Testify Quibbler - March 4, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video STOP Using Your Back Like THIS! How to Squat Correctly (click the title to watch):

Jeremiah 29:11
@ 33 secs that squatter has his elbows tucked to his side and a very narrow bar grip. this is very painful for my elbows when the weight increases overtime and i take a wider grip. acceptable?

Phil
In general, take a grip that is . . .
1) as narrow as it can be but . . . 
2) as wide as it needs to be.

A narrower grip provides a better shelf as it bunches up the delts tightly and helps create a tighter upper back. With that said, the grip will vary by anthropometry and flexibility, so if going a bit wider helps prevent pain, then I'd probably recommend that. Continue to focus on keeping the upper back as tight as possible.

A grip like Loren's (the squatter from 0:17 - 0:35) is great, but many people (myself included) cannot achieve a grip that narrow.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

QUIT Using Your ARMS to Deadlift (How to Deadlift Correctly)
Don't make this mistake with your arms when you deadlift. We cover how to identify the problem as well as how to fix it. Click here to watch.

 

How to Bench Press: The Setup | STOP Doing This!
Are you getting setup as well as you should be when you bench? Phil covers a common error during the setup process as well as how to fix it. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Best Weight Plates Ever?! Found at Starting Strength Headquarters!
If you're searching for quality, metal training plates that are accurate, precise, and just look and fit great, look no further. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Diamond Grip for the Press and Bench Press
Are you struggling to take the correct grip when pressing? Check out the diamond grip - a quick and easy way to take the right grip every time. Click here to read.

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.

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.

Testify Leprechaun Lift-off

  • March 16, 2024

  • Want to join us for the annual Testify Leprechaun Lift-off? Of course you do! This is a weightlifting meet, so the contested lifts are the snatch and clean-and-jerk.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Strengthlifting Challenge

  • April 6, 2024

  • The annual Testify Strengthlifting Challenge is back, 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.

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.

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 2024.01.01.

Option 2
Bike/row:
5 min on
4 min off
4 min on
3 min off
3 min on
2 min off
2 min on
1 min off
1 min on

Record distance for each interval and add for total distance.

Compare to 2023.12.11.

Option 3
Outdoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
50 yd sled push (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
100 ft sled push (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2023.11.13.

Option 4
5 rounds:
4 tire flips
8 sledgehammer strikes
6 pull-ups
10 push-ups

Pull-ups and push-ups can be modified – talk to the coaches for options.

Compare to 2023.11.13.

How to Bench Press: The Setup | STOP Doing This!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

The topic of setting up for and unracking the bench press is not a particularly exciting one, but it’s important, and today’s lifting error is one we see all too often - in both new and experienced lifters:

Quit being sloppy and undisciplined when setting up to bench.

Before You Unrack the Bar
When setting up to bench (i.e., before you lift the barbell off the hooks) everything that can be set up - everything that can be tight and correctly positioned - should be. You don’t want to be finishing this process (let alone starting this process) after you unrack the bar.

If you’re adjusting your grip, retracting your shoulder blades for the first time, setting your arch, driving with your legs, and/or adjusting your feet after you unrack the bar, you’re being preposterously inefficient. Also, as the bar gets heavier and heavier, it gets harder to do those things after you’ve unracked the bar (and are thus supporting a heavy weight over your shoulders), so do it before you unrack the bar.

The Top-Down Approach
Once you’re lying on the bench, here’s a quick checklist to run through before unracking the bar. It’s a top-down list, so you don’t need to remember it verbatim - simply remind yourself to start with your hands and work you way down to your feet (a bottom-up approach can work here as well):

1: Grip
The grip is slightly pronated, the bar is supported in the base of your palm, and you’re squeezing the bar tightly.

2: Shoulders
Your shoulders are pulled back and down.

3: Chest/Arch
You arch is up, i.e., your chest is up, and this position is supported by . . .

4: Legs
You are driving up the bench (i.e., toward your head) with your legs.

5: Stance
Your stance is roughly that of your squat stance (wider is fine). Admittedly, you hopefully already set your stance when you sat down on the bench.

Get all this taken care of before you unrack the bar, and you’ll have a better, stronger, and more efficient bench press (we’ll also cover the setup for the squat and press in articles that are coming up soon).

