The Squat: Vertical Will Happen . . . Eventually.

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 04/01/22)

For both new and experienced lifters, a common problem in the squat is that of trying to make the back angle become more vertical right away as the lifter starts the ascent. In other words, the lifter is lifting the chest when he starts his ascent instead of maintaining his “lean” and driving his hips up.

If you have this problem, here’s something to remember: Vertical will happen eventually, but wait for it.

In other words, your back angle will become more vertical eventually - we do finish the lift in a completely upright position - but don’t try to make your back angle more vertical (i.e., don’t raise your chest) - right away. It makes life difficult, uncomfortable, and it makes for a weaker squat.

Drive your hips. Stay in your lean. Stay leaned over. Keep your chest pointed at the floor. These are simply different cues for the same motion, and reminding yourself that “vertical happens eventually, but wait for it” might be a good reminder for you as well.

So, unlike Jester and Maverick, don’t go vertical - at least not right away. As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

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How to SQUAT (in 60 seconds!)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Learn to squat in 1 minute! We cover the basics of the squat in a straightforward manner.

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.

The Testify Chronicle - April 22, 2024

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video The Hook Grip: HOW to Use It and WHY it Works (click the title to watch):

Buono Legnani's Palette
What is stronger? The hook grip of the switch grip? Which grip have been used to set world records in the deadlift?

Phil
They are both very strong, but you will typically see more switch grip than hook grip. Switch grip is more comfortable, and if you have smaller hands or chubbier hands, then hook grip might not be possible.

TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

Stop spinning your wheels and start getting stronger working remotely with one of our Starting Strength Coaches. Click here to contact us and learn more.

Get Stronger. Live Better. Start today.

ARTICLES & VIDEOS

This Bench Press Fix is a Game-Changer
Are you making this mistake on your bench press? Let’s fix it simply and quickly. Click here to watch.

 

The Mistake That is KILLING Your Deadlift! | How to Set Your Back: Part 4
Is your hideously rounded back wreaking havoc on your deadlift? Let’s fix it fast in Part 4 of this series. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: Motivation is for Suckers. Punch the Clock.
Relying on motivation to keep your training on track? Don't. Motivation is a fickle thing. Habit is where it's at. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: You WILL Get Weaker . . . So Why Bother?
If you're going to just get weaker eventually, anyway, does training even matter? It does indeed - even more so because of that fact. Phil explains. Click here to read.

NEW TESTIFY HOODIES ARE AVAILABLE!

Looking to train in style? Get yourself a Testify hoodie - in practically any color! Get yours today and represent your favorite gym.

Click here to head to the Testify Store.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Reminder: The gym will have modified training hours on Friday, 04/26/24, and Saturday, 04/27/24, as we are hosting the Starting Strength Coaches Conference that weekend.

  • Friday hours: 5:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (no afternoon hours)

  • Saturday hours: 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

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.

Starting Strength Self-Sufficient Lifter Camp

  • May 18, 2024

  • Spend the day learning the Squat, Press, and Deadlift and how to self-evaluate your lifts while training in your garage or commercial gym without a coach.

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify Strongman Summer Showdown

  • June 22, 2024

  • Show up to lift, throw, carry, push, and pull big things, but most importantly, show up to have a great time with your fellow competitors and perhaps try something new!

  • Click here to register or for more information.

Testify IronFest VI

  • July 12, 2024

  • 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.

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 2024.02.19.

Option 2
5 rounds:
10 cal bike
1 min rest
4 sandbag-over-bars
1 min rest

Set the yoke crossmember at 35/33, and the weight is 150#/75#.

Compare to 2024.01.29.

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 2024.01.01.

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 2024.01.24.

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

The Mistake That is KILLING Your Deadlift! | How to Set Your Back: Part 4

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

The Problem
You don’t want to look like the fool in Figure 1 when you’re deadlifting. After all, before you pull the barbell off the floor, you want your back to be in flat, rigid extension, so with this in mind, welcome back to our series on how to accomplish exactly that.

figure 1: no one should look like this . . . it’s just hideous.

In Part 1 of this series, we covered the cue “squeeze your chest up,” which is included in the 5-step setup for the deadlift, in Part 2, we talked about “pushing your belly down between your thighs,” and in Part 3, we discussed the cue “wrinkles in your shirt.” However, if those concepts and cues aren’t working for you, try today’s cue on for size . . .

Cue #4: Point Your Rectum at the Wall
Is this an anatomically blunt cue? Absolutely, and if you’re surprised by this one, stick around to the end of this article for a related cue that’ll make your mind . . . explode.

In the meantime, being blunt is exactly the point of this cue (I’d recommend watching the included video). You’re focusing on something very specific, telling yourself to point it in a very specific direction, and thus giving yourself a very specific task to accomplish.

Point your rectum at the wall behind you.

This gets across the idea that there should be a slight tilt of the hips (i.e., anterior pelvic tilt) to accomplish the task of setting your back. After all, you don’t point your rectum at the wall by raising your butt but rather by a slight forward tilting of the pelvis.

Another Way to Cue Yourself
My favorite version of this cue - a bit crude, but extraordinarily memorable - is as follows:

If you have explosive diarrhea, you need to spray the wall behind you - not the floor.

Figure 2: Becky sets her back nicely, but milo and parker are not fans of this cue.

A rather colorful concept, to be sure, but it often does the job nicely . . . especially if you have the sense of humor of a 14-year-old boy. Either way, whether you point your rectum at the wall or try to spray the wall, we hope this assists you in your quest for a better, stronger deadlift.

We’ll be back for Part 5 in the near future, and as always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

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

If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?

Motivation is for Suckers. Punch the Clock.

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Relying on motivation to keep your training on track? Don't. Motivation is a fickle thing. Habit is where it's at.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 05/14/22)

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Click the button below to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach and start getting stronger TODAY.

You WILL Get Weaker . . . So Why Bother?

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Julie understands the importance of getting strong now.

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 03/25/22)

This topic may not be particularly inspiring, but it is extremely important. Here goes:

You will get weaker. So get stronger. Right. Now.

Everyone gets weaker at some point. As the saying goes, in the game of life, “ . . . no one gets out alive.” Whether through injury, illness, or age, there will come a point when we start to get weaker, so it’s very wise to grab a barbell and starting getting really strong right now - while we still can.

When a man who has a 400 lb squat gets older and starts to lose some strength, he still has a 350 lb squat or maybe a 300 lb squat. That is still a very capable man.

When a woman who has a 225 lb deadlift gets older and starts to lose some strength, she still has a 200 lb deadlift or maybe a 175 lb deadlift. Again, that is still a very capable woman.

When a man who can barely climb the stairs gets older and starts to lose some strength, he can no longer climb those stairs. He is no longer nearly as capable in his daily life as he once was.

Strength is vital for the quality of your life. Remember, the day you can’t squat is the day you can’t get off the toilet by yourself, and the day you can’t do that is the day you can’t live by yourself anymore, so get to the squat rack today and build the biggest buffer against weakness that you can - you’ll be glad you did.

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

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

If you found this helpful, you’ll love our weekly email. It’s got useful videos, articles, and training tips just like the one in this article. Sign up below, and of course, if you don’t love it, you can unsubscribe at any time.

At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Would you like to get quality coaching from a Starting Strength Coach?