What No One Told You About Squatting (3 Minute Guide)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Struggling with your squat? In this quick 3-minute guide, you’ll learn the simple cues and setup steps most lifters never hear. No fluff, no mobility routines—just the essentials that make the squat finally click. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains.

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?

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Testify Anchor - November 17, 2025

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video You're Doing It Wrong! Cleans vs Hang Cleans vs Power Cleans! | Olympic Weightlifting (click the title to watch):

Aldo Almanzar
What about "clean presses"?

Phil
Are you asking about the “clean and press“? That lift used to be part of Olympic weightlifting about 50 or so years ago but is no longer a part of the competition.

Aldo Almanzar
​@TestifySCThanks for clarifying; I appreciate it.

Phil
You're very welcome.

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

Deadlift Explained in 3 Minutes
A clear, no-nonsense explanation of the deadlift. No fluff, no confusion — whether you’re a beginner or need a quick refresher, Phil covers setup, execution, and consistency from rep to rep. Click here to watch.

 

This Weird Press Error is A Problem
Are you making this mistake at the start of your press? If so, it's messing up your press bad. We help you identify the error and fix it quickly. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: TRAINING LOG: How to Keep a Training Log and Why You Should (Lifting Gear Series)
Phil 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. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: The Deadlift Mistake That Happens After You Think You’re Done
We help you easily and efficiently set the bar back down right over the middle of the foot after each deadlift rep. 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
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 2025.10.13.

Option 2
Bike/row:
3 rounds of:
8 x 20 sec on/40 sec off
Rest 3 min between rounds

Score = lowest distance

Compare to 2025.08.25.

Option 3
Outdoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
50 yd farmer carry (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Indoors:
5-10 rounds:
10 sledgehammer strikes (5R, 5L)
100 ft farmer carry (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute

Compare to 2025.07.28.

Option 4
1. 5 yoke carries @ 30 yd (15 yd downback) – work up to heaviest carry
2. 5 rounds of 5 reps on the axle “clean and press away” – work up to heavy set of 5

Compare to 2025.07.28.

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.

This Weird Press Error is A Problem

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

If you’re making this mistake during the press, it’s highly likely that you’re unaware of it, so let’s identify it quickly and fix it just as fast.

The Problem
When you’re set up to press, you’ve established the correct start position - your elbows are slightly in front of the barbell (as viewed from the side), you’re standing tall, your chest is up, your stance is sufficiently wide, and you’re about to start the hip motion to initiate the press.

However, instead of reaching forward with your hips, you accidentally throw your shoulders backward. This is a problem as it ruins the bounce (and therefore the upward momentum) created by the hip movement.

Be sure to watch one of the videos in this article to see this error in action (as well as the solution!).

Should the Shoulders Move Backward?
The shoulders do, in fact, travel backward a bit as you reach forward with your hips. This is a natural counterbalancing movement - your hips go forward as your shoulders and head go back a bit. This hip movement allows the face to get out of the way of the bar and also creates that lovely bounce we’re looking for to start the barbell’s upward movement.

However, there is a big difference between the natural counterbalancing movement of the upper body and the erroneous and purposeful throwing backward of your shoulders. The first helps the press while the latter ruins it.

figure 1: at left - becky correctly throws her hips forward. at right - becky incorrectly throws her shoulders backward. note the position of her head against the barbell in the background in the two photos.

How to Know if You’re Committing This Error
To ascertain whether or not you’re making this mistake, pay attention to your feet. When you correctly reach forward with your hips, you should feel your weight momentarily shift to the balls of your feet (Figure 1 - left photo).

However, if you are incorrectly throwing your shoulders backward (Figure 1 - right photo), you will feel your weight momentarily shift to your heels instead, making for a weak press.

The Solution
If you feel your weight shifting backward instead of momentarily forward, cue yourself to “get onto the balls of your feet” when you reach forward with your hips (you heels should still stay connected to the floor).

Practice this slowly a few times, and as you get the hang of it, you can be more aggressive and speed up the movement.

To see this error and the solution in action, I’d recommend watching one of the short videos included in this article.

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

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