The Testify Globe - September 9, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Starting Strength Squat Looks HORRIFYING, Here's Why (click the title to watch):

doffe halls
Awsome to se older do strength training, something Swedens PRO need to focus.

Phil
We get to work with some pretty great people :-)

TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Want to get stronger working remotely with one of our Starting Strength Coaches? Click here to contact us and learn more.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start today.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

7 Signs You're Using Your Lifting Equipment WRONG
Are you making some mistakes with your weight lifting gear? You might be, and you probably don't even know it. In Part 3 of this series, we cover 7 more errors (and how to fix them) that lifters make with their equipment. Click here to watch.

 

What is the BEST Time of Day to Train? (it's not what you think)
What time of day should you train? Morning or evening? Maybe lunchtime? We cut to the chase. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: FIX Your Press | Correct Your TERRIBLE Knees to Press More!
Are your terrible knees ruining your press? In this video - our seventh and final in the series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the press - Phil quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Spotting the Squat: Don't Make These Mistakes!
Spotting the squat shouldn't be complicated. Phil takes a look at some common mistakes people make when spotting the squat, and he also explains how to do it correctly. Click here to read.

“GET STRONGER - LIVE BETTER” SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE!

Why do you train? Because getting stronger makes everything else easier. Get stronger. Live better. “Testify” to this message and represent your favorite gym with this shirt in several color options.

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.

Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp

  • September 28, 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.

Testify Fall Classic

  • October 26, 2024

  • The annual Testify Fall Classic 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.

Barbell Blizzard! A Winter Wonderland of Weights

  • December 14, 2024

  • Barbell Blizzard is a team strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2-4 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.

  • 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 2024.07.08.

Option 2
Bike/row:
8 x 30 sec on/2:00 off

Score = least distance covered in any 30 second interval

Compare to 2024.06.17.

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

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

Compare to 2024.05.20.

Option 4
Sandbag-over-bars
Set yoke at #33 for women or #35 for men.
1. 1 minute AMRAP
2. 5 rounds of 2 reps every 2 minutes (speed!)
3. 1 minute AMRAP

Weights
Female under 40 years
140 lbs and under: 75 lbs
140.1 lbs – 185 lbs: 100 lbs
185.1 lbs and over: 150 lbs

Female 40 years and over
140 lbs and under: 50 lbs
185 lbs and under: 75 lbs
185.1 lbs and over: 100 lbs

Male under 40 years
185 lbs and under: 150 lbs
185.1 lbs – 235 lbs: 200 lbs
235.1 lbs and over: 250 lbs

Male 40 years and over
185 lbs and under: 100 lbs
185.1 lbs – 235 lbs: 150 lbs
235.1 lbs and over: 200 lbs

Compare to 2024.05.20.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!

What is the BEST Time of Day to Train? (it's not what you think)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

A question we get on occasion is “What time of day is the best for training?” This is worth discussing, and we’re going to keep it simple and to the point.

Training in the afternoon or the evening is a wonderful thing. You’re more awake, your work is probably done for the day, and you might even perform slightly better (emphasis on slightly). If you can train in the PM hours, go for it.

With that said, the bottom line is that the best time of day to train is the time of day that you can train most consistently, and for a lot of people, that means training needs to take place in the morning.

After all, consistency is the most important factor in your training - you can have the greatest technique and programming in the world, but if you’re missing workouts, your technique and programming don’t do you any good. If you need to train in the morning to make it happen, then the AM hours are officially your best time to train.

Some people object with, “I don’t want to train in the morning - I’m not a morning person.” Knock that off. Nobody who trains in the morning is a morning person. Nobody walks in our doors at 5:15 a.m. bounding with joy, sunshine, and bubbles.

Lifters who train early in the morning aren’t morning people any more than you are; instead, they are simply people who know they might not be able to train later in the day, and they are committed to not missing their training sessions.

Not surprisingly, waking up early to train can be rough at first - any new routine often is - but after you’re done it for a few weeks, you’ll have established the habit, and it’ll be far easier. On top of that, you’ll appreciate having consistently hit your training sessions, which means you’re keeping one of the most important kinds of promises - the kind you make to yourself.

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?

