Bench Press with Short Legs or Back Pain?

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/26/21)

If you have shorter legs you may find it difficult or simply uncomfortable to keep your feet planted firmly (and flat) on the ground. Let’s fix this.

Having your feet planted flat and firmly to the floor is important because your feet provide lateral stability, i.e., your stance provides side-to-side stability during the bench press because the bench itself is rather narrow. Additionally, having your feet planted firmly on the ground allows you to use your legs to drive up the bench during the movement as well (which provides rigidity in your upper body and also reinforces your arch).

With all this in mind, if you have shorter legs - specifically shorter lower legs (i.e., your shins or shanks) - and if you find that your heels are coming up off the ground, then simply stack a bumper plate or two underneath each foot.

You can use wooden blocks or rubber mats instead of bumper plates, but whatever you use, your new “foot platform” needs to provide a non-slip surface that is high enough that you can keep your feet flat and firmly on that surface. A reasonable benchmark (get it?) is to create a platform high enough that your thighs are roughly parallel to the ground.

The use of such a platform can also be a good tactic if you experience some low back discomfort or pain when you lie down on the bench. This can occur with people with shorter legs due to the excessive arch needed to reach their feet down to the floor, and it can also occur with older people or with people who carry some extra weight.

Jen demonstrates the use of bumper plates to provide an elevated platform for her feet.

If lying down on the bench causes you some discomfort, try raising your feet up a bit by using a platform. If your use of the platform is due to discomfort (and not due to having short legs), you may find that you can reduce the height of your platform over time (e.g., remove a bumper plate from your stack), and you might even get to the point where your feet are flat on the ground again.

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?

The Brutal Truth About Squatting No One Wants to Hear

Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explores one of the most important truths about squatting – and how embracing it can completely change your progress.

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 Ledger - July 27, 2026

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

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video When Deadlifting Heavy, Don't Stand Up & Try This Instead (click the title to watch):

Zimmy Zim
You kept saying "push the floor away" and it wasn't until you said push with your legs did I understand. I kept envisioning how can my arms push the floor away as I'm trying to stand up.

Phil
I'm glad it clicked!

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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

Blindsided with a Bad Press? Use This One Trick To Press Stronger
If your press feels awkward, off, or weaker than usual, learn the quick adjustment that often helps lifters get back on track, improve bar path, and press more effectively. Click here to watch.

3 Tactics to Triage Your Deadlift FAST (plus a bonus tactic) | Get a Bigger Deadlift NOW
Phil covers three major technical aspects (plus a bonus) of your deadlift to focus on and evaluate when trying to improve your deadlift. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: Don't Want to Train? Do THIS Instead.
What should you do when you don't want to train? Phil discusses a viable second option. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Use This Grip for a BIGGER Deadlift! (Tension Grip)
What is a tension grip, and why should you use it for pulling movements like the deadlift, row, and clean? This is the second article in our series on the correct grip for each lift. Click here to read.

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SLEEVES ARE OVERRATED - GRAB A TESTIFY TANK!

Sun's out, guns out, and we've got men's and women’s tank tops in multiple colors.

Get yours today and represent your favorite gym!

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

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WHAT'S COMING UP

Below is one 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.

Minneapolis, MN: Starting Strength Squat & Deadlift Camp

• October 3, 2026

• Spend the day learning the theory and practice of the low bar back squat and the deadlift.

• Participants will spend lots of time on the platform receiving coaching and instruction on the squat and deadlift in a small group setting. We will also have a lecture and discussion on programming and cover how to identify and correct common technical problems.

• 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 2026.06.22.

Option 2
Bike/row:
3 rounds of:
8 x 20 sec on/40 sec off
Rest 3 min between rounds

Score = lowest distance

Compare to 2026.05.04.

Option 3
5-10 rounds of:
30 sec ME tire flips
30 sec rest

Compare to 2026.04.06.

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 2026.04.06.

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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.

3 Tactics to Triage Your Deadlift FAST (plus a bonus tactic) | Get a Bigger Deadlift NOW

Let’s briefly cover three tactics to help you fix your deadlift quickly and efficiently. It’s useful to remember that if you don’t have a coach, then – by default – you are your own coach, so let’s cover a few major technical points to look for when you watch your deadlift on video.

We’ll cover three positioning issues plus a bonus movement issue, and while these technique points are not the only things to look for, they certainly are large “bang-for-your-buck” items.

#1 Setup
When setting up to pull, you want the following three things – first, be sure that the barbell is over the middle of your foot. To do this, walk up to the bar and set up with your shins about 1” away from the bar when your shins are vertical.

Second, when you bend your knees, bend them just enough to bring your shins lightly into contact with the bar. The shins absolutely need to be touching the bar before you pull, but the shins should never move the bar.