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?

click here to start today

Best Weight Plates Ever?! Found at Starting Strength Headquarters!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

If you're searching for quality, metal training plates that are accurate, precise, and just look and fit great, look no further. Grant Broggi at The Strength Co. has got what you need, and Phil got to lift on these beautiful plates at Wichita Falls Athletic Club, the home of Starting Strength.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 04/18/22)

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.

Click here to start today

Diamond Grip for the Press and Bench Press

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 02/11/22)

When learning to press or bench press, getting the correct grip can be tricky at first. A very common error is to take a grip that carries the bar back in the fingers (Figure 1).

Figure 1: This is no good.

Let’s fix this.

When we press or bench press, we’d like the barbell to be supported directly over the bones of the forearms, and to do this, we pronate our grip so that the bar sits on the heel of the palm. This provides for excellent force transfer between our arms and hands and the bar, whereas holding the bar back in the fingers with wrists in full extension creates a very weak and flimsy position.

Pronating your grip (Figure 2) simply means that you’re going to rotate your thumbs down toward your feet, and after that, you squeeze the bar tightly with your fingers (“crush the bar” is a good cue).

Figure 2: This . . . is much better.

With this said, new lifters sometimes screw up the pronation step, either rotating their hands the wrong way or spinning their hands on top of the bar (in the press). If this is you, take the “diamond grip” approach as shown in Figure 3:

Figure 3: The Diamond Grip approach

Step 1
Place your palms on the bar - palms will face the wall (not the floor) with thumbs below the bar and in contact with each other.

Step 2
Rotate your hands so that your index fingers are now in contact with each other (above the bar). The gap between your hands will make a diamond if you’ve done this correctly.

Step 3
Slide your hands away from each other until you reach the correct grip width - narrow for the press (about shoulder width) and about a hand-width wider than that for the bench press.

Step 4
Squeeze the bar tightly with your fingers.

Make a diamond with your hands and then slide your hands outward - it’s that simple.

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?

click here to start today

QUIT Using Your ARMS to Deadlift (How to Deadlift Correctly)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Don't make this mistake with your arms when you deadlift. Phil covers how to identify the problem as well as 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.

Click here to start today

Testify Community Voice - February 26, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Build a Lifting Platform in 3 Minutes! (click the title to watch):

Your IT Bro
can you please elaborate on the valley vs mountain rule? Im about to do this for my home gym. Thank you!

Phil
Sure thing. Pretty much every sheet of 4 x 8 OSB you purchase (or any plywood, for that matter) will have a slight bow or bend to it. In other words, if you lay it flat on the floor, either the middle will be up off the floor a bit (making a "mountain") or the ends will be up off the floor a bit (making a "valley").

You could also picture this if you imagine pouring water onto the board. If the imaginary water would run away from the middle and spill off the edges, you've got the crown up (which is what you want), so it's a "mountain." If water would run toward the middle of the board and start to gather there in a pool, you've got the crown down, so it's a "valley," and in this case, you'd want to flip the board over so that you have a mountain.

Does that help?

Your IT Bro
yes that helped a lot! I understand now. I appreciate you responding, i want it to do it properly to make it last.

Phil
Glad to help, and I hope your platform turns out great!

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

STOP Using Your Back Like THIS (How to Squat Correctly)
Are you making this mistake with your back when getting ready to squat? Here’s how to identify the problem as well as how to fix it. Click here to watch.

 

How to Build a Home Gym - Part 1: Equipment
What equipment do you need for your home gym? We cover what you need as well as what to avoid. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: How to Load & Unload the Barbell for the Deadlift (in less than 3 minutes!)
Loading and unloading the barbell for your deadlifts can be a pain, so in less than 3 minutes, here are 4 different ways to make this process easier. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: These Aren't the Rests You're Looking For - Part Deux
Are you taking too long between squat reps? Don't do that. In Part Deux of this series, Phil explains why it's a problem and how to solve it. Click here to read.

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.

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.

Testify Leprechaun Lift-off

  • March 16, 2024

  • Want to join us for the annual Testify Leprechaun Lift-off? Of course you do! This is a weightlifting meet, so the contested lifts are the snatch and clean-and-jerk.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Strengthlifting Challenge

  • April 6, 2024

  • The annual Testify Strengthlifting Challenge is back, 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.

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.

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.” 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 2023.12.25.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes

Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = lowest distance.

Compare to 2023.12.04.

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 2023.11.06.

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 2023.11.06.