FIX Your Press | Correct Your TERRIBLE Knees to Press More!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Are your terrible knees ruining your press? In this video - our seventh and final in the series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the press - Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 07/23/22)

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.

Spotting the Squat: Don't Make These Mistakes!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 08/19/22)

Spotting the squat is important, but it’s often done terribly and awkwardly, so let’s briefly discuss how NOT to spot the squat.

Don’t Space Out.
This isn’t the time for selfies or catching up on your pleasure reading. You need to keep your hands off the barbell unless it moves in a direction other than upward, but you still need to be available and attentive throughout the entire set.

A missed rep can happen quickly, especially if it’s due to a loss of balance, so be ready.

figure 1: Don’t Do This. (note the crooked barbell)

Don’t Touch the Bar . . . When the Lifter is Walking It Back In.
At the end of a successful set, do not try to help the lifter get the bar back to the hooks (Figure 1). By touching the bar, you’ll simply cause the lifter to be uneven (because you and the other spotter will not provide equal amounts of assistance) and possibly miss one or both of the hooks.

At the end of a set, the lifter already squatted the weight on his own - he can certainly walk it back on his own. Spotters should simply be present as the bar contacts the uprights to make sure that the bar does not bounce back from the rack.

figure 2: Don’t be like these fools.

No 1-Person Spots
Spotting the squat is performed by two people - never one person. Spotting the squat from behind the lifter is awkward at best and dangerous at worst as the spotter is in a terrible position to handle a heavy load should the lifter fail (Figure 2).

When setting up to spot, the spotter on the lifter’s left should have his left foot forward, and the spotter on the lifter’s right should have his right foot forward - this way, you are both facing the lifter as well as each other.

Keep your hands off the bar unless the bar moves in a direction other than up - any rep touched by you cannot be counted by the lifter. However, if the lifter does need assistance, you need to provide it, and you do so by spotting the bar with the crook of your elbow, and both hands will help by grabbing the plate (Figure 3). At this point, the lifter and the spotters together will lift the bar and take it back to the hooks (the lifter should NEVER abandon the bar).

figure 3: The correct way to spot a failed rep

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?

7 Signs You're Using Your Lifting Equipment WRONG

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Are you making some mistakes with your weight lifting gear? You might be, and you probably don't even know it. In Part 3 of this series, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 7 more errors (and how to fix them) that lifters make with their equipment.

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.

The Testify Union - September 2, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video LIFTING SHOES: The Complete Guide to the Best and WORST Shoes! (Lifting Gear Series) (click the title to watch):

Andrew Tanczyk
Oh, so wearing shoes with air in the soles might not work out too well? 😂 😂

Phil
Agreed :-)

TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Want to get stronger working remotely with one of our Starting Strength Coaches? Click here to contact us and learn more.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start today.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Starting Strength Coach Reveals the WORST Thing To Do with Your Squat
What's the worst mistake that you're making with your squat? Here’s what it probably is and how to fix it. Click here to watch.

 

Would You Rather . . . ?
If you're not sure whether or not you should strength train, there's only one question you need to ask yourself. Phil explains what it is and why it's an especially important question for your parents and grandparents. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Power Snatch vs Split Snatch vs Squat Snatch: Which One is BEST?
There are 3 different landing positions for the snatch, and each has its own advantages. Barb, Phil, and Becky explain and demonstrate these 3 different lifts. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Spotting the Bench Press: Don't Make These Mistakes!
When someone messes up on the bench press, it's often the spotter. Phil takes a look at some common mistakes people make when spotting the bench press and also explains how to do it correctly. Click here to read.

“GET STRONGER - LIVE BETTER” SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE!

Why do you train? Because getting stronger makes everything else easier. Get stronger. Live better. “Testify” to this message and represent your favorite gym with this shirt in several color options.

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Reminder: We will be closed for training on Monday, 09/02/24, 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 28, 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.

Testify Fall Classic

  • October 26, 2024

  • The annual Testify Fall Classic 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.

Barbell Blizzard! A Winter Wonderland of Weights

  • December 14, 2024

  • Barbell Blizzard is a team strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2-4 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.

  • 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 2024.07.01.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 800m

Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = slowest time.

Compare to 2024.06.10.

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 2024.05.13.

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 2024.05.13.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better!