You WILL Get Weaker . . . So Why Bother?

Julie understands the importance of getting strong now.

This topic may not be particularly inspiring, but it is extremely important. Here goes:

You will get weaker. So get stronger. Right. Now.

Everyone gets weaker at some point. As the saying goes, in the game of life, “ . . . no one gets out alive.” Whether through injury, illness, or age, there will come a point when we start to get weaker, so it’s very wise to grab a barbell and starting getting really strong right now - while we still can.

When a man who has a 400 lb squat gets older and starts to lose some strength, he still has a 350 lb squat or maybe a 300 lb squat. That is still a very capable man.

When a woman who has a 225 lb deadlift gets older and starts to lose some strength, she still has a 200 lb deadlift or maybe a 175 lb deadlift. Again, that is still a very capable woman.

When a man who can barely climb the stairs gets older and starts to lose some strength, he can no longer climb those stairs. He is no longer nearly as capable in his daily life as he once was.

Strength is vital for the quality of your life. Remember, the day you can’t squat is the day you can’t get off the toilet by yourself, and the day you can’t do that is the day you can’t live by yourself anymore, so get to the squat rack today and build the biggest buffer against weakness that you can - you’ll be glad you did.

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

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Convert Kilograms to Pounds the Easy Way!

As a lifter, you may occasionally find it necessary to do some mental math and convert from kilograms to pounds. The common recommendation is to take the number of kilograms, multiply that number by 2.2, and you’ll have your answer (the conversion factor is actually 2.2046226 . . ., but let’s not get carried away). If you’ve been doing this . . . stop. Stop it right now.

Do this instead:

1. Take the number of kilograms and double it.

2. Find 10% of your result (i.e., move the decimal point one place to the left).

3. Add the two numbers from step 1 and step 2 together.

4. Amaze your friends with your lightning-fast mental math.

This method is equivalent to multiplying by 2.2, but it’s easier to do in your head than trying to multiply by 2.2.

Let’s try this out with 90 kg: 

1. 90 x 2 = 180

2. 10% of 180 = 18 (remember - you’re just moving the decimal point)

3. 180 + 18 = 198

Thus, 90 kg = 198 lbs.

Here’s a slightly more challenging example with 105 kg:

1. 105 x 2 = 210

2. 10% of 210 = 21

3. 210 + 21 = 231

Thus, 105 kg = 231 lbs.

You’ll note that both 90 kg and 105 kg are multiples of 5, which makes the process fairly straightforward. If you have a weight that isn’t a multiple of 5, you can still use this method, or you can simply use the nearest multiple of 5 and make a small adjustment after the fact (using the knowledge that 1 kg = 2.2 lbs). Let’s try this with 36 kg. Since 36 is close to 35, we’ll use 35 as our “base number”:

1. 35 x 2 = 70

2. 10% of 70 = 7

3. 70 + 7 = 77

4. Since 36 kg is 1 kg larger than 35 kg, and 1 kg is just a little over 2 lbs, we can add 2 lbs to 77 lbs to get 79 lbs.

Thus, 36 kg is equal to just a bit over 79 lbs (79.366 . . . if you want to compare our approximate answer with the actual value).

With practice, this method will be faster than getting out your phone and using its calculator or asking Siri. It becomes even quicker because you’ll naturally (and almost accidentally) start to memorize the multiples of 5 (i.e., 5 kg = 11 lbs, 10 kg = 22 lbs, 15 kg = 33 lbs, etc.). 

Now you know, and as a famous action figure once said, knowing is half the battle.

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Lifting Notation: Reps are Always Second

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/20/18)

You train - you don't exercise. And because you train, you keep a training journal. You record your warm-ups and your work sets, but one thing that keeps tripping you up is the notation. You can never remember which comes first . . . sets? Reps? Weights?

Let's talk a bit about this. Generally, there are two methods of notating your training: "sets x reps" and "weight x reps x sets." Thus, if your program calls for you to squat 3 sets of 5 reps, you'll probably see "3 x 5" in your program, and when you record your work sets in your journal, you'll write "165 x 5 x 3" (if you squatted 165 lbs, for example).

You'll notice that the order of "reps" vs "sets" gets reversed in the two methods, and this is what throws people off. With that in mind, allow me to suggest a rule that might help you keep things straight: Reps are always second.

