How to EASILY Move Stall Mats! | Gym Equipment

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

The classic ¾-inch-thick, 4 ft x 6 ft horse stall mat is very useful for gyms - whether a commercial gym or a home gym. We’ve used many, many mats in the construction of our lifting platforms, and you can also simply use them as gym flooring.

However, they are a pain to move. A real big pain in the butt in fact, so whether you’ve got a partner to help you or you’re moving mats on your own, let’s solve this problem.

Note: While I’ve provided photos to help, all of these solutions are far more easily understood in action in the included videos.

Figure 1: Two People - hanging the mat over a board (top) and rolling up the mat (bottom)

TWO PEOPLE
If you’ve got two people, there are a couple of solutions (Figure 1), and we’ll cover a third option in the “reverse taco” section later in this article.

Solution 1
One option is to lay a board (or pole) on the floor. Next, lay the mat on top of the board. Finally, pick up both ends of the board and rest them on one shoulder of each person.

Solution 2
A second option is to simply roll the mat up and have each person grab one end.

Figure 2: Don’t use either of these methods. they’re dumb.

ONE PERSON (Reverse Taco Method)
Having two people is nice, but there is a very easy way to drag a stall mat when you’re on your own. Now, don’t try to drag it like the fool in Figure 2 - you’ll have to pinch the mat extremely hard between your fingers, it will be very difficult to keep that grip, and half the time, the mat will simply slip out of your hands.

Instead, do the following as described in the three steps below and as demonstrated in Figure 3.

figure 3

Step 1
Pick the mat up from the edges.

Step 2
Flip the mat so the mat creates a “hill.” The edges of the mat will now be wedged into your hands, which means that you don’t have to hang on very tightly at all.

Step 3
Drag the mat. You’ll be surprised at how easily you can hang onto the mat utilizing this method.

Figure 4: 2-person reverse taco method

This method can also be utilized by two people (Figure 4), and as mentioned earlier, this is far more easily demonstrated and understood on video than with the printed word and photos, so I’d recommend watching one of the included videos.

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.)

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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?

How to Put on Knee Sleeves (the super secret and easy way!)

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Stop struggling to get your knee sleeves on! Phil, Becky, and Sharon show you this super secret method - it's simple and easy.

(This is a Blast from the Past video originally published on 02/21/22.)

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.

Weightlifting vs Powerlifting vs Strengthlifting - What's the Difference?!

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

“What’s the deal with all of these lifting sports? I can’t keep them straight!”

No worries - let’s take a quick look at the three major sports of the barbell world (you can also watch the included video).

Powerlifting
This is the sport of the squat (i.e., back squat), bench press, and the deadlift. Each lifter gets 3 attempts on the squat, 3 attempts on the bench press, and 3 attempts on the deadlift.

Take your best attempt from each lift, add them together, and you have what is known as your total.

Stephanie locks out the press at a strengthlifting meet.

Strengthlifting
This is the sport of the squat, the press, and the deadlift. It is similar to powerlifting, but there are several notable differences:

  • The press (i.e., overhead press) is contested, not the bench press.

  • The deadlift is conventional, which means your hands go outside of your legs. This is how we teach the deadlift anyway, so it’s not unusual to you, but at powerlifting meets, a beast known as the sumo deadlift often makes an appearance (wherein the stance is very wide and the grip is fairly narrow - inside the stance).

  • The judges simply tell you whether or not the lift counted, whereas in powerlifting, the judges are a bit more involved.

Chris snatches 133 kg at a weightlifting meet.

Weightlifting
This is the sport of the snatch and the clean-and-jerk. Like the other two sports, each lifter gets 3 attempts on each of the lifts, and once again, we add the best successful lifts together to get a total.

  • Weightlifting is also known as “olympic weightlifting” or simply “olympic lifting.”

  • If you’ve ever watched lifting during the Summer Olympics, this is the sport you witnessed.

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?

One Clue to Identify a Bad Squat EARLY

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How can you tell that your squat is going to be harder and less efficient than it should be? Watch for this tell-tale sign on the descent and learn how to fix it.

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 Post-Dispatch - November 6, 2023

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THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video RUGBY PLAYER ANNIHILATES 330 LB x 5 PIN SQUAT!! (click the title to watch):

English with Joe
Why does he rest on the support?

Phil
This is a pin squat; it’s a variation of a regular squat wherein the lifter pauses for a set amount of time - usually 1-2 seconds - before driving the weight back up again. Ideally, the lifter should not relax with the weight on the pins (the pins take only a small amount of the load).

This type of squat removes most (or all) of the stretch reflex and this makes for a harder (i.e., more disadvantaged) squat.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Do These FOUR Things When Starting Strength Gets Hard
What should you do when Starting Strength gets hard? Here are 4 steps to follow (plus 3 bonus tips). Click here to watch.

