Use THIS CUE to PR Your Lifts!

Looking for a cue to help improve all of your lifts? Try this one out:

“Speed.”

Admittedly, it’s not a very technical cue, but it can be very useful for heavy singles, heavy doubles, and even the last rep of a set of five. Why is “speed” a useful cue?

Reason #1:
It’s a productive cue for two reasons; one - when you hear or think “speed,” it reminds you to try to make the bar move fast. Granted, with a heavy single or the last rep of a challenging set, you won’t actually be able to make the bar move quickly, but when you cue “speed,” you will simply push (or pull) a bit harder in an effort to make it move faster.

In short, you’ll try harder. If that seems a bit anticlimactic to you, no worries - the key is that it often works very well.

Reason #2:
The second reason I like the cue “speed” is that it changes your mental approach when performing a heavy single or double. At these weights, you might not know if you’re going to successfully complete the rep(s), but when you think “speed,” your thoughts tend to shift from “Will I get it or won’t I get it?” to “Can I move it fast or can’t I move it fast?”

Jason squats 170 kg (375 lb) for his third attempt.

In other words, the possibility of missing the rep is no longer front and center in your mind since you’re focused on trying to make the bar move faster. As a result, you tend to have a more aggressive approach to the rep, and this is always useful.

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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Set Your Back Faster and Better for a BIGGER Deadlift!

Do you keep trying over and over again to set your back in the deadlift? Don't do that - it isn't accomplishing what you think it is. Phil explains.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 04/02/22)

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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.

Deadlift Tip: Quit Bending Your Arms!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 01/07/22)

Here’s a quick deadlift tip: Don’t Bend Your Arms.

Ever.

don’t be like this fool when setting up to pull.

This will seem rather obvious to many people - after all, who would voluntarily try to pull a heavy weight off the floor with bent arms? Nonetheless, this problem shows up in the setup for some lifters, and interestingly enough, it will occasionally rear its ugly head on the pull itself.

If you have this issue in your setup, remember that, when you bend your knees slightly to touch your shins to the bar, the knees go out (i.e., sideways) slightly and touch the inside of your elbows. Don’t shove the knees out so hard that you end up causing your elbows to bend. This is what we like to refer to as . . . ridiculous.

This . . . is much better.

Whether you’re setting up or pulling, remember - keep your arms straight. Bent arms are highly inefficient when pulling heavy weights off the floor . . . and they just look so silly. Don’t be silly.

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.

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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?

10 RULES to Make You a BETTER Squatter (2 Minutes!)

We cover 10 rules to help you get a bigger, better squat . . . right now.

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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.

Inside Testify - January 22, 2024

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A post shared by Testify Strength & Cond. (@testifystrengthconditioning)

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Fast and Easy Barbell Math Tricks to Save You from Misloading the Barbell! (click the title to watch):

Michael Flanagan
I was given a weight set now the only way I can tell if the barbell and how much it weighs is I get on the scale right the way down then I use the barbell with my weight is that the best way to tell how much it weighs there's no numbers on it

Phil
Man, I can’t tell if this is very funny (if you’re joking :-)), or if it’s very unfortunate.

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

No Deadlift Jack? THREE Tips for Loading Your Deadlift SUPER Easy
Struggling to load your deadlift? Deadlift jacks can be pricey, so here are three tips to make loading your deadlift super easy without any special equipment. Click here to watch.

The BEST Squat Accessory Ever?!
How can one simple object fix your knee position, your hip position, AND your back angle? Phil explains. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: Improve Your Deadlift by FIXING This Problem!
Does the bar move forward or swing away from you when you deadlift? Add pounds to your deadlift by solving this problem. We give you a few tips to fix this issue. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Lifting Shoes: What and Why
What features should you be looking for in a lifting shoe, why do these features help, and what shoes should you NOT get? Click here to read.

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NEW TESTIFY HOODIES ARE AVAILABLE!

Looking to train in style and comfort this winter? 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.

