The Testify Post - May 15, 2023
/THIS WEEK'S QUESTION
From our video How to Breathe and Brace Correctly When Lifting Heavy | Valsalva Maneuver (click the title to watch):
Kristy K.
Should you use a belt as a very new beginner to powerlifting? I've been told by a coach I should get a cheap belt to practice what it feels like with proper bracing and use the belt as a tool to help learn bracing. I'm so confused because so many people say don't use a belt until you are ready to lift more than your bodyweight.
Phil
Hey there, Kristy. You can find a very thorough guide to belts - what to get, when to use one, how to wear one, etc. - in our lifting belts video, and I've linked to that at the end of this response. This is all covered in that video, but I wanted to respond a bit more directly to your questions as well:
1st: As far as when, I usually advise my online clients (those who I coach remotely) to order a belt right when they start working with me. It might take a month for it to show up, and we'll probably want to be using it by then. Our local members (i.e., those who train with us at Testify in Omaha) will often wait longer as we have quite a few belts that people can use until they order their own.
2nd: I wouldn't get a cheap belt. A good belt is an investment (i.e., it's not cheap), but as such, it should last you pretty much forever. I've had mine 13 years, and it's still going strong. We've got some belt recommendations below.
3rd: Arbitrary weight recommendations as to when to use a belt are just that - arbitrary. If someone tells you "don't start using a belt until you can lift X," I'd recommend disregarding that advice. A month or two into your training, the loads will be such that a quality belt will be a useful training tool. It's a tool, not a crutch, and if you happen to start using a few weeks earlier than I might recommend if I was coaching you in person or online, it's not a big deal anyway.
I hope this helps!
LIFTING BELTS: The Complete Guide and What NOT to Get! (Lifting Gear Series)
https://youtu.be/F3nLyDrcJaE
And here are some belt recommendations from the description below that video, but I'd recommend watching that video first before ordering one:
"We love Best Belts (www.bestbelts.net, and this is Phil's belt), but as of January 2023, they're backlogged and aren't taking orders, so with that in mind, here are a few other high-quality belts we recommend:
Dominion Strength Training Leather Weight Lifting Belt - 3 inch wide x 10 mm thick
https://amzn.to/3BO19DD
Dominion Strength Training Leather Weight Lifting Belt - 4 inch wide x 10 mm thick
https://amzn.to/3hFHqz3
Pioneer Cut Leather Powerlifting Prong Belt 10mm
https://amzn.to/3jcvGVb
Pioneer 10mm Lever Powerlifting Belt PAL V2
https://amzn.to/3HQ1bif”
ARTICLES & VIDEOS
Don't Let This Mistake RUIN Your Deadlift!
With a very simple cue, we address a common deadlift mistake that lifters make when setting their backs and starting to pull the bar off the floor. Click here to watch.
DISASTROUS Weight Lifting Accident | Don't Let This Happen!
It's easy to make mistakes in the weight room, but some are more disastrous than others. We explain and discuss how to avoid one particularly nasty error. Click here to watch.
4 Gym Accessories (CHEAP!) to Make Your Workouts More Effective
Which gym accessories are a “must” when you’re training? We quickly cover four of them. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: Center Knurl or Not? A Very Gripping Topic!
What is that grippy section in the middle of the barbell? What is it for, why might you want it, and what can you do about it if your barbell doesn't have it? Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Common Mistakes New Lifters Make (and How to Avoid Them!)
If you’re a new lifter, there are a few mistakes you’re going to make rather soon. In Part 1 of this series, we help you avoid some of them (with some included videos). Click here to read.
NEW TESTIFY GEAR!
Sun's out, guns out, and we've got men's and women’s tank tops in multiple colors. Get yours today and represent your favorite gym!
Click here to head to the Testify Store.
WHAT'S COMING UP
Update! Concrete work on the parking lot will be performed starting May 15th (not May 8th as we were originally told), and as a result, some areas of the parking lot will be restricted for the next 3 weeks.
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 Strongman Summer Showdown
June 17, 2023
Show up to lift, throw, carry, push, and pull big things, but most importantly, show up to have a great time with your fellow competitors and perhaps try something new!
Click here to register or for more information.
Testify IronFest V
July 8, 2023
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.
Deadapalooza! The Annual Testify Deadlift Festival
August 25, 2023
Deadapalooza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - you guessed it - the deadlift. There will be one bar (possibly multiple bars if numbers dictate), and the meet will be conducted in a "rising bar" format, so the weight on the bar only goes up! It's a ton of fun, so come on out!
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 2023.03.13.
Option 2
Bike/Row for 9 rounds:
1 min on
1 min off
Record distance for each round.
Compare to 2023.02.20.
Option 3
Outdoors:
10 rounds:
25 yd yoke carry
Rest 1 minute
Indoors:
10 rounds:
30 yd yoke carry (15 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Compare to 2023.01.23.
Option 4
10 x 50 ft farmer carry
Each carry is 25 ft down and 25 ft back and is for time. Rest 1 minute between carries.
Women: 97# per handle (80# of plates)
Men: 137# per handle (120# of plates)
(Note: Each handle weighs 17#.)
