Stop Destroying Your Squat - Do THIS Instead
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A common problem in the squat is raising the chest early during the ascent. Raising the chest early simply means that you’re making your torso or back angle too vertical too soon when coming out of the hole on the squat. Let’s fix this.
Typically, when addressing this issue, we simply cue you to “drive your hips.” You drive your hips up, and everything else goes up as well. However, if that's not working and you’re still raising your chest too soon, try this cue: “Stay in your lean.”
Julie will maintain this back angle - this leaned over position - as she drives up out of the hole.
In other words, stay in that leaned over position that you achieved during the descent. When you initiated your squat, you reached back with your hips, you shoved your knees apart, and you pointed your chest at the floor. Simply put, you leaned over, so stay in that leaned over position a little longer than you think you should on the way back up out of the hole.
Now, of course, your torso will eventually become more vertical - we do finish the lift in a standing up position, of course. The key is that you don’t try to make it get vertical right away. Stay in your lean.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
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Get a Better Clean Rack Position | Olympic Weightlifting
/If your wrists and elbows despise you when you clean, you need to stop using your hands to rack your cleans. The shoulders catch the clean - not the hands - and we explain and demonstrate how to get this done.
(This is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 01/03/22.)
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The Super Secret Way to Put on Knee Sleeves!
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 08/13/21)
Oooh . . . secrets! We love us some secrets!
Not everyone knows this - and this is especially true if you’re a new lifter or at least new to using knee sleeves - but when it comes to putting on your knee sleeves, there is one method to rule them all. Anything else is a waste of your time and energy, so let’s take a look at how you should put on a sleeve (watch the included video for a quick demonstration):
Step 1: Turn the sleeve inside-out.
Step 2: Grab the sleeve with both hands so that it’s upside down and backward (i.e., the front of the sleeve - the part that will cover your kneecap - is facing backward).
Steps 1 & 2: The sleeve is inside-out, upside down, and backward . . . and this is a good thing.
Step 3: Before you put on your shoe, pull the sleeve over your foot until it comes up just past your ankle.
Step 3
Step 4: Spin the sleeve around so that it’s facing forward again (i.e., the front of the sleeve is facing forward).
Step 4
Step 5: Pull on the uppermost part of the sleeve - sliding the sleeve upward until it reaches a point a few inches below your knee. (If you like, you can perform step 5 before step 4.)
Step 5
Step 6: Grab the lowermost part of the sleeve (it’s actually the “top” of the sleeve, but it’s still upside down right now, remember?) and pull upward so that that portion of the sleeve starts sliding over the rest of the sleeve. As you continue doing this, the sleeve will be turning right-side-out again.
Step 6
Step 7: Feel free to make some minor adjustments, but really, at this point, you’re done.
Step 7 - done!
Now, go out and tell your friends because - after all - this is a secret that everyone kneeds to know.
If you’re looking for some knee sleeves, below are links to a few knee sleeve options that are popular with a number of our members at Testify:
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)
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.
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?
How to Pause Deadlift (and Why You SHOULD)
/Phil covers how to perform the pause deadlift as well as when and why you might find it useful in your training.
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.
Testify Patriot - September 4, 2023
/THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video Knee Sleeves: What, Why, and When (click the title to watch):
kicknitoldskool
Thanks for the video without trying to sell anything. Is a knee sleeve "cheating" or aiding the lift at all? I have a torn meniscus and on the last few reps and the next day I feel it abit
Phil
You're very welcome, and no, we would certainly not consider it cheating, and for what it's worth, they are allowed in raw powerlifting (as is a belt). It's not like a tightly wound knee wrap (used in equipped powerlifting) that actually stores a considerable amount of potential energy on the descent (allowing you to use that stored energy to come back up out of the hole). If a sleeve allows you to train with more comfort - and I bet it will - I'd recommend it.
To be fair to the equipped powerlifters out there, knee wraps aren't cheating in that sport as they are allowed by those rules.
Knee slide can sometimes cause some knee issues, and just in case that's an issue, you might want to check out our video on using a TUBOW: https://youtu.be/_wEF-YDesaw.
kicknitoldskool
awesome thanks very much for the tips! I'll have a look
Phil
You're welcome!
ARTICLES & VIDEOS
Squat Mistakes Every New Lifter Makes
You're trying to squat correctly, but this happens. Here's what to do about it. Click here to watch.
This ONE Subtle Mistake is Ruining Your Lifts
How do you make sure your upcoming lift is successful? There's one mistake people make before even starting the lift, and here's how to avoid it. Click here to watch.
7 Ways You're Ruining Your Press: Part 2
Don't do this when pressing! In Part 2 of this series, we cover 3 more press errors as well as how to fix them. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: Squat Fact: Look Up to Go Up!
When you squat, you've got to look up to go up, right?! Or do you? Phil talks about the merits - or rather, the lack thereof - of looking up when you squat and gives you a better option. Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Lifting Notation: Reps are Always Second
What does 3 x 5 mean? What about 185 x 5 x 3? Sets x reps? Weight x reps x sets? Our pets heads are falling off!! Don’t worry – here’s an easy way to get it right. 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
Reminder: We will be closed for training on Monday, 09/04/23, in observance of Labor Day.
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.
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.
Benching Bonanza! The Annual Testify Bench Press Jubilee
November 17, 2023
Benching Bonanza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - you guessed it - the bench press. There will be one bar, and the meet will be conducted in a "rising bar" format, so the weight on the bar only goes up! It'll be a ton of fun, so come on out!
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 2023.07.03.
Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 800m
Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = slowest time.
Compare to 2023.06.12.
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 2023.05.15.
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 2023.05.15.