Testify Tribune - November 4, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Lifting Straps | What You're Doing WRONG (and other common mistakes) (click the title to watch):

Craig Martin
Thanks for this video! I was doing everything wrong (apparently I'm an idiot ). I was ao frustrated with my grip, which effected my ability to make progress on the DL, that i stopped deadlifting for extended period

Phil
You're welcome, and I'm glad this was helpful for you - happy deadlifting!

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

1 HUGE Mistake Self-Taught Deadlifters Make
If you're committing this deadlift error, then you're making your deadlifts horribly inefficient, and you're significantly limiting the amount of weight on the bar. Let’s fix it. Click here to watch.

 

What You Should NEVER Do When Deadlifting!
Are you making this mistake when deadlifting? Well . . . don't. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: How Long Should I REST? | Starting Strength Linear Progression
How long should I rest when working through the Starting Strength Linear Progression? How long should I rest between warm-up sets? Between work sets? Phil explains. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: The Squat: Don't Be a Moron
”A lot of good advice in life can be summed up with the phrase, ‘Don’t be a moron,’ and this particular squat error is certainly no exception…” 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 always find out what else is on the calendar by heading to our events page at www.testifysc.com/events.

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.

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 2024.09.02.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes

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

Compare to 2024.08.12.

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 2024.07.15.

Option 4
Row 10 x 100m
Rest 1 min between sprints. Your score is your slowest time.

Compare to 2024.07.15.

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

What You Should NEVER Do When Deadlifting!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

If you train with barbells, you’ve got to stop making this mistake.

What mistake are we talking about? That of using a compromised grip.

When you train - specifically when you train pulling movements such as the deadlift, row, snatch, clean, chin-up, etc. - your hands are the interface between you and the barbell (this applies to an equal or lesser extent to other lifts such as the squat, bench, etc.). With this in mind, your grip needs to be secure.

The Problem: Grip and the Deadlift
Using the deadlift for the purposes of our discussion, at some point, the deadlift gets heavy enough that your grip becomes the limiting factor unless you choose to do something about it, and you should absolutely do something about it because grip is a silly reason not to strengthen your deadlift.

The Solution: Part 1
First of all, use chalk. Start using chalk on day one of your training journey. If you train at a gym that doesn’t allow chalk, sneak it in anyway, use something like Liquid Chalk, or better yet, find a different gym at which to train. I kid you not - chalk is that important.

Use chalk right from the start. Get some on your hands at the start of your training session (yes, even for the squat), chalk up again when you start warming up the deadlift, and then chalk up one more time when you get to your work set(s) on the deadlift.

However, pretty quickly, the deadlift will get heavy enough that chalk alone won’t be enough. What do you do then?

The Solution: Part 2
The second part of the solution is to modify your grip. You’ll either need to use a hook grip or a mixed grip (also known as an “alternate grip” or “switch grip”). If you’re not sure how to do this, watch the included videos for a demonstration as well as explanation.

The thumb is the weak link in your grip since you only have one thumb around one side of the bar while you have four fingers wrapping around the other side, so when your grip fails, it’s the thumb that’s losing the battle. Both a hook grip and a mixed grip solve this problem, so pick one and use it.

If you don’t like either of those options, then you need to use straps, and you can watch the video below to see the difference between hook grip, mixed grip, and straps.

New Lifters vs Those Who Refuse to Learn
All this advice is intended to help the new lifter who might not know about chalk, hook grip, mixed grip, etc. If you’re an experienced lifter - if you already know about all of these things - and you’re still not using chalk or a modified grip, this article is not for you. You’ve decided to make a Silly Choice, and wasting your time and energy on the deadlift with a compromised grip is certainly your prerogative.

Where to Go From Here
Start using chalk right away, and before your grip becomes the limiting factor, start modifying the grip. There are a couple of telltale signs that the grip is starting to fail - it will become difficult to lock out the deadlift at the top of the lift, it will feel like the bar is starting to slip out of your hands (because it is), and it will be tougher than usual to keep your back set in rigid extension when you’re pulling off the floor. Before any of these start to become a serious issue, simply use a hook grip or a mixed grip, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it will make.

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. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

How Long Should I REST? | Starting Strength Linear Progression

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

How long should I rest when working through the Starting Strength Linear Progression? How long should I rest between warm-up sets? Between work sets? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains.

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

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

The Squat: Don't Be a Moron

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/28/22)

A lot of good advice in life can be summed up with the phrase, “Don’t be a moron,” and racking the squat is certainly no exception.

Listen, in the time it took you to squat your work set, the hooks (you know - the things the bar rests upon in the rack) didn’t go anywhere, so when you rack the bar, quit looking for them. Some lifters are either under the impression that their hooks have the ability to wander off while they squat, or they think they have incredibly cruel training partners who will steal their hooks while they squat.

