TRAINING LOG: How to Keep a Training Log and Why You Should (Lifting Gear Series)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers discusses why the training log is your most important piece of equipment and also cover how to use one effectively. This is the 6th video in our "Lifting Gear" series.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 02/27/23)

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?

book a free intro

The Deadlift Mistake That Happens After You Think You’re Done

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Anjali positions the bar over the middle of her foot in the deadlift setup position.

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 06/19/19)

When you take your stance for the deadlift, you do so in a position that places the barbell directly over the middle of your foot, i.e., with your shins about an inch from the bar.

This is all well and good for that first rep, but you also want to pull every subsequent rep from that same midfoot position. It is not uncommon to see lifters set the bar down well in front of the midfoot (and yes, sometimes even behind the midfoot), and they then have to spend extra time and effort at the bottom of the deadlift getting the bar back to the proper position for the next pull.

Let’s fix this.

When you lower the deadlift, you do so by bending primarily at the hips first - reaching back with your hips and sliding the bar down your thighs by bending at your waist - and bending at the knees second. If you do this, you stand a very good chance of setting the bar down right where you picked it up in the first place - over your midfoot. However, if you find that you still struggle to put the bar down in the right spot, try this: look right at the middle of your foot as you set the bar down.

If you look at the middle of your foot, tell yourself to set the bar down RIGHT THERE, and keep looking at the middle of your foot as you lower the bar, I bet you’ll find that your body takes care of the rest, and magically, that bar will be in the right spot for your next pull. If you find yourself constantly setting the bar down in the wrong spot, give this a try for a few sessions and see if it doesn’t fix the problem.

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?

book a free intro

Deadlift Explained in 3 Minutes

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

A clear, no-nonsense explanation of the deadlift. No fluff, no confusion — whether you’re a beginner or need a quick refresher, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers setup, execution, and consistency from rep to rep.

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?

book a free intro

Testify Outlook - November 10, 2025

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Most Weak Lifters Don't Even Realize This is Part of the Bench Press (click the title to watch):

Andrew Tanczyk
Wow, I haven’t considered the leg drive on the descent. Ok ✅. I’ll try it.

Seems as if I need to spread my legs out wider also.

Phil
If you have your feet at squat width or more, you probably have sufficient width. If not, then yes, I’d recommend taking them out a bit more.

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

Most Weak Lifters Don't Even Realize This is Part of the Bench Press
Learn why your bench press feels weak — and how your legs might be the culprit. Phil covers two factors to address as well as two ways your equipment may be ruining the effective use of your legs. Click here to watch.

 

Get a Bigger Deadlift in Five Seconds
5 seconds to a bigger, better, stronger deadlift - how is this even possible? Find out with this solution. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: What is a Hang Power Clean? | Olympic Weightlifting Technique
What is a hang power clean? How is it different from a hang clean, power clean, or clean? Phil covers it all here in one minute. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: Easy Setup for Deadlift, Snatch, & Clean
Learn how to setup for your deadlift, snatch, and clean in a manner that is simple, efficient, and consistent. 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: Below are the hours for Thanksgiving week (you can also find these on our Location & Hours page). Any days not listed retain their normal hours.

Wednesday, 11/26/25: Regular hours
Thursday, 11/27/25: Closed
Friday, 11/28/25: 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. (no afternoon/evening hours)
Saturday, 11/29/25: Regular hours

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 21, 2025

  • Benching Bonanza is a strength meet wherein the only contested lift is - not surprisingly - 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’s a great time for all involved, and we hope to see you there!

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Christmas Classic

  • December 13, 2025

  • The Christmas Classic 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” – 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 2025.10.06.

Option 2
Bike/row:
12 min TT

Score = distance

Compare to 2025.08.18.

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

Compare to 2025.07.21.

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 2025.07.21.

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.

Get a Bigger Deadlift in Five Seconds

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

How can you possibly improve your deadlift in only five seconds? What is the problem we’re trying to solve?

I’m glad you asked.

The Situation
This is a common problem with all lifters, and it runs especially rampant among newer lifters. The situation is as follows . . .

You are set up to pull the deadlift. You start pulling on the barbell. You barely break the weight off the floor - it moves a couple of inches - and you set it back down on the floor.

To be blunt - you bail on the lift.

anjali gets an oscar nod as she demonstrates a typical failed deadlift.

You’ve been there, and sometimes, the weight didn’t even come off the floor before you stopped pulling. You know you need a solution so that you stop bailing on your pulls, but you’re not sure what to do.

Why Is It So Easy to Bail on the Deadlift?
Make no mistake - it is easier to bail on the deadlift than on any other lift. After all, the bar starts on the floor, and if you fail, the bar just goes right back to where it started.

Not only that - you don’t get to feel the weight of the deadlift before you start the ascent, and this is different from the other lifts. In the squat, you become acclimated to the weight during the descent - you know how hard you’re going to have to drive up out of the hole because you can feel that load on your back on the way down. The same is true for the descent of the bench press. Even in the press, you support the weight of the bar for a bit before launching it upward.

The deadlift is different - you don’t get to feel the weight of the bar before you start pulling, so it can be a mental shock once you actually start the lift.

How Do You Learn to Grind?
For these reasons, it’s easy to bail on a deadlift, so you need a way to teach yourself to grind on the lift. To Just. Keep. Pulling.

(It’s worth noting that the lift almost always goes faster than you think - record yourself deadlifting and watch the video afterward if you don’t believe me.)

The solution is mind-numbingly simple - you must pull for five seconds.

here, anjali keeps pulling and successfully pulls 102 kg (225 lb) for three smooth reps.

From the moment you start pulling, you pull for one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three, one-thousand-four, one-thousand-five.

Ideally, you get someone to count for you so that you can’t stop pulling until your buddy stops counting. A typical situation is that your lifting partner starts counting, “One-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one–” and bam - you’ve already locked out your deadlift successfully.

You’ll be amazed how fast it goes even though it doesn’t feel nearly that fast.

If you train on your own, you take a different approach. As you gain experience, you can tell yourself to “just keep pulling,” but for now, record yourself on video and watch both the good and the bad lifts.

See how long you pull. It’s probably only a second or two even though it feels like forever.

You can also find a song with a memorable section that’s about five seconds long. Start pulling at the start of that section and don’t let yourself stop until the end of the section.

You can even make a recording of yourself counting for five seconds, and although it is rather annoying to listen to yourself count as you pull a heavy deadlift, it’s remarkably effective.

The concept is simple, but the results are profound.

You need the ability to pull on the bar for longer than you think - this will help you develop that ability - and nine times out of ten, the pull will be finished sooner than you expect.

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?

book a free intro

What is a Hang Power Clean? | Olympic Weightlifting Technique

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

What is a hang power clean? How is it different from a hang clean, power clean, or clean? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all here in one minute.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 02/25/23)

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?

book a free intro