Third, be sure that you are balanced over the middle of your foot. Not on the balls of your feet, not on your heels – on the middle of your foot.

Thus, when you’re setting up to pull, you can feel these three things - bar over midfoot, shins touching the bar, and midfoot balance. However, when you watch yourself on camera, the balance issue takes some practice to see and correctly identify, so in addition to looking at your feet, check to make sure that your shoulders are slightly in front of the bar.

#2 Flat and Rigid Back
Set your back in flat, rigid extension before you start the pull and make sure it stays that way throughout the lift.

You want your back to act like a steel beam, and with this in mind, the following cues can be useful to get your back flat before you pull:

• Squeeze your chest up.

• Push your belly down between your thighs.

• Arch your back. (an overcue, but sometimes useful)

• Wrinkles in your shirt

Be sure to brace hard with every muscle in your midsection (you will have taken a big breath right before setting your back) to then hold that back rigid throughout the lift.

If you’re not sure how to correctly breathe and brace when training, check out the very useful video below.

#3 Lockout
This is an easily and all-too-often missed component of a correctly executed deadlift. At the top of the pull, the deadlift lockout should have open hips (i.e., straight hips), straight knees, chest up, and shoulders slightly behind the bar.

solid lockout position

Soft knees at the top or hips that aren’t completely open? The lift doesn’t count. Be honest with yourself and remind yourself to “stand tall” when finishing your deadlifts.

this deadlift is not finished as the hips are not fully open - this deadlift does not count.

Bonus: Knee Extension
The deadlift has both knee extension and hip extension throughout the ascent, so when it’s performed correctly, you’ll see the knees and hips both straightening as you pull the bar off the floor.

With that said, it is dominated by knee extension at the start, and if it isn't (i.e., if you’re attempting to raise your chest too soon, instead), you’ll be accidentally attempting to pull the bar around your knees. This is a miserable experience and makes the pull far, far harder than it needs to be.

Cues that help you execute the proper knee extension include:

• Push the floor away (i.e., with your legs).

• Leg press the floor away from you.

• Stay over the bar.

• Pull your kneecaps backward.

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?

Don't Want to Train? Do THIS Instead.

What should you do when you don't want to train? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers discusses a viable second option.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 07/03/23)

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.

---

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?

Use This Grip for a BIGGER Deadlift! (Tension Grip)

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 12/08/23)

What is a tension grip, and why should you use it for pulling movements like the deadlift, row, and clean? This is the second article in our short series on the correct grip for each lift. In the first article, we discussed the compression grip, which is useful for pressing movements such as the bench press, press, close grip bench press, etc., and you can read that article by clicking here.

Today’s Topic: Pulling Movements
The grip we are covering today is the type of grip you would take for pulling movements such as the deadlift, the row, the clean, etc. This grip is commonly referred to as a tension grip (watch the included video for a demonstration).

Whether you execute a pulling lift (e.g., deadlift) or a pressing movement (e.g., bench press), the same principle is true - gravity wants the bar to go down, so your grip should put the bar in the lowest stable position possible. In this way, the bar cannot accidentally reach a lower position than that which it’s already occupying.

What NOT To Do
In a pressing movement - as discussed in the compression grip article - you place the bar at the base of the palm. However, since the hand will be pointing downward in a pulling movement, putting the base of the palm against the bar puts the bar in an unstable position. The compression grip is very strong for pushing and pretty terrible for pulling.

Figure 1: compression grip (shown in reverse for viewing purposes): good for pushing - terrible for pulling

Placing the base of the palm against the bar - this will look like you’re pushing down on the bar (Figure 1) - compromises the grip, and this will show up in several ways. First, if you can even break the bar off the floor, it may result in a soft lockout at the top of the lift (e.g., knees that are still bent) or the complete inability to finish the lift at all. Second, when your grip is compromised, everything else starts to compensate - your back starts to round, the weight feels heavier, and it will actually be harder to pull the bar off the floor.

Figure 2: tension grip (shown in reverse for viewing purposes): good for pulling

The Answer
Take a grip that permits the bar to sit a little lower in the hand - down by the fingers a bit more (Figure 2).

(As a side note, don’t take a monkey grip - you shouldn’t have a visible air gap between your hands and the bar.)

Put simply, it should look like you’re pulling up on the bar and not pushing down on the bar. Note the differences between a compression grip (bad for pulling) and a tension grip (good for pulling) in the photos below.

Whether you use a double overhand grip, a hook grip, or an alternate grip, make sure the bar is carried down by the fingers and not positioned up by the base of the palm. When in doubt, put some upward tension on the bar, and voilà - your wrists will straighten out, and the bar will be positioned correctly.

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.)

---

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?