Most Common Deadlift Error? (It's NOT What You Think)

Are you making this deadlift error? It's extremely common, and it's making your deadlifts a lot harder (and take longer!) than they should be. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers helps you fix it quickly.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/20/23)

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.

---

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?

Cleans vs Power Cleans vs Hang Cleans - What's the Difference?!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/20/23)

Cleans, hang cleans, power cleans, hang power cleans - what are the differences between these lifts, and how can we remember these differences in an easy and practical manner? To sort this out, we first need to understand two words - hang and power.

HANG
Hang refers to a starting position, so if you see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar hanging in your hands. Common hang positions include the mid-thigh, low thigh, above the knee, below the knee, and even mid-shin, but most often (without any other specific qualifiers), hang typically refers to a start position at the mid to low thigh. 

Finally, note that if you don’t see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar resting on the floor.

POWER
Power refers to a landing position (AKA receiving position), i.e., the position in which you catch or rack the bar. When you see the word power, simply think partial squat (tip: power and partial both start with the letter “p”). Thus, if you see the word power, you’re going to receive the clean in a partial depth squat (i.e., not a full depth squat). If you don’t see the word power, then you know you’re going to receive the clean in a full depth squat.

Now that you’ve got those two terms down, it’s time for the actual lifts . . 

CLEAN (AKA squat clean or full clean)
Since you don’t see the word hang, the bar starts on the floor, and since you don’t see the word power, it’s not received in a partial squat and is therefore received in a full depth front squat before being stood up. 

In summary, the clean starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers (i.e., stands up).

POWER CLEAN
You don’t see the word hang, so the bar starts on the floor, but you do see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth front squat.

In summary, the power clean starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG CLEAN
You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, but you don’t see the word power, so the bar is received in a full depth front squat.

In summary, the hang clean starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG POWER CLEAN
Not surprisingly, this is a combination of both the hang clean and the power clean - the love child of both of those lifts. You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, and you also see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth front squat.

In summary, the hang power clean starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth front squat, and then the lifter recovers.

By knowing what hang and power mean - and knowing what it means when those words aren’t present - you’ll be able to consistently figure out these variations of the clean. 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.)

---

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?

Stop Using a Utility Knife to Cut Horse Stall Mats (Do This Instead)

Cutting horse stall mats with a utility knife is slow, frustrating, and unnecessary. Here’s a faster, easier method - plus the simplest way to move heavy mats by yourself. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all.

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?

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

What are pulling blocks, why are they useful, and should you buy them or make them yourself? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/15/23)

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?

Two Squat and Deadlift Mistakes That Seem Right But Aren't

Lifters are making these two mistakes on the squat and deadlift — and have no idea. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers what's going wrong and what to do instead.

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?

The Knees Problem: If You Don't Change This, Your Deadlift Will NEVER Grow

Are you making a mistake with your knees in the deadlift?

If you are, you’re doing one of the following:

1. Pulling the bar around your knees during the ascent, or . . .

2. Setting the bar down in a curved path around your knees during the descent.

Both of these make the deadlift harder, less efficient, and fabulously uncomfortable, so let’s fix them both with the same concept and cue.

If you want to see these errors and their solutions in action, check out the short video below.

Error 1: Pulling Around Your Knees
We use cues such as “push the floor,” “straighten the knees,” and “pull your kneecaps back” regularly to drive home the idea that the deadlift starts with knee extension. This knee extension helps lift the barbell and gets the knees out of the way, so understandably, it’s critical to the lift.

figure 1: Mike and phil demonstrate the error of pulling around the knees.

However, if these cues aren’t working for you, and you’re still pulling in a curved path around your knees (Figure 1), try reminding yourself to “make the bar move vertically” and “get your knees out of the way.”

That’s it.

Picture the correct bar path and get your knees slowly but surely out of the way of that bar path, and you’ll be executing the lift correctly.

Error 2: Setting the Bar Down Around Your Knees
After you lock out your deadlift, you should reach backward with your hips, bow to the floor, and set the bar down in a nice, vertical path so that it ends up on the floor directly over the middle of your foot.

However, many lifters try - whether consciously or subconsciously - to keep their torsos vertical when lowering the deadlift, and this results in a bar path that curves out and around the knees (Figure 2).

figure 2: mike demonstrates the error of setting the bar down around the knees.

This is inefficient, inaccurate, and it feels awful on the knees and back. If setting your deadlift down isn’t the easiest thing you do all day, you’re absolutely committing this error.

Again, remind yourself to “make the bar move vertically” and “get you knees out of the way” (or “keep your knees out of the way” if you prefer).

Visualize the bar traveling vertically - and quickly - downward, and keep your knees out of the way until the bar passes your knees, and you’ll have nailed it.

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.)

---

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?