prowler Base+1”
1. Load up a manageable weight.
2. Sprint 40m at 85% intensity.
3. Rest 30 sec.
4. Repeat 5-15 times.

Courtesy of “Death by Prowler” (on Starting Strength).

Compare to 2025.09.29.

Option 2
Bike/row:
8 x 30 sec on/2:00 off

Score = least distance covered in any 30 second interval

Compare to 2025.08.11.

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 2025.07.14.

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 2025.07.14.

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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.

One Clue to Identify a Bad Squat EARLY

Don’t be like this fool.

Are you making your squat harder, weaker, and less efficient than it should be? 

Here’s a tell-tale sign: if you’re trying to maintain a vertical torso (i.e., a vertical or upright back angle) as you descend, you’re making a mistake, so let’s fix it quickly.

The Problem
The error of trying to keep the torso upright during the descent of the squat is a common one, and it usually stems from confusing - whether consciously or subconsciously - the concept of a straight back with that of a vertical back.

Make no mistake - we want a straight back. We don’t want a rounded back (i.e., flexion), and we certainly don’t want an arched back (i.e., overextension) either. We simply want a straight, rigid back, which is extremely useful for efficiency of force transmission between you and the barbell.

However, the back will not always be - nor should it be - vertical during the squat itself. In fact, it won’t be vertical for most of the squat. Your back will be vertical at the start of the squat before you start your descent, and it will be vertical at the end of the squat when you finish standing up, but during the movement itself, the back will travel through a range of angles.

note that tyler has gotten correctly (and efficiently) leaned over as he descended into his squat.

The Solution
Trying to keep your torso vertical as you start makes the squat harder, weaker, less efficient, and even uncomfortable, and lifting heavy weights is already uncomfortable, so let’s not make the situation worse through inefficiency. To fix this issue, use the following cue as you start your descent:

“Hips back - chest down.”

As you begin the descent, reach your butt back as if you’re trying to touch the wall behind you while simultaneously pointing your chest down toward the floor. In other words, you lean over on purpose as you push your hips backward.

Using this leaned over position on the descent puts you in a stronger and more efficient position from which to drive up out of the bottom of the squat, and efficiency is always a good thing to have when squatting.

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?

LIFTING SHOES: The Complete Guide to the Best and WORST Shoes! (Lifting Gear Series)

Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers everything you'll ever want to know about lifting shoes, including what NOT to buy. This is the 5th video in our "Lifting Gear" series.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 02/20/23)

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?

Power Clean vs Split Clean vs Squat Clean: Which One is Best?

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 06/04/21)

A couple of weeks ago, we covered the three landing positions for the snatch. There are also three landing positions for the clean, and as with the snatch landing positions, each has its own advantages. Let’s briefly cover them here:

POWER CLEAN

Landing Position: Partial squat (i.e., partial-depth front squat)

Maddie performs a power clean.

Advantage: The power clean is the simplest to learn as your feet do not travel far from their original pulling position. It also doesn’t require learning how to perform a front squat as in the . . .

CLEAN (AKA full clean or squat clean)

Landing Position: Front squat (i.e., full-depth front squat)

Advantage: Of the three landing positions, the full clean allows lifters to lift the heaviest weights as this lower receiving position means the barbell doesn’t have to be lifted as high before racking it on the shoulders.

Maddie performs a clean.

SPLIT CLEAN

Landing Position: Split stance - nearly identical to the split jerk stance, but the split is often even longer and deeper.

Advantage: The split clean allows the lifter to drop further under the bar than the power clean without requiring the ability to drop into an front squat position as in the full clean. For this reason, the split clean  - although potentially useful at all ages - is especially well-suited to older lifters.

Maddie performs a split clean.

You’ll notice that the word “hang” - as in hang clean or hang power clean or hang split clean - is conspicuously absent in this discussion. This is because “hang” refers to a starting position, not a landing position.

If “hang” is added as a prefix, then the lift simply starts with the bar hanging in the hands (usually at about mid-thigh height) as opposed to starting with the bar resting 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?

Why Your Squat Feels Off (But You Can't Explain Why)

Something about your squat just doesn’t feel right — but you can’t quite put your finger on it. In this short video, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains what’s really going on and gives you a few simple cues to fix it fast.

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?