Are You Ruining the EASIEST Part of the Deadlift?

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/14/22)

Lowering the deadlift back to the ground should be the easiest part of the lift, but for many lifters - usually newer lifters, but not always - this portion of the lift presents some difficulties. Let’s remedy this situation (and for a look at these solutions in action, check out the included short videos).

The Problem
When we teach the lowering portion of the deadlift, we cue people to reach back with the hips and slide the barbell down the thighs, bending at the hips in the process. A significant (and common) problem arises, however, when the lifter tries to keep his back vertical while setting the bar down. We have these wonderful things called knees, and when we try to keep the back vertical (i.e., when we try to remain upright) when lowering the deadlift, we end up having to lower the bar around the knees instead of in a nice, easy, vertical path straight back down to the ground.

Lowering the bar around the knees makes the lowering process much harder and indeed rather uncomfortable. Additionally, it causes the lifter to set the bar down in the wrong place (i.e., in front of the midfoot instead of directly over the midfoot), which means the lifter now has to correct the bar position before the next rep. This is an additional and unnecessary variable that now has to be handled, so let’s fix this with the two solutions below.

In what is a counterintuitive moment for many people, trying to keep the back more vertical actually makes things harder on the back . . . so let’s not do that.

Solution #1
One useful approach is to look at the middle of your foot when setting the bar down and tell yourself to sight the bar into place. In other words, you are aiming for the middle of your foot. The act of looking at the middle of the foot tends to cause most people to bend over, which is exactly what we want.

Solution #2
However, if that doesn’t work for you, give yourself the following cue: “Bow to the floor.” It’s that simple. The act of bowing to someone or something involves bending at the hips and keeping the knees relatively straight (we’re not looking for locked knees), and this is exactly what we want to do when setting the bar down. The knees do get to bend eventually, but they bend very little until after the bar passes them.

So, the next time you are lowering your deadlift, tell yourself to bow to the floor, and then set the bar down quickly. It makes life a lot easier, and you can use the energy you just saved on your next 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.)

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These 3 Easy Fixes Can Blow Up Your Squat (plus bonus tip)

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Want a better, stronger squat? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers three easy tips to help you out and includes a bonus tip as well.

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 News - October 14, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video What You Don't Know About Your Barbell is KILLING Your Lifts (Barbell Basics) (click the title to watch):

Yuppi
So wait, if the knurling doesn't start at standard distance and can vary a lot, how can you get reliable information from the knurling start to ring distance? Is the olympic bar the only one that doesn't have middle knurling reliably? Actually ran into this at my gym, there are all kinds of bars. There are two bars that seem olympic but one is much thicker than the other. And then there's a deadlift bar. It's not like I mind much unless the distance between bearings is different for snatch grip, for cleans/squats it's fairly easy to tell it's not comfortable/in the right spot and ~1 inch difference max isn't that bad for that grip.

Phil
While the width of the smooth part of the bar is not standard, it also doesn't vary by a huge amount typically. As I mentioned in the video, it's usually about 16.5" to 17" with an occasional bar that has a larger or smaller gap.

Some olympic bars have a center knurl and some don't. A power bar will always have a center knurl. Like olympic bars, dual-knurled bars sometimes have center knurls and sometimes don't.

If you have an abnormally thick bar, it's probably a cheaper bar (made thicker to compensate for lesser quality). I'd avoid that bar when possible.

Worst case - you could bring a tape measure one day and sort it out.

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

What You Don't Know About Your Barbell is KILLING Your Lifts (Barbell Basics)
If you don't know this about the barbell you lift with, you might be messing up your lifts. We cover the difference between power bars, weightlifting bars (i.e., Olympic bars), dual-knurl bars, and how to easily tell the difference. Click here to watch.

 

Weak Bench Press? QUICK FIX
Are you making this mistake with your shoulders when you bench? We help you diagnose the problem, learn why it's bad, and fix it fast. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Starting Strength Squat/Low Bar Squat | Fix Your Overextended BACK!
Is your overextended back ruining your squat? In this video - our 3rd in a series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the squat - Phil quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Wraps and Straps and Gloves, Oh My!
There are a lot of lifting accessories out there, but what's good and what's garbage? We cover grip-related gear in this article. 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 Saturday, 10/26/24, as we are hosting the annual Testify Fall Classic.

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 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.

Benching Bonanza! The Annual Testify Bench Press Jubilee

  • November 22, 2024

  • 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.

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.

IN OTHER NEWS . . .
There will be a small price increase for members who have grandfathered membership rates. Please be on the lookout for an email with the details (only members with grandfathered rates will receive an email from me).  If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me at barb.mueller@testifysc.com. 

Thank you for your understanding and commitment to getting stronger with us at Testify Strength & Conditioning!

Barb Mueller
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 2024.08.12.

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 2024.07.22.

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 2024.06.24.

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 2024.06.24.

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

Weak Bench Press? QUICK FIX

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Don’t be a moron when you’re benching. A little harsh, perhaps? Sure, but ignoring that, what are we even talking about here?

The Mistake You’re Making
The bench press mistake we’re discussing today is very common - especially with newer lifters (but yes - experienced ones too) - and it is the error of allowing your shoulders to “bounce” or “jump” up off the bench at the top of the movement.