You, however, are not one of these lifters. When finished with your set of squats, you just keep looking at your focal point (the same one you stared at while squatting) or you look straight ahead, and you then simply walk the barbell forward until it hits the uprights, whereupon you set it down - magically - on the hooks. You know that if you stay nice and tall as you walk back to the rack, hitting the uprights guarantees the bar will be over the hooks.

You also know that if you develop the silly-looking habit of craning your neck to look for the hooks, you’ll tend to walk the bar back to the rack in a rather cattywampus fashion, and one day, you’ll eventually miss one of the hooks (i.e., the one you’re not looking at). This makes for a wonderful YouTube video but a rather disastrous training experience. Fortunately, you don’t do this.

But . . . perhaps your friend does this. In this case, be sure to tell him, “Hey - don’t be a moron.”

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. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

1 HUGE Mistake Self-Taught Deadlifters Make

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

If you're committing this deadlift error, then you're making your deadlifts horribly inefficient, and you're significantly limiting the amount of weight on the bar. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains.

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Testify Sun - October 28, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video The BEST Shoes for Lifting! (click the title to watch):

James Lee grant
Hi what shoe do you personally wear/recommend

Phil
I wear a pair of Nike Romaleos 2. I bought them used off of Ebay back in 2016 or 2017 and have been wearing the same pair since then. They're still in excellent shape, and the only thing I've had repaired on them is the velcro as it was starting to wear out (wasn't gripping as well). If I needed to replace them - and if they still made them - I'd buy them again in a heartbeat.

That said, the version Nike makes now - the Romaleos 4 - is also excellent. If I had to get a pair of shoes today, I'd get them, and this is the first shoe we linked to in the description below the video (https://amzn.to/3LAYn8d).

If those weren't available, I'd probably go with the current generation of the VS Athletics shoe, which we also linked to in the description (https://amzn.to/3LGoYB6). I've trained in those on a couple of occasions (e.g., when my shoes were in the shop), I recommend them often to new members, and they're solid. A close cousin would be the Do-Win weightlifting shoe - also a good choice.

Adidas lifting shoes (https://amzn.to/3WbFVJk) tend to to be too narrow for my feet. The Inov-8 shoe in the description (https://amzn.to/3xIoXGZ) is a good option, and a number of our members wear those and like them a lot. I simply have a lot of training history with my Nikes and thus would probably stick with the same brand as the 4s are reasonably close in design to the 2s that I currently wear.

James Lee grant
@TestifySC ok ty I was deciding between romaleos 4 or classic do wins. I do have wide feet so good to know about Adidas

James Lee grant
@TestifySC are they true to size?

Phil
They seem to be - at least the 2s. I can't speak for the current generation (i.e., the 4s). I usually wear a 12 or 12.5 in most shoes, and my Romaleos 2 are a size 12. I've also trained in a size 12.5, and those have fit as well.

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

How Not to DIE on the Bench Press (2 easy tips)
Bench pressing by yourself? It can be the most dangerous lift in the weight room, but it can also be incredibly safe with these two easy tips. Click here to watch.

 

Do CrossFitters Make the BEST Deadlifters?!
“The short answer is ‘No.’ However, there is one thing that efficient CrossFitters tend to do well when deadlifting, and we might be able to learn something about the deadlift from observing this phenomenon…” Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Starting Strength Squat/Low Bar Squat | Fix Your FOCAL POINT!
Is your ridiculous focal point ruining your squat? Where should you look when you squat? In this video - our 4th 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: Knee Position in the Split Jerk
Back leg too straight in your split jerk? Front knee too far forward? Phil explains knee position in the split jerk and helps you fix a few common problems. 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

The annual Testify Fall Classic was a great success this weekend, and we are immensely thankful to everyone who helped out! Loaders, judges, table officials, those who helped setup and tear down - we could not have hosted this meet without you all!

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.

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
“Prowler Base+1”
1. Load up a manageable weight.
2. Sprint 40m at 85% intensity.
3. Rest 30 sec.
4. Repeat 5-15 times.

Courtesy of “Death by Prowler” (on Starting Strength).

Compare to 2024.08.26.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 800m

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

Compare to 2024.08.05.

Option 3
1. 5 x 50 ft seated sled pull. Add weight each round. Rest as needed.
2. 5 x 100 ft duck walk. Add weight each round. Rest as needed.

Compare to 2024.07.08.

Option 4
Outdoors
4 rounds:
50 yd farmer carry
80 m sled drag
Rest 2 min

Indoors
4 rounds:
100 ft farmer carry
100 ft sled drag
Rest 2 min

Compare to 2024.07.08.

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