The Testify News - October 14, 2024
/THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video What You Don't Know About Your Barbell is KILLING Your Lifts (Barbell Basics) (click the title to watch):
Yuppi
So wait, if the knurling doesn't start at standard distance and can vary a lot, how can you get reliable information from the knurling start to ring distance? Is the olympic bar the only one that doesn't have middle knurling reliably? Actually ran into this at my gym, there are all kinds of bars. There are two bars that seem olympic but one is much thicker than the other. And then there's a deadlift bar. It's not like I mind much unless the distance between bearings is different for snatch grip, for cleans/squats it's fairly easy to tell it's not comfortable/in the right spot and ~1 inch difference max isn't that bad for that grip.
Phil
While the width of the smooth part of the bar is not standard, it also doesn't vary by a huge amount typically. As I mentioned in the video, it's usually about 16.5" to 17" with an occasional bar that has a larger or smaller gap.
Some olympic bars have a center knurl and some don't. A power bar will always have a center knurl. Like olympic bars, dual-knurled bars sometimes have center knurls and sometimes don't.
If you have an abnormally thick bar, it's probably a cheaper bar (made thicker to compensate for lesser quality). I'd avoid that bar when possible.
Worst case - you could bring a tape measure one day and sort it out.
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ARTICLES & VIDEOS
What You Don't Know About Your Barbell is KILLING Your Lifts (Barbell Basics)
If you don't know this about the barbell you lift with, you might be messing up your lifts. We cover the difference between power bars, weightlifting bars (i.e., Olympic bars), dual-knurl bars, and how to easily tell the difference. Click here to watch.
Weak Bench Press? QUICK FIX
Are you making this mistake with your shoulders when you bench? We help you diagnose the problem, learn why it's bad, and fix it fast. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: Starting Strength Squat/Low Bar Squat | Fix Your Overextended BACK!
Is your overextended back ruining your squat? In this video - our 3rd in a series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the squat - Phil quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem. Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Wraps and Straps and Gloves, Oh My!
There are a lot of lifting accessories out there, but what's good and what's garbage? We cover grip-related gear in this article. Click here to read.
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WHAT'S COMING UP
Reminder: We will be closed for training on Saturday, 10/26/24, as we are hosting the annual Testify Fall Classic.
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 Fall Classic
October 26, 2024
The annual Testify Fall Classic 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.
Benching Bonanza! The Annual Testify Bench Press Jubilee
November 22, 2024
Benching Bonanza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - you guessed it - 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'll be a ton of fun, so come on out!
Click here to register or for more information.
Barbell Blizzard! A Winter Wonderland of Weights
December 14, 2024
Barbell Blizzard 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.
IN OTHER NEWS . . .
There will be a small price increase for members who have grandfathered membership rates. Please be on the lookout for an email with the details (only members with grandfathered rates will receive an email from me). If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at barb.mueller@testifysc.com.
Thank you for your understanding and commitment to getting stronger with us at Testify Strength & Conditioning!
Barb Mueller
barb.mueller@testifysc.com
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 2024.08.12.
Option 2
Bike/row:
5 min on
4 min off
4 min on
3 min off
3 min on
2 min off
2 min on
1 min off
1 min on
Record distance for each interval and add for total distance.
Compare to 2024.07.22.
Option 3
Outdoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
50 yd sled push (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Indoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
100 ft sled push (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Compare to 2024.06.24.
Option 4
5 rounds:
4 tire flips
8 sledgehammer strikes
6 pull-ups
10 push-ups
Pull-ups and push-ups can be modified – talk to the coaches for options.
Compare to 2024.06.24.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!