Analogy: The Squat
When you squat - when you finish standing up at the completion of a rep - you stay flat-footed. Specifically, you certainly don’t squat down, drive back up, and then finish the rep by coming up onto your toes momentarily (i.e., with your heels up off the ground) and then settling back down to a flat-footed position (i.e., with your heels back on the ground again).

This would be unstable, unnecessary, and ridiculous as well, so you don’t do it. However, you might be making an analogous mistake when benching. 

What This Looks Like on the Bench Press
A correctly performed bench press will have the following components - you set your stance at roughly squat width, you lie down on the bench and retract your shoulder blades, you unrack the bar with straight arms, you lower the barbell until it touches your chest, and then you press the bar back up to the same position from which it started . . . with your shoulder blades still retracted (Figure 1).

Figure 1: The correct lockout position (shoulders retracted). note the position of the bar against the backdrop of the uprights - compare this to figure 2.

You finish the rep in a controlled fashion, and because you do so, you don’t have to pull your shoulders back into place each time after completing a rep.

However, lifters often allow their shoulders to come up out of position at the top of the rep. If you’re making this mistake (record yourself on video to check), you’ll see the bar “jump” at the top of the rep. That is, the bar will go up a bit too far (Figure 2) and then settle back into its final position. 

Figure 2: don’t do this. note the position of the bar against the backdrop of the uprights - compare this to figure 1.

In this situation, the bar is traveling upward too far because you’re allowing your shoulders to pop up off the bench slightly and then settle back into place at the top of the rep. Watch the included video below to see this error in action (as well as a demonstration and explanation of how to fix it).

Shoulders are Stability
Remember - your shoulders are for the bench press what your feet are for the squat. They are your base of support, and you want a wide and stable base of support when benching. With this in mind, you need to keep those shoulders pinned down and pulled back as much as possible. If you allow your shoulders to pop off the bench at the top of each rep, you’re adding an artificial, unstable, and inefficient range of motion to the lift. In addition, you now need to re-retract your shoulders before the next rep, and that’s wasted energy that you shouldn’t need to utilize.

You squat with your feet flat on the floor, so bench with your shoulders retracted and firmly attached to the bench.

How to Fix the Problem
First, and assuming that you’re already focused on keeping your shoulders back, you can remind yourself to “finish deliberately” or “lock out with control.” This will often help ensure that you aren’t aggressively causing your shoulders to get out of position.

Second, cue yourself to “finish only with your elbows” or “bench only with your elbows.” While this is a bit of an exaggeration as your shoulders are most certainly moving whenever you bench, it often helps lifters keep their shoulders from moving out of position when locking out a rep.

Third, cue yourself to finish with “short arms” or remind yourself to lock out the rep with the bar as close to you as possible. If your shoulders pop off the bench, the bar will be farther away from you than it should be, so these reminders often help people keep their shoulders pinned back, thus keeping the bar as close as possible to the lifter (while still having locked elbows).

Keep your shoulders in the correct position, and you’ll have a stronger, more stable bench press. 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?

Starting Strength Squat/Low Bar Squat | Fix Your Overextended BACK!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Is your overextended back ruining your squat? In this video - our 3rd in a series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the squat - Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers quickly discusses and demonstrates how to solve this problem.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 08/13/22)

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.

Wraps and Straps and Gloves, Oh My!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 09/30/22)

You’re a lifter, so of course, you’ve got to accessorize. But with all the options for lifting gear and accessories out there, what’s useful and what’s garbage? This article is the first in a short series covering exactly that, and today’s topic is gear associated with your grip.

Lifting Straps
Also known simply as “straps” or sometimes “wrist straps” (which is inaccurate), straps are useful for pulling movements, such as deadlifts, rows, and even snatches. Do NOT use them for cleans, and it’s worth pointing out they are actually worn on the hand and not the wrist itself.

They save some wear and tear on the hands, and if you’ve got multiple sets on the deadlift, then a reasonable approach is to use your usual grip for the first set (hook grip or alternate grip) and then use straps for the remaining sets.

You can buy straps or make them (quite cheaply!), and we’ve got a few videos covering how to make them as well as use them.

Wrist Wraps
These are useful for pressing movements such as the press, bench press, close grip bench press, etc. Wrist wraps provide stability for the wrist by acting as a sort of belt or cast for the wrist. When the weights get challenging, a good approach is to warm up (mostly) without wrist wraps and then put your wraps on (tightly!) for your last warm up as well as your work sets.

Not surprisingly, we have a few videos covering this topic as well.

Gloves
Nope. Don’t use ‘em. They add something squishy and deformable between your hand and the bar, which is never good for force transfer. Also, because they add a layer between your hand and the bar, they effectively make the bar diameter larger, which makes it harder to keep your grip when pulling the bar off the floor with deadlifts, rows, etc.

Lifting gloves are stupid. I know this firsthand because I have worn them in a previous life. Don’t use them.

Ahem, we do not have a video on this topic.

Chalk
We’ll save this discussion for another day, but suffice to say chalk is very important for your grip. Use chalk.

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?