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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.

Women's Strength Class

• 6-week class, starts on February 6th

• Are you interested in learning to lift correctly, getting stronger, and making great friends in the process? If so, come join Starting Strength Coach Barb Mueller and get started on your journey of strength!

• Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

• NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Open to all women who want to get strong!

• Click here to register.

Free Intro to Squat Session

• February 17, 2024

• Are you interested in getting stronger? Book your free "Intro to Squat" session and learn to squat, meet some of our coaches, and see the gym! All ages and abilities are welcome.

• Click here to book your session.

Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp

• May 18, 2024

• 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.

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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 2023.11.20.

Option 2
Bike/Row for 9 rounds:
1 min on
1 min off

Record distance for each round.

Compare to 2023.10.30.

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 2023.10.02.

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 2023.10.02.

The BEST Squat Accessory Ever?!

What is the best squat accessory ever? Answer: The TUBOW. What is a TUBOW, you ask? Let’s quickly dive into that, as well as why and how you use one.

I also recommend watching the included video for a demonstration of how to use the TUBOW.

What is a TUBOW?
The TUBOW is a Terribly Useful Block Of Wood. It’s a 2-foot long block of 4” x 4” wood, and while you are welcome to use a section of 2” x 4” instead, I’d recommend sticking with 4” x 4” for stability. If you go to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or a similar big box home improvement store, you can often have them cut it to length for you, or you can cut it yourself. If you’d rather order one and not have to deal with any measuring or cutting, just click here, and you’ll be good to go.

Why Use a TUBOW?
Two common squat errors are 1) allowing the knees to continue traveling forward throughout the entire descent - thus ending up too far forward at the bottom of the squat - and 2) the lifter doesn’t allow the knees to move forward enough in the first half of the descent with the result being that the knees will eventually shoot forward at the bottom of the squat - resulting in problems with back angle and often balance as well.

The TUBOW solves these problems by giving the knees a target at which to aim. Using the TUBOW allows the lifter to set the knees’ correct position about one-third to one-half of the way into the descent. This makes sure that the knees go far enough forward at the right time while simultaneously ensuring that they don’t go too far forward.

How Do You Use a TUBOW? (hint: it’s not complicated)
First, position the TUBOW right at your toes - perhaps a half-inch or an inch in front of your toes depending on anthropometry (you’ll figure this out with practice). You can use one TUBOW or two.

Next (after unracking the bar and taking your squat stance), as you start your descent, cue your knee to touch the TUBOW lightly about one-third to one-half of the way into your descent. Again, touch it lightly - don’t knock it over.

After this, you simply keep your knee glued lightly to the TUBOW the rest of the way into your descent. Since the TUBOW won’t allow you to shove your knee any further forward, this will force you to reach back with your hips, and this, in turn, will force you to correctly lean over as you reach the bottom of the squat. The result is that, by fixing the knees’ position, we automatically fix the hips’ position and back angle as well. For this reason, we often refer to the TUBOW as the portable squat coach (especially useful for those who train without a coach).

Once you reach the bottom of the squat, drive your hips up out of the hole as normal.

A Second Benefit of the TUBOW
The TUBOW can also help fix the knees’ lateral position. You want your knees to travel in line with your toes, i.e., they shouldn’t be traveling inside of your toes (“valgus knees”), nor should they be traveling outside of your toes (“varus knees”). With the TUBOW in place, you now have a target for your knees, and this can help you fix any issues you might have with the lateral positioning of your knees.

Last Thing . . .
When needed, use the TUBOW during your warm-ups - don’t use it for your work sets (at heavy weights, the TUBOW will be a distraction). Also, don’t use the TUBOW forever - it’s a tool, not a crutch. Use it a few times to get the sense of where your knees should be, or use it if your suspect that your form has degraded over the past few sessions, but after that, use your brain to position your knees correctly. The TUBOW taught you how to control your knees - now it’s your turn to execute.

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?