The Testify Register - December 2, 2024

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video WRIST WRAPS: The Complete Guide and how NOT to Put Them On! (Lifting Gear Series) (click the title to watch):

Rafael Brum
Yo, totally underrated YouTube channel. Amazing work. This also helped me with my wrist pain when I do the bench press.

Phil
That’s excellent – I’m glad to hear that it helped with your wrist pain. Also, thanks for the kind words!


TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Want to get stronger working remotely with one of our Starting Strength Coaches? Click here to contact us and learn more.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start today.


ARTICLES & VIDEOS

FIX Your Bench Press in under 2 Minutes: STOP Benching Vertically
Are you bench pressing with a vertical bar path? Don't. We cover why this is a problem and how to fix it. Click here to watch.

 

"This Made Him Look STUPID!" | Squat Mistake
Are you making this mistake when squatting? Well . . . don't. It's unnecessary, inefficient, and it makes you look like a newbie. We explain. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Training with Injuries: Should I Train or Should I Quit?!
When dealing with an injury, the right questions can make all the difference. Phil discusses the difference between "Should I train?" and "How can I train?" and gives some useful tools for training when injured. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: The Press: Make the Bar Go DOWN?!
Not sure about the hips movement in the press? Phil gives a useful way to approach and solve this problem. Click here to read.


TESTIFY BALL CAPS ARE AVAILABLE!

Represent your favorite gym and keep the sun out of your eyes in style with this cap.

Click here to head to the Testify Store.


WHAT'S COMING UP

Reminder: Testify members! Don't forget - the annual Testify Christmas Party is on Saturday, December 14, and it will begin immediately following the end of the Barbell Blizzard. We'll be running this year's party in an appetizer/potluck fashion, so bring an appetizer to pass around and something to drink, wear something outlandishly Christmasy, and let the festivities begin!

We're guessing a start time of around 5:00 p.m., but if you're not participating in the Barbell Blizzard, your best bet is probably to show up earlier than that, cheer on your fellow lifters at the Barbell Blizzard, and then we'll segue right into the party (tableware provided by Testify).

Below is the information for the upcoming Barbell Blizzard, and you can always find out what else is on the calendar by heading to our events page at www.testifysc.com/events.

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.


THIS WEEK’S CONDITIONING

Option 1
Sled Pyramid – 4, 5, or 6 tiers
Go up and down a 4, 5, or 6 tier “sled pyramid” – rest as needed. The distance for each round is 80 m indoors (a down-back on the 40m course) or 200 ft outdoors (2 down-backs on the 50 ft course). Rest as needed.

For example, Bob does the following (4 tiers):
Round 1: Empty sled
Round 2: 25#
Round 3: 50#
Round 4: 75#
Round 5: 50#
Round 6: 25#
Round 7: Empty sled

Compare to 2024.09.30.

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

Score = least distance covered in any 30 second interval

Compare to 2024.09.09.

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 2024.08.12.

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 2024.08.12.


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