Bar Math: Are You Using the S.A.D. Method? Stop It Now.
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 10/01/21)
Bar math can be tricky, and if you’re a new lifter (or even an experienced one!), you might find that simply loading the correct weight on the bar is one of the more difficult aspects of your training experience. Let’s solve this (if you like, you can just scroll to the end of this article and watch the video instead!).
First - what not to do. Do NOT use the “subtract-and-divide” (SAD) method to figure out your bar math. Here’s an example - we want 110 lb on the bar (i.e., 110 lb total - including the bar’s weight), so we subtract the 45 lb bar from 110 lb, and we get 65 lb left over. We then divide 65 by 2 since we have to split that 65 lb between each side of the barbell to get 32.5 lb, and now we need to figure out how to load 32.5 lb on each side.
Again - do NOT do this. Mathematically, yes, it makes sense, but in the long run, it’s neither the easiest nor the quickest way to go about this process. We’ve seen people break out calculators to do this, and we’ve even seen people working some long division to accomplish this process, but no matter what tools you have at your disposal, SAD isn’t very practical, and it’s rather error prone as well.
The best method is to simply load the largest possible plate (without going over your target weight) that you can every single time. Your brain works decently with subtraction and division, but it works quite a bit better with addition and multiplication, and this “largest possible plate” (LPP) method takes advantage of this fact. An additional advantage to this method is that you’ll start to memorize some “milestone weights” or “landmark weights” along the way (this will happen whether you mean to do so or not!), and this is extremely useful.
Let’s run through the 110 lb example again - this time using LPP. (Warning - this looks bad on paper, but it’s far easier in practice.)
Can I add a 45 lb plate (on each side)? 45 x 2 = 90, and adding 90 lb to the bar is too much, so no, I can’t. Move on.
Can I add a 25? 25 x 2 = 50, and 50 + 45 (bar’s weight) = 95, so yes, I can.
By the way, 95 lb is one of those landmark weights you’ll eventually have memorized, which is very useful as you’ll build upon that for other weights.
Now we’re at 95 lb. Can I add a 10? 10 x 2 = 20, and 20 + 95 = 115, and that’s too much, so no, I can’t add a 10. Move on.
We’re still at 95 lb. Can I add a 5? 5 x 2 = 10, and 10 + 95 = 105, so yes, I can.
Now we’re at 105 lb, and I’m close enough to 110 that I realize that I need 5 more lb total, so I simply add a 2.5 lb plate to each side, and I’m done. (Technically, there’s a little “subtract-and-divide” going on here at the end, but I get to do it with very small numbers, which is nice.)
To recap:
Adding 25s (i.e., one to each side) takes us to 95 lb (in total weight).
Adding 5s takes us to 105 lb.
Adding 2.5s takes us to 110 lb.
This is actually far simpler in practice than it looks on paper, but you’ll have to try it out to believe me. Again, all you need to do is put the largest possible plate on every single time without actually going above the weight that you’re trying to reach.
By doing this repeatedly as you train each day, you’ll eventually know that 25-lb plates take you to 95 lb, 45-lb plates take you to 135 lb, etc., and this type of accidental memorization speeds up the process even more. In the long run, if you force yourself to keep doing your bar math in this manner, you’ll be a faster and more accurate “bar mathematician” than if you stuck with the ol’ SAD method.
Feel free to check out our video on this topic, and 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.
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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?
6 Hard Truths About Lifting Belts Most Lifters LEARN Too Late
/A lifting belt is one of the most misused pieces of gear in the gym. In this video, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers breaks down six common mistakes and the simple corrections that go with them.
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?
The Testify Morning News - April 27, 2026
/THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION
From our video When Deadlifting Heavy, Don't Stand Up & Try This Instead (click the title to watch):
Joseph Dickerson
Press the ground like a leg press, essentially.
Phil
You've nailed it, and we use that cue as well at the 5:49 mark.
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
Stop Using a Utility Knife to Cut Horse Stall Mats (Do This Instead)
Cutting horse stall mats with a utility knife is slow, frustrating, and unnecessary. Here’s a faster, easier method - plus the simplest way to move heavy mats by yourself. Click here to watch.
