How to Convert Kilograms to Pounds Fast - Easy Math Trick!
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Whether you're doing your physics homework, your chemistry homework, or you're lifting weights, you sometimes need to be able to convert from kilograms to pounds. Let's figure out how to do this fast - and by fast, I mean “in-your-head-faster-than-whipping-out-your-calculator” fast. Fast like you read about.
The common wisdom is to multiply by 2.2, but you don’t want to multiply by 2.2 in your head, and neither do I. The method you’re about to learn will get us to the same answer, and it’s quicker and easier. Using 35 kg for our example, here’s what you do:
Double it. That gives you 70. No problem.
Find 10% of that new number, and yes, that old gradeschool shortcut of moving the decimal over 1 place still works just fine. That gives you 7. Again, no problem.
Add those two numbers together. That gives you 77.
There you have it: 35 kg is equal to 77 lb.
Now, your turn - albeit with a slightly harder example. Repeat the same steps, but this time with 95 kg, and try it out before reading ahead for the solution.
Got your answer? Let’s see how you did.
Double it. That gives you 190.
Find 10% of that new number. That gives you 19.
Add those two numbers together. That gives you 209.
Thus, 95 kg converts to 209 lb.
It takes a little bit of practice, but not much. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s very accurate (within 0.2% of the true value). As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better . . . or at least stop struggling with cumbersome conversions.
-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.
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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?
Maximum Acceleration in the Clean! | Olympic Weightlifting
/Learn how to put maximal acceleration into your clean. Phil and Becky Meggers discuss and demonstrate how to do this.
(This video is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 09/20/21.)
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.
Mistakes New Lifters Make - Part II
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/26/21)
In Part I of this series - Common Mistakes New Lifters Make (and how to avoid them!) - we discussed the common errors of misloading your bar, forgetting to wear your belt, and forgetting to use chalk or a hook/switch grip for your deadlift.
Parker and Milo make all kinds of mistakes - mistakes only redeemable because the two furballs are moderately cute.
In Part II, we’re going to examine a few other mistakes that new lifters are likely to make, and hopefully, we can help you avoid them or at least quickly correct them. Most of this list is inspired by conversations we have at the gym with new (and sometimes experienced!) lifters, and the mistakes are not listed in any particular order.
Setting the j-hooks too high for the squat (or press/bench press)
For some reason, new lifters often set their j-hooks too high for their squat. You should never be at risk of catching the edge of a hook with the barbell when either unracking the bar at the beginning of your set or racking the bar at the end of your set, so err on the conservative side and set the hooks a bit lower than you think you should. Mid-sternum is a good height to start with, and remember, too low is better than too high - nobody should have to do a calf raise to rack the bar - and you can always raise the hooks later if you’ve set them too low.
Looking for the j-hooks when racking the squat (or press/bench press)
It can be tempting to look at the j-hooks as you’re racking the bar after your last rep. Don’t. Unless you have an exceptionally sneaky and cruel training partner, the hooks didn’t go anywhere while you were squatting, so stop treating them like they have legs. When you’re finished with your last rep, look straight ahead and walk forward until the bar makes (and keeps) solid contact with both uprights. At this point, you’ll know the bar is over the hooks (assuming you set the hooks at a reasonable height - see the previous paragraph), and you can then safely lower the bar down to the hooks. Looking at one hook makes it very likely that you will miss the other, and this tends to be a rather disastrous event - it might not happen today, but it will happen. Don’t look at the hooks.
Breathing in or out while the bar is moving
New lifters often breathe out when the bar is moving upward - we have years of fitness magazines to thank for this inane idea. Again, don’t. Remember: if the bar is moving, you’re not breathing. Instead, inhale before the rep starts and exhale after the rep ends. In other words, all breathing takes place between reps - not during - and for crying in the beer cheese soup, don’t blow your air out at the top of your deadlift. Wait the quarter of a second it takes to lower it to the ground and release your breath when the bar is back on the floor.
Watch one of the included videos above or below for more on how to correctly breathe and perform the Valsalva maneuver.
We hope these tips help you in your training, and we anticipate a “Part III” in the near future.
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?
Pulling Blocks: What, Why, and DIY vs. Commercial (Which Should YOU Use?)
/What are pulling blocks, why are they useful, and should you buy them or make them yourself? Phil covers it all.
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.
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.