Testify Independent - March 25, 2024
/THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video DIY Dip Belt (AKA Chinning Belt) - Easy and Cheap! (click the title to watch):
Taric TheGemKnight
Saw this Russian today at the local park with a contraption instead of a belt and he apparently used something similar to this. Not the easiest find, but literal gold this video, cheers!
Phil
Glad it helped!
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ARTICLES & VIDEOS
STOP Doing This!! Your Shoulders are DESTROYING Your Bench Press
Using your shoulders incorrectly in the bench press? Let's fix it quickly to add pounds to your bench. Click here to watch.
How to Deadlift: Set Your Back the RIGHT Way - Part 2
Do you have a tough time setting your back when you deadlift? In Part 2 of this series, Phil walks you through how to solve this problem. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: Improve Your Press by FIXING This Problem!
Pushing the hips forward or incorrectly throwing the shoulders back when pressing? With Becky's help, Phil covers an easy way to check for the correct movement. Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Improve Your Squat in ONE Easy Step!
Want to improve your squat with one simple and easy tactic? You might not like it, but it's darn effective. Click here to read.
NEW TESTIFY HOODIES ARE AVAILABLE!
Looking to train in style? 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
Reminder: We will be closed for training on Saturday, 04/06/24, as we are hosting the annual Testify Strengthlifting Challenge.
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 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.
Testify Barbell MAYhem
May 11, 2024
Come on out and join us for the annual Testify Barbell MAYhem! This is a weightlifting meet, so the contested lifts are the snatch and clean-and-jerk.
Click here 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” – 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 2024.01.22.
Option 2
Bike/row:
8 x 30 sec on/2:00 off
Score = least distance covered in any 30 second interval
Compare to 2024.01.01.
Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
50 yd sled push (25 yd down-back)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 min
Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
100 yd sled push (50 ft down-back)
100 yd farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 min
Compare to 2023.12.04.
Option 4
Row 10 x 100m
Rest 1 min between sprints. Your score is your slowest time.
Compare to 2023.12.04.
How to Deadlift: Set Your Back the RIGHT Way - Part 2
/The Problem
When we deadlift, you want your back in flat and rigid extension before you pull the barbell off the floor, but this can be difficult to do (with the result being a soft, semi-rounded back as seen in Figure 1). With this in mind, welcome to Part 2 in our series on how to accomplish exactly that.
Figure 1: Not like this . . . not like this.
In Part 1, we covered how to use the cue that’s already present in the 5-step deadlift setup - i.e., “squeeze your chest up” - the idea being that applying this cue sets off a wave of contraction that runs from your thoracic spine all the way down to your lumbar spine and thus gets your back rigid and flat (Figure 2).
However, if that cue isn’t working well for you and your back is still a bit rounded, try the following cue instead . . .
Figure 2: This . . . is much better.
Cue #2: Push Your Belly Down Between Your Thighs.
If you push your stomach down between your thighs (you can also cue “push your belly down between your femurs”), you’re going to get a nice, tight, flat, rigid back (Figure 2), which is exactly the type of efficient, force-transferring segment that we want when we deadlift.
Another Way to Picture It
If it helps, you can instead imagine a rope attached to your belly button, and that rope is pulling your belly button down toward the floor (leaving your hips and shoulders exactly where they are).
Hopefully, you found this useful, and we’ll be back in Part 3 of this series in the near future to cover more ways to address this problem.
As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.
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Improve Your Press by FIXING This Problem!
/When using the hips in the press, be careful that you're not throwing your shoulders backward instead of pushing the hips forward like we want. Phil and Becky discuss and demonstrate an easy way to check for the correct movement.
(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 04/30/22)
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.
Improve Your Squat in ONE Easy Step!
/(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 02/25/22)
Want to improve your squat in one easy step? It’s ridiculously simple.
Squat with spotters.
Seriously, that’s it. Now, of course, squatting with safeties (AKA pins, crash bars, spotter arms) is just fine, and if you train on your own, that’s the only option you have. However, if you train with some other reasonably intelligent and educated lifters, get two of them to spot you.
One person stands on either side of you (watch the included video for more on how to spot the squat . . . and how not to spot the squat). Do not have a single person spot you from behind because that’s stupid. It’s common, but it’s still stupid (the physics of this situation becomes rather obvious and untenable with heavy loads . . . try holding 300, 400, or 500+ lb out in front of you, and you’ll quickly agree).
You’ll squat better because the pressure of having two people right next to you will force you to do so. You’ll focus better and work harder because you don’t want to fail and make your spotters actually take the bar. You’re using peer pressure for good instead of evil. This is a very real effect, and we see it all the time.
If you’re not used to being spotted when you squat, you probably won’t like it at first, but you’ll get used to it, and in the long run, you’ll squat better for having done it. 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.)