Scraping Your Shins in the Deadlift? It's Not the Bar - It's You.

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Are you getting bloody - or at least scraped - shins when you deadlift? This quick tip is for you.

If you’re carving up your shin bones when you pull, you’re not properly extending your knees when you start the pull. This means that (a) your knees don’t contribute to the elevation of the bar as they should and (b) your knees pose an obstacle to the bar’s path, which is why your shins currently hate you.

Here are two ways to cue and fix this problem.

Solution 1: “Push the floor away.”
At the start of the pull, don’t think about standing up. Of course, you finish in a standing position, but don’t try to get your back vertical right away. Instead, cue yourself to “push the floor away” from you by gradually straightening your knees.

The knees don’t finish straightening until lockout, but make no mistake, they need to start straightening right away. Other cues that emphasize this motion are “straighten the knees” and “pull your kneecaps backward.”

Solution 2: “Stay over the bar.”
With this cue, you remind yourself not to “stand up” too soon; in other words, you cue yourself to keep your back angle horizontal longer than you think you should as you start the pull.

This forces you to lift the barbell using knee extension instead of hip extension, which is what you’re trying to accomplish. To be clear, both knee extension and hip extension occur when you start the pull, but if you’re scraping your shins, you need less hip extension and more knee extension, so remind yourself to “stay over the bar” or “stay horizontal” when starting the pull.

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?

Bad Wrists = Weak Deadlift! | Correct Your Deadlift Technique

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Your wrists are messing up your deadlift, and you probably don't even know it. In the 2nd video in our Saturday Shorts series on correcting the deadlift, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers how to achieve the correct wrist positioning.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 11/05/22)

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?

Fix Your Press - Part 7: Correct Your ABOMINABLE Knees

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/17/23)

This is the seventh article in our series on helping you improve your press. Today’s topic - the knees. In this article, you’ll also find a couple of videos related to today’s topic.

Are you letting your knees unlock when you press? Knock it off - this ain’t a push press. There’s nothing wrong with a push press, but that’s not the lift you’re trying to perform, so let’s fix your soft knees.

When we talk about letting the knees unlock, we are referring to the phenomenon of the knees flexing or bending as you reach with your hips on the press. This is a no-no and is akin to letting your butt come up off of the bench when bench pressing - if it happens, the lift doesn’t count.

Consequently, when you reach forward with the hips to initiate the press, be sure to keep your knees straight - keep them tight, if you will - and with this in mind, here are a few cues to help you with this task:

“Straight knees” or “Straight legs”
This is the simple approach, and if it works, go with it. Merely remind yourself to keep your knees straight as you reach with your hips.

“Flex the quads”
Before initiating the hips movement, tell yourself to flex your quads - those muscles on the front of your thighs that are responsible for straightening your knees (and thus keeping them straight as well). Flex them so hard that you almost get a quad cramp.

“Lift your kneecaps” or “Pull your kneecaps up”
Before starting the press, cue yourself to pull your kneecaps up. If you’re not sure what this looks like, stand up tall and look down at your leg when it’s straight (your knee should be visible, so shorts or rolled up pants are necessary). Now, flex your quad, and as you do, you’ll see that your kneecap actually goes up an inch or so. Check out the video above for a demonstration of this.

“Pull your knees back” or “Keep your knees back”
This is a bit of an overcue as, when you reach forward with your hips, your knees will actually go forward slightly. However, the knees should not ever travel as far forward as the hips, so you can cue yourself to keep your knees back (even as your hips go forward), and this cue often helps solve the problem of bent knees

Keep those knees straight, and 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?

How to Deadlift Correctly in 1 Minute (EASY to Learn)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Learn correct technique for the deadlift in 60 seconds. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers how to deadlift safely, effectively, and efficiently.

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?

Testify Sun - March 24, 2025

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Restoring a Rusty Barbell (click the title to watch):

Steven Lengyel
I was always told the bar is 45 pounds

Phil
A standard, "men's" olympic barbell is 20 kg or 44 lb, and in the U.S., it's often referred to as 45 lb out of convenience. There are some manufacturers that make actual 45 lb bars as well, but unless you know where you got your bar and which model it was, you won't know unless you put it on a scale.

A standard, "women's" olympic barbell is 15 kg or 33 lb, and that's what this barbell was.

The process to restore the bar is the same regardless of the weight, and we didn't have any rusty 20 kg bars.

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.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

How to EASILY Put on Your Lifting Belt (the 2 simple tips that change everything...)
Do you struggle to put your lifting belt on correctly and easily? Phil gives you two quick tips to make your life easier. Click here to watch.

 

Don't Want to Train? Do This Instead.
“You’re supposed to train today, but you don’t feel like it. In fact, you really don’t want to train today. So, naturally, you choose the second best option, which is…” Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: NOT My Best Day Deadlifting | How to Handle a Misloaded Barbell (it's NOT just the math)
A unevenly loaded barbell is a common mistake, but after you've corrected the load on the bar, do you just proceed as usual? Not quite. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Thinking About Competing? Here's Why You SHOULDN'T.
Phil discusses why if you're thinking about competing . . . you shouldn't. Click here to read.

TESTIFY 3/4 SLEEVE SHIRTS ARE UP!

Baseball season is coming up, so represent your favorite team - well, gym - in style!

PLUS - you get four different options to choose from!

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

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.

Testify Strengthlifting Challenge

  • April 12, 2025

  • The annual Testify Strengthlifting Challenge 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.

Testify IronFest VII

  • June 20, 2025

  • IronFest is a team-based strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will perform one upper body lift and one lower body lift, and each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

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 2025.01.20.

Option 2
5 rounds:
10 cal bike
1 min rest
4 sandbag-over-bars
1 min rest

Set the yoke crossmember at 35/33, and the weight is 150#/75#.

Compare to 2024.12.30.

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 2024.12.02.

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 2024.12.02.

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.

Don't Want to Train? Do This Instead.

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

You’re supposed to train today, but you don’t feel like it.

In fact, you really don’t want to train today.

So, naturally, you choose the second best option, which is - of course - that you don’t want to train and you still train anyway.

This is a public service announcement - and it’s as much to myself as to anyone else - that when it’s time to train . . . 

Of course geneva doesn’t feel like squatting heavy . . . but she squats anyway.

Do. Not. Trust. Your. Feelings.

Go train regardless of how you feel about it. Don’t let your feelings enter the equation. You have feelings, of course, but you make a conscious decision to disregard them, and you train anyway.

Hot? Humid? No airflow in your garage gym? You train.

Low on sleep? It’s a training day, so you train.

Is your back bugging you? You’re a responsible adult, so you train (training may have to be modified, but it’s especially important to train in this situation).

It’s also useful to remember that these are all champagne problems - first world problems, if you will. Not wanting to train is not a real problem like starvation or losing someone you care about.

You already know that training is a challenge you subject yourself to. You know that you don’t have to train - you get to train.

To anyone out there who’s thinking about skipping a workout . . . don’t trust your feelings.

You might regret walking in the gym door, but you’ll never regret having trained when you walk out.

Train.

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?