Home Gym Buyer's Guide: Best and Worst Weight Plates!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Want the best plates for your home or garage gym? Should you get calibrated plates, or are they the worst decision you'll ever make? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers dives in.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 10/24/22)

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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?

Fix Your Press - Part 5: Correct Your AWFUL Grip

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/03/23)

This is the fifth article in our series on helping you improve your press. Today’s topic - the correct grip width. In this article, you’ll also find a couple of videos related to today’s topic.

It’s easy to accidentally take a grip on the press that’s far too wide, so let’s fix this quick.

The press utilizes a relatively narrow grip - simply reach out in front of you as if you’re Frankenstein’s monster, and this will give you the shoulder width grip that we’re looking for. Most guys will take their grip right on the edge of the knurl or perhaps a finger width into the knurl, while most gals (and smaller guys) might have an index finger on the smooth part of the barbell with the rest of the fingers on the knurling (see the included video for a visual demonstration).

These landmarks are not set in stone, but they will get you started. To check your press grip width, remember that when you’ve unracked the bar and are ready to press, you want to have vertical forearms when viewed from directly in front of you (you’ll need to record yourself if you don’t have a coach or training partner). If your forearms are angled out, you’ll need to narrow the grip a bit, and if the forearms are angled inward (less common), you’ll need to widen the grip a bit.

To be clear - the grip width for pressing is NOT the same width grip you use for benching, and here’s a quick way to remember the different grip widths for each lift. Note that “bench press” is comprised of two words - simply imagine the words “bench press” (in large print) floating in front of you and place your left hand on one side of “bench press” and your right hand on the other side of “bench press.” On the other hand, “press” only has one word, so if you repeat that process with “press,” you’ll have a significantly narrower grip for the press than for the bench press (the video near the beginning of this article helps greatly with picturing this).

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

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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?

What Personal Trainers Don’t Tell You About Lifting Weights (7 Facts!)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

There's a lot your "personal trainer" isn't telling you about lifting weights. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers gets right to it with 7 very important facts.

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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 Today - March 3, 2025

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Top 10 Bench Press Mistakes (Get a Bigger Bench NOW) (click the title to watch):

Colt McCormick
Really appreciate #10 and help with the unracking process!

Phil
Glad to hear it, Colt!

TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Interested in getting stronger working one-on-one remotely with us? Click here to book your free strategy session.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start Today.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Top 10 Bench Press Mistakes
Phil covers 10 common bench press mistakes as well as how to fix them so you can get a bigger, stronger bench. Click here to watch.

 

6 Tips to Load a Barbell for Deadlifts EASILY!
We give you 6 simple tips and tricks to make loading the barbell for your deadlifts easier and faster. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: I Failed My Bench Press! (Stop Making This Mistake)
In less than two minutes, we discuss and demonstrate a common mistake that might be causing you to fail your bench press, and we also cover how to fix it. This is the fifth video in our series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the bench. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Fix Your Press - Part 4: Correct Your TERRIBLE Elbows
Phil discusses the common mistake of poor elbow positioning when pressing as well as how to fix it. Click here to read.

TESTIFY 3/4 SLEEVE SHIRTS ARE UP!

Baseball season is coming up, so represent your favorite team - well, gym - in style!

PLUS - you get four different options to choose from!

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Below is one 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 12, 2025

  • 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 Mystery Event!

  • March 21, 2025

  • We’re having a Testify Mystery Event on Friday, 03/21/25, and if you’re reading this, you’re invited! We’ll be putting out more information on this in the coming days and weeks, so be sure to check our Instagram, Facebook, or our events page (link below) for updates.

  • Click here for more information . . . when it’s available! Any guesses?

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 2024.12.30.

Option 2
Bike/row:
12 min TT

Score = distance

Compare to 2024.12.09.

Option 3
5-10 rounds of:
30 sec ME tire flips
30 sec rest

Compare to 2024.11.11.

Option 4
For time:
500m row
5 x 80m sled push (200 ft if indoors)
500m row

Rest 1 minute after the first row and after each sled push.