For example, if you see "4 x 6," you'll know that it means 4 sets of 6 reps since 6 is the second number, and reps are always second. Likewise, if you write "145 x 6 x 4" for your squat workout, you're indicating that you squatted 145 for 4 sets of 6 reps since - again - 6 is the second number, and . . . reps are always second. In this case, you call on your grade school skills and use context clues to determine that 145 lbs must be the weight and 4 must be the number of sets . . . since squatting 4 lbs for 145 sets is just plain ridiculous.

Hope this helps!

Lifters' Corner: I Forgot My Belt!

Do you ever forget to put your belt on for your heavier sets? Perhaps you forget to wear your wrist wraps every once in a while?

problem solved

These types of situations tend to occur more often when you’re a newer lifter, but even an experienced lifter can forget a belt or wrist wraps every now and then.

If you find yourself in one of the above situations from time to time, try this: hang your belt and wrist wraps on your barbell between sets.

By doing so, you’ll be forced to grab them before starting your next set, and the problem is solved. The next time you lift, give it a try. Hope this helps!

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Lifters' Corner: The Hook Grip - Some Clarifications

We discussed the rationale for using the hook grip quite a while ago, and in light of a few recent conversations, I thought a few clarifications might be in order.

When do I use the hook grip?
Use the hook grip when pulling a barbell from the floor. Specifically, use the hook grip for cleans, snatches, and heavy deadlifts. I suppose you could use the hook grip for rows as well, but I’d probably recommend that if your row requires a hook grip, simply use straps instead and save your thumbs for your other pulls from the floor.

Don’t hook your presses, i.e., don’t use the hook grip anytime you are pushing a barbell - this includes bench presses (regular, close grip, incline, etc.), presses, jerks, and push presses. This is just silly, and your friends will give you no end of grief for doing so. You only perform the hook grip when the wrist is in tension, and this means that you only hook pulling movements, movements where - if the weight is heavy enough - your grip might fail.

Does the hook grip always hurt?
Yes. And no.

Yes, because of course there is quite a bit of pressure on your thumb, and at first, you will find this to be quite . . . uncomfortable. If you feel like screaming like a 3-year-old at the end of your deadlift work set, congratulations, you’re among friends.

No, because eventually you won’t notice the discomfort nearly as much as you do at first, and more importantly, you will stop caring. You are a lifter, and you’ll have more important things to complain about, such as having to unload all the plates from your massively heavy deadlift that you just pulled . . . because you used the hook grip. Everyone who uses it adapts to it, and you are not a special snowflake. Yes, you.

Why does the hook grip work so well?
When taking a normal, double-overhand grip (i.e., without the hook) on the bar, you’ll notice that you have four fingers on one side of the bar and only one finger (your thumb) on the other side of the bar. It is the thumb that fails you when the load gets heavy - it leads a lonely existence on that side of the bar, and it doesn’t have any friends to help.

The hook grip remedies this situation by allowing the other fingers (primarily the middle finger) to help the thumb maintain its purchase on the bar. I suspect that the thumb also starts to fail in the non-hooked grip due to the angle of attack it has on the bar - note its somewhat “from-the-side” approach to gripping the bar compared to the other fingers’ perpendicular approach to the bar - but I haven’t given this enough thought just yet. Nonetheless, suspicions abound.

Now you know, and in time, I think you’ll be hooked on this grip.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?

Lifters Corner: Get the Most Out of Your Warm-up

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/27/19)

You know - sage lifter that you are - that the purpose of your warm-up is to prepare you for the work ahead of you that day. You know it’s important, and you know that whether you’re going to squat 145 lbs or 345 lbs for your work sets, it is neither prudent nor productive to simply load the work weight on the barbell and have at it without the appropriate warm-up.

But . . . there is an additional purpose to the warm-up. Perhaps it’s not even an additional purpose, but rather a purpose that is merely hidden in the concept of preparing for the work ahead. Put simply, you can (and should) use your warm-up to become a better lifter.

The weights are (relatively) light when warming up, so this is a great time to work on refining your technique. Because you haven’t yet reached the soul-crushing, mind-altering load that is your work weight for the day, the warm-up is when you can spare some mental bandwidth and put into practice any changes or cues that you and your coach have recently discussed.

Maybe you’re trying to fix some pesky knee slide in the squat. Break out the TUBOWs and get to squatting. Perhaps you’re attempting to improve the bar path in the press or the bench press. The warm-up is a great time to do exactly that. Are you inconsistent when it comes to hitting depth in the squat? Grab a coach (or a fellow well-informed lifter) and ask him or her to check your depth as you warm-up.

The warm-up is a precious time. A magical time. Don’t just plow through it - get the most out of it. You can finish your warm-up a better lifter than when you started. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.

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If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?