 

Why do I Keep FAILING?!
Are you missing reps? Let's address one potential problem, and it's one that's easy to fix. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: How to Fix Your Deadlift (solve this common error!)
Is your lower back rounding when you deadlift? Phil discusses this error as well as why it's a problem and gives several ways to fix the issue. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: How to Unrack the Press: Use Your Legs!
Don't derail your press from the start with a weak unracking process - use your legs. Phil explains. Click here to read.

NEW TESTIFY HOODIES ARE AVAILABLE!

Looking to train in style and comfort this fall? Get yourself a Testify hoodie - in practically any color! Get yours today and represent your favorite gym.

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

WHAT'S COMING UP

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.

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.

Testify Christmas Classic

  • December 2, 2023

  • The annual Testify Christmas Classic is back, and you're invited! This is a weightlifting meet, so the contested lifts are the snatch and clean-and-jerk.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

IN OTHER NEWS . . .

This year, Testify Strength & Conditioning will be participating in Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child event as a way to support our community and beyond!  

Would you like to join us in sending a shoebox filled with gifts and personal items to a child in need this Christmas?  Your shoebox will be an expression of God’s love to a child in need around the world.  Any shoebox will do, fill it with toys, personal care items, school supplies and accessories.  You can choose to make your box specific to a boy or girl ages 2-14 years old. Fill out the envelope (located on the table outside the gym office) and add $10/box for shipping and attach it to your box.  

Check out the table outside the gym office for all the details and how to pack a box.  Our goal is to deliver 20 boxes to a local church drop-off site to be processed and sent out to the children.   Shoeboxes need to be returned to Testify no later than November 13th. 

 If you have any questions please contact Barb at barb.mueller@testifysc.com.

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 2023.09.04.

Option 2
5 rounds:
10 cal bike
1 min rest
4 sandbag-over-bars
1 min rest

Set the yoke crossmember at 35/33, and the weight is 150#/75#.

Compare to 2023.08.14.

Option 3
5-10 rounds:
50 ft yoke carry
50 ft yoke push
100 ft sandbag carry and S.O.B. (sandbag-over-bar)

Perform 1 round every 2-3 minutes.

Compare to 2023.07.17.

Option 4
Row/Tire 10 min ladder:
2 cal row
2 tire flips
4 cal row
4 tire flips
6 cal row
6 tire flips
…
Climb the ladder as high as possible in 10 minutes.

Compare to 2023.07.17.

Why do I Keep FAILING?!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Are you missing reps on your linear progression? Let’s address one potential problem, and it’s one that’s easy to fix.

Specifically, let’s talk about rest periods (i.e., how long you’re resting between sets). I know - not very exciting. However, rest periods are important because they can either support your training, or - if chosen poorly - they can derail your training.

When someone starts training with us here at Testify, we have a conversation on day one wherein we discuss rest periods, and during this conversation, we address two things:

1. Resting Between Warm-up Sets
The short version? You don’t need to do it. That’s right. Don’t rest between warm-up sets. The act of changing your weights will provide enough rest while you're warming up. These are warm-up weights and don’t require much of a break between sets. You are welcome to rest several minutes, but most people don’t have all day to train, and this is the place to save time in the workout.

One caveat - you’ll probably want to rest a few minutes after your last warm-up set, i.e., before your first work set, which brings us to . . .

2. Resting Between Work Sets
You definitely want to rest between work sets. When you’re getting started with the Starting Strength linear progression, somewhere between three and five minutes will probably suffice. Treat that range as a minimum.

Want to squat 225 lb like Sarah? be sure to rest long enough between your work sets.

Remember that the purpose of strength training is - not surprisingly - to get stronger. To get stronger, you need to do the prescribed training for the day - you need to lift what you said you were going to lift - and to lift that weight, you need to rest enough to complete all the reps of your work sets.

The Main Point
That last part is the main point - rest long enough to ensure that you complete the next set successfully. When you read “three to five minutes,” remind yourself that this is appropriate for when you’re starting out, and also remind yourself that this is a minimum. When things get heavier and more challenging, there will come a time when you need to rest longer - you’ll rest six minutes, seven minutes, etc.

Establish the Habit
One of the most enjoyable parts of lifting weights is . . . not lifting weights, so force yourself to get used to resting - even at the beginning of your strength training journey.

If it’s your second workout, take the three, four, or five minute break even if you know you could get back under the bar and complete the next set with a shorter rest break. Start establishing the habit of getting adequate rest right away in your training. If you tend to rush things, a timer can be a handy tool to ensure that you’re waiting long enough before starting your next set.

Practical Limitations
There are, of course, some practical limitations to how long you’ll actually rest, and you’ll notice that I’m not suggesting that you rest 15 minutes between sets. Even if a 10-15 minute rest period might be useful, it simply may not be practical in terms of your schedule for the day.

Wrapping Up
In general, though, rest long enough to ensure that you can complete the next set. Completing your work sets will allow you to get stronger, and in this way, you will still be making progress on your linear progression four months, five months, or even six months into it instead of missing reps in the first or second month.

It may help to remember that this isn’t conditioning; of course, there will still be a conditioning benefit, but that’s not why you’re strength training. You’re doing it to get stronger, so take the appropriate rest, and 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?