Compare to 2023.01.23.
DISASTROUS Weight Lifting Accident | Don't Let This Happen!
/It's easy to make mistakes in the weight room, but some are more disastrous than others. Phil explains and discusses how to avoid one particularly nasty error.
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Starting Out at the Gym? Don’t Miss These 4 Essentials
/
Which gym accessories are a “must” when you’re training? Let’s quickly cover four of them.
Accessory #1: Timer
At home, Becky and I have a magnetic kitchen timer attached to the squat rack (if you train at a commercial gym, simply keep it with you in your bag). We bought two pink timers - because pink is stylish and manly - for less than $9 from Amazon (it was a two-pack), but you can get them almost anywhere - Walmart, home improvement stores, grocery stores, etc.
Most of my workouts are fairly time-sensitive - I need to get in, get done, and get out in a certain amount of time, and the timer helps me do just that. Our timer has a count-up mode (i.e., it counts up continuously like a stopwatch) as well as a count-down mode (e.g., you set the timer for 5 minutes, and it will beep or flash when the time is up), and these are common features that you’ll find on most kitchen timers. I typically use the count-up feature, but many people prefer to use the count-down mode instead to keep track of rest periods.
Need to make sure you rest long enough between your squat sets? Or not too long? get a timer.
The timer is cheap, it’s effective, and it sticks to your squat rack, so if you find that your workouts are taking longer than you can afford, give it a try.
Accessory #2: Coffee
This should need no explanation, but I’ll do my best anyway. When it’s cold, you drink coffee. When it’s early, you drink coffee. When it’s hot, you still drink hot coffee (iced is fine, too). And when it’s late, you drink coffee.
Coffee. The original - and still the best - pre-workout. Drink it during the workout, too.
Accessory #3: Training Log
Sure, we can call this an accessory, but it’s really your most important piece of training equipment. If you’re going to train - if you’re going to lift intelligently - have a training log. I recommend a basic paper notebook, but if you want to go digital, that will also work. The point here is to have a training log and use it religiously.
The log is what separates training from exercise. If you want to exercise, that’s fine. You’ve got Jazzercise, you’ve got spin, you’ve got Zumba, you’ve got a lot of options. But if you want to train, have a training log. Record your warm-up sets, record your work sets, record what you’re going to do next time (before you walk out the door), and keep tabs on useful cues that you’re focusing on when performing the lifts. Get a training log.
Accessory #4: Fractional Plates
Get yourself a pair of 1.25 lb plates, or better yet, buy a set of fractional plates that has a pair (each) of 0.25 lb, 0.5 lb, 0.75 lb, and 1 lb plates. The set of 1.25 lb plates will permit you to make a 2.5 lb jump, which is a must for presses, bench presses, and even the squat and deadlift for some folks. The more complete set will allow even smaller jumps (e.g., a 1 lb jump using the two 0.5 lb plates), which will be extremely useful for many people on the press and the bench press.
Commercial gyms don’t carry plates smaller than 2.5 lb - which means you have to make jumps that are 5 lb or larger - and eventually, smaller jumps will be necessary to yield progress on a number of your lifts, so get a set before you need it and keep it with you in your gym bag.
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?
Center Knurl or Not? A Very Gripping Topic!
/What is that grippy section in the middle of the barbell? What is it for, why might you want it, and what can you do about it if your barbell doesn't have it?
(This video is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 09/27/21.)
At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.
Common Mistakes New Lifters Make (and How to Avoid Them!)
/
(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/12/21)
If you’re a new lifter, there are a couple of mistakes that you’re probably going to make within your first few weeks or months of training. To help you avoid them, let’s take a look at a few:
Misloading the bar
Bar math can be tough, and you’re eventually going to load your barbell heavier or lighter than you intended. For example, you intend to add 10 lb to the bar, and instead, you absentmindedly add 10 lb to each side of the bar and thus end up adding 20 lb to the bar by mistake.
If you do a work set, and it’s significantly harder than you expected, double-check what’s on the bar. Be sure to check your math if the set is significantly easier than expected as well, and check it again if the weight felt lopsided. In all of these scenarios, there’s a reasonable chance you misloaded the bar. Don’t worry - we’ve all done it, and it won’t be the last time you do it.
Forgetting to wear your belt
You finish your set - it was a bit harder than expected - and you then see your lifting belt sitting on the ground. There’s a very easy solution here - every time you finish a set, hang your belt over the middle of your barbell. Now, you won’t be able to miss it. This also works well for wrist wraps.
Forgetting to use chalk or a hook/switch grip for your deadlift
Grip plays a pivotal role in the deadlift, and you can’t pull as heavy without chalk and a hook or switch grip (or straps) as you can with these things. Eventually, chalking before pulling will be second nature - as will taking the proper grip - but in the meantime, write yourself a large, neat reminder in your training journal. “CHALK + HOOK GRIP” or something of the sort will do nicely.
We’ll examine a few other newbie mistakes in a future article, but in the meantime, give these solutions a try.
Milo understands . . . he’s made a few mistakes, too.
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.)