Bench Press SECRET Every Lifter Should LEARN

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

What's the worst mistake on the bench press? It's not what you think.

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Everything You Need to Know About Lifting Belts . . . QUICK!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Today’s topic is a quick dive into lifting belts - specifically, the four Ws of belts: width, when, where, and what. We covered how to efficiently and quickly put on your belt in another article about a month back, so feel free to click here to read that article or watch the associated videos.

Width
If you can get your back set in rigid and flat extension on the deadlift using a 4” belt (i.e., the belt is 4” wide), then go ahead and get a 4” belt. If you can’t, then you probably need to go with a 3” belt. It’s possible that you need a 2.5” belt, but 3” and 4” are the most common widths.

When
When should you put your belt on? A good rule of thumb is to put your belt on for your last warm-up set and then wear it for all of your work sets as well. Time and experience will help you decide if you want to eventually take a different approach, but this is a good guide to start with. I recommend taking your belt off (or at least loosening it) between sets.

Where
Where should you place your belt? You can start by centering it on your belly button as a rough guideline, but the most important landmarks are your hips and your ribs. The belt should sit between your hips and your ribs, and it’s the space between these two regions that will largely determine your choice of a 3” or a 4” belt. It’s worth noting that you especially do not want your belt running into your ribs. It makes for a memorable - and uncomfortable - experience.

What
What do you do once your belt is on? Take a big breath, hold that breath with tightly contracted abs (i.e., Valsalva maneuver), and then perform the lift (watch the video on breathing and bracing). Release your breath only after the rep is completed - remember that if the bar is moving, you’re not breathing.

Don’t complicate the breathing, and don’t try to push your belly out against the belt. Simply take a breath, hold it, tighten your abs as if you’re about to take a punch or as if you’re constipated, and then continue holding that breath throughout the entire rep. You can do this with either a closed mouth or an open mouth - you shouldn’t be holding your breath against your lips with puffed out cheeks. Instead, you hold your breath against a closed glottis, which is located in your throat. Say the word “hick” out loud and hold the “ck” sound at the end - that’s how you do it.

Need to Buy a Belt? Watch This First.
If you’re getting ready to buy a lifting belt, I’d recommend watching the included video here to get a good sense of what to look for when purchasing one. You’ll also find some links below to a few belts we recommend to our members.

Belts
My belt is from Best Belts and I’d love to recommend them to you, but they’ve closed up shop, so with that in mind, here are the belt options we typically recommend:

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?

book a free intro

Why Your Grandma Needs to Lift

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Why do we focus so much on strength, and how does a high school math & physics teacher end up coaching people with barbells? Phil discusses the importance of strength, why it's foundational, and why it's life-changing.

(This video is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 11/08/21.)

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.

Click here to start today

The Snatch: Landing Positions

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 05/21/21)

There are three landing positions for the snatch, and each has its own advantages. Let’s briefly cover them here:

POWER SNATCH

Landing Position: Partial squat (i.e., partial-depth overhead squat)

Joy performs a power snatch.

Advantage: The power snatch is the simplest to learn as your feet do not travel far from their original pulling position. It also doesn’t require learning how to perform the overhead squat as in the . . .

SNATCH (AKA full snatch or squat snatch)

Landing Position: Overhead squat (i.e., full-depth overhead squat)

Advantage: Of the three landing positions, the full snatch allows lifters to lift the heaviest weights as this lower receiving position means the barbell doesn’t have to be lifted as high before catching it.

Joy performs a snatch.

SPLIT SNATCH

Landing Position: Split stance - nearly identical to the split jerk stance, but the split is usually even longer and deeper.

Advantage: The split snatch allows the lifter to drop further under the bar than the power snatch without requiring the ability to drop into an overhead squat position as in the full snatch. For this reason, the split snatch - although potentially useful at all ages - is especially well-suited to older lifters.

Joy performs a split snatch.

You’ll notice that the word “hang” - as in hang snatch or hang power snatch or hang split snatch - is conspicuously absent in this discussion. This is because “hang” refers to a starting position, not a landing position.

If “hang” is added as a prefix, then the lift simply starts with the bar hanging in the hands (usually at about mid-thigh height) as opposed to starting with the bar resting on the floor.

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?

book a free intro

The Sad Story of the Worst Squat Technique Ever

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Want the history of the worst squat technique ever to be suggested by a coach? Watch and learn.

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?

book a free intro

Testify Star-Advertiser - July 10, 2023

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video You Should Be Unloading Your Barbell Like This | EASY and FAST (plus BONUS tip) (click the title to watch):

Mr Ed
I used to train at Gold’s. Most of the members there perfected the method of simply walking away from loaded barbells.

Phil
Ah yes. Sadly, that is a very popular method at most commercial gyms. At Testify, if someone leaves their equipment out when they leave the gym, they owe the gym one dozen donuts…this is very heavily and very effectively peer-enforced :-)

Mr Ed
oh, I like that. Unfortunately since I built my garage gym that only my two teenage kids and I use, I’m afraid if I initiated that policy, my kids would leave plates on the bar anytime they wanted doughnuts that I would have to pay for anyway.

Phil
Ha! Valid point!

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Don't Want to Train? Do THIS Instead.
What should you do when you don't want to train? Phil discusses a viable second option. Click here to watch.

You Should Be Unloading Your Barbell Like This | EASY and FAST (plus BONUS tip)
How do you unload your bar after deadlifting, cleaning, rowing, etc. in a fast and easy manner? Click here to watch.

When to Use Lifting Straps (and when NOT to!)
When should you use lifting straps in your training, and when should you not use them? Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: How to Start Lifting: Learn to Power Clean
In this episode of the "How to Start Lifting" series, Phil, Maddie, and Carolyn help you learn how to power clean. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Weightlifting vs Powerlifting vs Strengthlifting
“What’s the deal with all of these lifting sports? I can’t keep them straight!” Phil covers the differences between the 3 barbell sports. Click here to read.

NEW TESTIFY GEAR!
Baseball season is here, and so is Testify’s new 3/4 raglan shirt - in multiple colors! Get yours today and represent your favorite gym!

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Thanks to everyone who came out and competed at this past weekend’s IronFest V! Also, a big thank you goes to those who helped out!

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.

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.

Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp

  • September 23, 2023

  • Spend the day learning the Squat, Press, and Deadlift and how to self-evaluate your lifts while training in your garage or commercial gym without a coach.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Fall Classic

  • October 21, 2023

  • The Testify Fall Classic is back for 2023, 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.

THIS WEEK’S CONDITIONING

Option 1
Sled
Outdoors:
10 rounds of:
Push sled 100 ft
Pull sled 100 ft (hand over hand)

Indoors:
20 rounds of:
Push sled 50 ft
Pull sled 50 ft (hand over hand)

Compare to 2023.05.08.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 800m

Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = slowest time.

Compare to 2023.04.17.

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 2023.03.20.

Option 4
5-8 rounds:
50 ft sled push
50 ft sled pull (hand over hand)
Row 1 minute
Rest 1 minute

This can also be done in a group of three where the sledder determines how long the other two people row and rest.

Compare to 2023.03.20.