This Bench Press Fix is a Game-Changer
Are you making this mistake on your bench press? Phil helps you fix it simply and quickly. Click here to read.
Blast from the Past: Most Common Deadlift Error? (It's NOT What You Think)
Are you making this deadlift error? It's extremely common, and it's making your deadlifts a lot harder (and take longer!) than they should be. We help you fix it quickly. Click here to watch.
Blast from the Past: Cleans vs Power Cleans vs Hang Cleans - What's the Difference?!
Cleans, power cleans, hang cleans, hang power cleans - Phil covers the differences as well as how to easily remember each one. Click here to read.
TESTIFY CAMPFIRE MUGS ARE AVAILABLE!
For lifters who train hard . . . and like a little campfire-style to go along with their training sessions. Durable, no-frills, and proudly wearing the Testify logo. From campsite to squat rack, this mug's for you.
Click here to head to the Testify Store.
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 Barbell MAYhem - The Clean & Press Classic
May 1, 2026
The annual Barbell MAYhem is back, and this year's event is a Friday night clean-and-press!
This is a single-lift weightlifting meet wherein competitors will perform the clean-and-press. Each lifter will receive 3 attempts, and the heaviest successful lift will determine their score.
There will be prizes - for feats both serious and outlandish - throughout the night!
Click here to register or for more information.
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.
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 2026.03.23.
Option 2
Bike/row:
12 min TT
Score = distance
Compare to 2026.02.02.
Option 3
Outdoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
50 yd sled push (25 yd down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Indoors:
8 rounds:
4 tire flips
100 ft sled push (50 ft down-back)
Rest 1 minute
Compare to 2026.01.05.
Option 4
5 rounds:
4 tire flips
8 sledgehammer strikes
6 pull-ups
10 push-ups
Pull-ups and push-ups can be modified – talk to the coaches for options.
Compare to 2026.01.05.
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 Bench Press Fix is a Game-Changer
/Did that last rep of your bench press set actually count? Let’s find out.
Movement Standards or “Who Am I Kidding?”
In last week’s article, we discussed a movement standard for the press. Specifically, the knees have to remain straight – if the knees bend, it’s no longer a press (as you just accidentally performed a push press), so the rep doesn’t count.
Likewise, in the squat, there’s a movement standard. Get your hip crease below the top of your patella at the bottom of the squat. If you didn’t do that, you didn’t squat – you just performed a curtsey with a barbell on your back.
That’s weird, so make sure you hit depth.
Not surprisingly, there are movement standards in the bench press as well. Of course, the barbell has to touch your chest at the bottom of the rep, and you have to lock out your arms at the top of the rep.
However, many people forget – or are simply unaware – that your butt has to stay in contact with the bench throughout the entire rep.
If your keister comes up off of the bench (Figure 1), the rep doesn’t count, and it’s easy to make this mistake by using the legs incorrectly when benching.
Figure 1: Mike mistakenly lifts his butt up off of the bench . . . this is no good.
Leg Drive in the Bench Press
Executed properly, use of the legs creates stability and supports your arch. To do this, you endeavor to drive your body up the bench (in the direction of your head). You don’t slide in that direction, of course, because the bar is pinning your shoulders down to the bench, but the act of attempting to drive your body up the bench gives increased lateral stability (since you’re utilizing a roughly squat-width stance), a supported arch, and a certain amount of compression and therefore rigidity in your torso.
When people lift their butt up off of the bench, however, they are accidentally using their legs to drive their bodies vertically upward instead of horizontally “up the bench.”
The Solution
To fix this, drive your feet diagonally forward and down into the ground. You don’t drive your feet entirely downward as this will cause you to bridge your hips up off of the bench, and you can’t drive your feet entirely forward as they would simply slide across the floor.
figure 2: Mike correctly keeps his hips in contact with the bench . . . much better.
Thus, you push your feet diagonally into the floor, and in doing so, you’ll provide the horizontal “up the bench” drive you’re looking for without accidentally lifting your butt up off of the bench.
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?
Most Common Deadlift Error? (It's NOT What You Think)
/Are you making this deadlift error? It's extremely common, and it's making your deadlifts a lot harder (and take longer!) than they should be. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers helps you fix it quickly.
(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/20/23)
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.