DEADLIFT REGRETS: Top 10 regrets from veteran lifters

Experience is a great teacher, and it's always great to learn from the mistakes of others so you can avoid the same errors. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers breaks down 10 common deadlift mistakes and how to avoid them. Learn from the mistakes of others — and make faster, safer progress.

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.

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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 Daily News - June 15, 2026

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A post shared by Testify Strength & Cond. (@testifystrengthconditioning)

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video When Deadlifting Heavy, Don't Stand Up & Try This Instead (click the title to watch):

Pius R
This is great!!!!

Phil
Thanks!

Pius R
@TestifySCAfter this Video i instandly walked into my Homegym and tryed it and it felt so good 💪🏽 im hyped to deadlift again in a few days

Phil
I'm glad to hear that it helped!

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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.

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

When Strength Training, Don't Rest & Try This Instead
Rest between sets is important . . . or is it? Phil covers two simple yet overlooked strategies that can improve your training efficiency. Click here to watch.

3 Tactics to Triage Your Squat FAST | Get a Bigger and Better Squat Today
We cover three major technical aspects of your squat to focus on and evaluate when trying to improve your squat. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: 50 Grams of Protein in 1 MINUTE | Fast Protein for Muscle Growth
Need to get some more protein in your diet? We show you how to do it real quick-like. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Quick & Easy DIY Lifting Straps!
Need some lifting straps? Phil shows you how to quickly make a cheap and indestructible pair that you'll use for years. Click here to read.

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SLEEVES ARE OVERRATED - GRAB A TESTIFY TANK!

Sun's out, guns out, and we've got men's and women’s tank tops in multiple colors.

Get yours today and represent your favorite gym!

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

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WHAT'S COMING UP

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 10 Year Celebration!

• June 27, 2026

• Current and former members – join us as we celebrate 10 incredible years of strength, community, and hard work at Testify Strength & Conditioning!

• Please RSVP by clicking here!

• 4:00–7:00 PM

Testify IronFest VIII

• July 10, 2026

• IronFest is a team-based strength meet wherein the contested lifts will be the squat, press, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors will form teams of 2 lifters/team and perform all 4 lifts; each lifter will perform one upper body lift and one lower body lift, and each lifter will receive 3 attempts for each lift.

• Click here to register or for more information.

Minneapolis, MN: Starting Strength Squat & Deadlift Camp

• October 3, 2026

• Spend the day learning the theory and practice of the low bar back squat and the deadlift.

• Participants will spend lots of time on the platform receiving coaching and instruction on the squat and deadlift in a small group setting. We will also have a lecture and discussion on programming and cover how to identify and correct common technical problems.

• Click here to register or for more information.

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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 2026.05.11.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes

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

Compare to 2026.03.23.

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 2026.02.23.

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 2026.02.23.

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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.

3 Tactics to Triage Your Squat FAST | Get a Bigger and Better Squat TODAY

If you don’t have a coach, then – by default – you are your own coach. With this in mind, let’s cover a few major technical points to look for when you watch your squats on video. These are not the only things to look for, of course, but they certainly are large “bang-for-your-buck” items.

Improve these, and you’ll see your squat improve significantly as well.

#1 Balance and Depth
Granted, this covers two concepts, but balance and depth are interrelated, so we’re counting them as one item for today.

On camera, you’ll see balance when you watch your feet. Watch for your heels to flutter off the floor when your balance shifts forward or watch your toes start to wiggle slightly if you get backward. Your feet are not the only thing to watch, but they are an excellent starting point.

squatting 405 lb to proper depth — as ted does here — is much easier when you are balanced over the middle of your foot.

Balance and depth are interrelated because it’s extremely difficult to hit depth on the squat (i.e., get the crease of your hip below the top of your kneecap) if you are out of balance, and this is especially true if your balance has shifted forward.

With this in mind, make sure you are balanced over the middle of your foot, and be sure that you are hitting depth so that your squats actually count.

Remember – it’s a squat. Not a curtsey. Don’t lie to yourself about your depth.

#2 Back Angle
There are two parts to this – are you leaning over on your descent, and are you staying leaned over long enough in the ascent?

Cue yourself to point your chest down right away as you start your descent and remind yourself to “stay in your lean” on the ascent. This will help greatly with correctly driving your hips as you ascend.

#3 Knees
Are you setting your knees correctly during the descent? Are you shoving them forward and out – in line with your toes (which are pointed out about 30°) – and are they stopping roughly above your toes about one-third to one-half of the way into your descent?

If not – if your knees are traveling inside your toes or if they continue to slide forward throughout your entire descent - learn how to set them properly using a TUBOW in the video below.

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.)

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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?

50 Grams of Protein in 1 MINUTE | Fast Protein for Muscle Growth

Need to get some more protein in your diet? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers shows you how to do it real quick-like.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 06/12/23)

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.

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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?

Quick & Easy DIY Lifting Straps!

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/29/21)

You can buy lifting straps, or you can make this practically indestructible pair for about two bucks. Here we go:

Step 1
Purchase some 1-inch climbing tubular webbing (it will be flat even though it’s actually a tube). You can simply type in “climbing tubular webbing” into the search engine of your choice, and you’ll see a host of options, or you can just click here.

You can get something a bit wider than an inch if you like, but the 1-inch material will do just fine. Climbing webbing is extremely durable - remember, climbers trust this stuff with their lives. We’re just trusting it with our deadlifts, rows, etc.

Step 2: Cut a length of webbing about 2 ft long.

Step 2
Cut a length of webbing that is about two feet long. The exact length will vary by person, but you’ll want to err on the longer side. If the straps are too big for your liking, you can easily make them shorter later on. If you have large hands, you might want to go a bit longer than two feet.

steps 3 and 4 (left and right, respectively)

Step 3
Burn the cut ends so the straps don’t fray. A few seconds of burning is all that is necessary.

Be sure to let the burnt ends cool before touching them. This may seem obvious, but trust me - it’s worth mentioning.

Step 4
Place one end of a strap on top of the opposite end of the same strap so that they overlap by an inch or so.

steps 5 and 6 (left and right, respectively)

Step 5
Wrap 6-8 inches of athletic tape around the overlapped ends.

Step 6
Repeat steps 2-5 to create the other strap, and you’re done!

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:

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

• 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.

(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?

When Strength Training, Don't Rest & Try This Instead

Rest between sets is important . . . or is it? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers two simple yet overlooked strategies that can improve your training efficiency.

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?