Compare to 2024.11.11.

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

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

6 Tips to Load a Barbell for Deadlifts EASILY!

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

When people are new to lifting, one of the comments we often hear is that it’s a pain to put full size plates (i.e., 45-lb metal plates or any bumper plate) on the bar when deadlifting. We hear this primarily regarding the deadlift, but the problem shows up in the snatch, clean, row, or any other lift wherein the barbell starts on the floor.

Whether it’s putting the first 45-lb plate on the bar or subsequent 45-lb plates on the bar (this applies with any bumper plate as well), below are a few tips that will help. Also, there are several videos throughout this article that cover these tips and include demonstrations, so I’d recommend checking them out.

For clarification, from here on, “plate” refers to a metal, 45-lb plate unless otherwise specified.

Tip #1: Lift as Few Plates as Possible
If it’s a short distance, save yourself some energy and simply roll the plate across the floor.

Tip #2: Putting the First Plate on the Bar
Don’t put the first plate on the bar. Instead, do the following (as shown in Figure 1):

  1. Set the plate on the floor (numbers facing up).

  2. Put one end of the barbell through the plate.

  3. Set the other end of the bar on the floor.

  4. Slide the bar through the plate until the plate is up against the collar of the bar.

figure 1

In short, they key here is to not put the first plate on the end of the bar, but rather put the end of the bar through the first plate.

Tip #3: Putting the Next Plate on the Bar
The second plate (i.e., the first plate on the opposite end of the bar) should be the only one that even potentially poses a problem, and we’re going to solve that right now.

With the plate standing vertically (after rolling it over, of course), raise the end of the bar to the height of the plate’s hole. Then, you have two options:

figure 2

Option 1
Get the plate onto the bar, pick up the bar slightly with one hand, and slide the plate on with the other hand.

Option 2
Get the plate onto the bar, straddle the bar, and slide the plate toward you using both hands (Figure 2). It’s useful to note that this option requires less strength than Option 1.

figure 3

Tip #4: Commercial Deadlift Jack (but . . .)
Now it’s time to get the rest of the plates on the bar, but it’s annoying to slide additional plates on the bar since they are the same size as the plates already on the bar. As a result, you’ll experience a lot of friction between the plate and the ground. Also, as you add more plates, picking the bar up off the floor to create some space between the plates and the floor (so there’s no friction between those two surfaces) becomes more difficult.

The solution is a deadlift jack, but perhaps not the kind you’re imagining.

Of course, if you can afford and want to buy a full-size deadlift jack, go for it (Figure 3). They’re amazingly convenient, we have one at Testify, and our members greatly appreciate using it. That said, they’re a bit pricey, and there are other options, such as . . .

Tip #5: Fishhook (DIY Deadlift Jack)
The fishhook is an easy-to-make, DIY deadlift jack, and it’s incredibly useful. My wife and I have one in our garage gym, and we have several of these at Testify as well. We have a video on how to make and use the fishhook, so be sure to check that video out if you’re interested.

However, if you don’t feel like making a fishhook jack, the next solution is . . .

Tip #6: Plate Jack
The plate jack is simply any 2.5-lb plate that you are going to use as a deadlift jack. It doesn’t have to be a 2.5-lb plate - you could use a 1.25-lb plate, a 5-lb plate, or even the thickness of your belt (sometimes referred to as the “belt jack”).

figure 4

To use the plate jack (Figure 4), set the 2.5 on the floor, roll the first 45 up onto the 2.5 (make sure it stays there!), and then slide any other 45s onto the bar since the 2.5 will have jacked the bar up slightly, and now the additional plates slide on and off very easily.

As always, we hope these tips help you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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?

I Failed My Bench Press! (Stop Making This Mistake)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

In less than two minutes, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers discusses and demonstrates a common mistake that might be causing you to fail your bench press, and he also covers how to fix it. This is the fifth video in our series of Saturday Shorts on fixing the bench.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 10/22/22)

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

  • Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

  • Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

  • Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

  • Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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?