6 Things Successful Lifters Do Before Deadlifting HEAVY

Do you want to know what successful, intelligent, wily lifters do before pulling heavy? Let’s dive in with six solid tips and tactics.

#1 Chalk
It’s a big deal.

If you’re going to pull heavy – if you’re going to deadlift at all – be sure to train with chalk.

If your gym doesn’t provide chalk, then you bring your own.

If your gym doesn’t allow chalk, then either sneak it in anyway, use something like liquid chalk, or simply find another gym. It’s that important.

#2 Be picky with your stance.
Line up close to the bar. Set up so that your shins (when vertical) are about one inch from the bar. The stance will be fairly narrow – about hip width – and with your toes pointed out at about 10-15°.

Lining up this close puts the bar right over the middle of your foot, which – as your balance point – is the best place from which to try and pull heavy weights.

Mike lines up with the bar over midfoot.

#3 Grip
Use a hook grip, use an alternate grip (AKA mixed grip or switch grip), or use straps.

Don’t miss out on the deadlift’s training benefits by allowing grip to be the limiting factor. Use chalk on your first day of deadlifting, and within a month or two of starting to train, be sure to use a modified grip (read: stronger grip) as well.

Remember, no one cares what you can deadlift with a double overhand grip, so don’t sacrifice your deadlift progress on the altar of “I gotta build up my grip strength, bro.”

#4 Midfoot balance
You want the bar over the middle of your foot, and you want your balance to be over the middle of your foot as well.

Another way of thinking about this is that you want your weight to be equally distributed from the front of your foot to the back of your foot. You generally do this automatically when standing, so be sure to maintain midfoot balance as you bend over to grab the bar.

#5 Shins touching the bar
Don’t ever try to pull the bar off the floor without your shins in contact with the barbell.

After taking your grip during the setup process, you bend your knees slightly to bring your shins into contact with the bar. After this, it is the job of your arms (specifically, your lats) to keep the bar in contact with your shins.

Cue yourself, “Pin it to the shins.”

If you have the the bar over you midfoot, if you have midfoot balance, and if you keep the bar pinned to your shins, you will have solved most of the positioning problems people have in the deadlift.

#6 Breathe and brace correctly.
Before you pull the bar off the floor, take a big breath, hold that breath by performing a Valsalva maneuver, and set your back in flat, rigid extension. Hold that breath throughout the entire rep until the bar is back on the floor.

If you’re not sure what a Valsalva maneuver is, be sure to watch the video below. It will help you breathe and brace correctly and thus maintain a tight and rigid back as you break the bar smoothly off the floor.

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?

How to Deadlift 600 POUNDS in 10 Minutes | Save Time at the Gym

You can save some serious time during your training sessions, and it's not complicated. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers explains and demonstrates how to do it.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 06/10/23)

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?

How to EASILY Move Stall Mats! | Gym Equipment

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 11/10/23)

The classic ¾-inch-thick, 4 ft x 6 ft horse stall mat is very useful for gyms - whether a commercial gym or a home gym. We’ve used many, many mats in the construction of our lifting platforms, and you can also simply use them as gym flooring.

However, they are a pain to move. A real big pain in the butt in fact, so whether you’ve got a partner to help you or you’re moving mats on your own, let’s solve this problem.

Note: While I’ve provided photos to help, all of these solutions are far more easily understood in action in the included videos.

Figure 1: Two People - hanging the mat over a board (top) and rolling up the mat (bottom)

TWO PEOPLE
If you’ve got two people, there are a couple of solutions (Figure 1), and we’ll cover a third option in the “reverse taco” section later in this article.

Solution 1
One option is to lay a board (or pole) on the floor. Next, lay the mat on top of the board. Finally, pick up both ends of the board and rest them on one shoulder of each person.

Solution 2
A second option is to simply roll the mat up and have each person grab one end.

ONE PERSON (Reverse Taco Method)
Having two people is nice, but there is a very easy way to drag a stall mat when you’re on your own. Now, don’t try to drag it like the fool in Figure 2 - you’ll have to pinch the mat extremely hard between your fingers, it will be very difficult to keep that grip, and half the time, the mat will simply slip out of your hands.

Figure 2: Don’t use either of these methods. they’re dumb.

Instead, do the following as described in the three steps below and as demonstrated in Figure 3.

Step 1
Pick the mat up from the edges.

Step 2
Flip the mat so it creates a “hill.” The edges of the mat will now be wedged into your hands, which means that you don’t have to hang on very tightly at all.

Step 3
Drag the mat. You’ll be surprised at how easily you can hang onto the mat utilizing this method.

figure 3

This method can also be utilized by two people (Figure 4), and as mentioned earlier, this is far more easily demonstrated and understood on video than with the printed word and photos, so I’d recommend watching one of the included videos.

Figure 4: 2-person reverse taco method

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.)

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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?

10 Lifting Mistakes in 10 Minutes

From beginners to experienced lifters, these mistakes show up everywhere. In under 10 minutes, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 10 common lifting errors and how to correct them quickly.

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 Today - June 1, 2026

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

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video Your BENCH PRESS Waits Your WHOLE LIFE For You to DO THIS (Don't Mess This Up) (click the title to watch):

Danny Salinas
Im a shorter guy, how do I engage my legs better?

Phil
Solid question, Danny, and that’s pretty common. Placing bumper plates or some form of block under your feet can help greatly. We did a video on this a while back, so you might find this useful:

Bench Press with Short Legs or Back Pain?
https://youtu.be/6-13zabgXHI

It’s a common enough issue that powerlifting meets always provide blocks for those with shorter legs.

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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

Your BENCH PRESS Waits Your WHOLE LIFE For You to DO THIS (Don't Mess This Up)
Lifters make these bench press errors their whole lives and never realize it, and if your bench is stuck, you might be making one of these four common mistakes. We cover how to fix them fast and bench more effectively. Click here to watch.

8 Tips to Breathe & Brace CORRECTLY When Lifting Heavy (Also: #1 Mistake!)
How and when should you breathe and brace when lifting weights? Whether you're training for general strength or for a sport such as weightlifting, powerlifting, strengthlifting, or strongman, the process is not complicated, but there's a lot of poor information out there to sift through, so Phil explains it all in this short article. Click here to read.

Blast from the Past: Why THIS is What You're Missing
You're not physically (or mentally) normal without this. Click here to watch.

Blast from the Past: Weightlifting vs Powerlifting vs Strengthlifting - What's the Difference?!
The terms weightlifting, powerlifting, and strengthlifting can all sound pretty similar if you're unfamiliar with them, so Phil discusses the differences. 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 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
“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 2026.04.27.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 3 minutes

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

Compare to 2026.03.09.

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 2026.02.09.

Option 4
10 x 50 ft yoke carry
Each carry is 25 feet down and 25 feet back and is for time. Rest 1 minute between carries.

Compare to 2026.02.09.

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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.

8 Tips to Breathe & Brace CORRECTLY When Lifting Heavy (Also: #1 Mistake!)

Let’s cover 8 tips on how to breathe and brace when lifting. Tips #1-4 cover how to do this correctly while tips #5-8 cover what not to do (i.e., common mistakes).

Tip #1: If the bar is moving, you’re not breathing.
Breathe in at the start of the movement, hold that breath throughout the entire rep, and then breathe it out at the end of the movement.

Remember this – if the bar is moving, you’re not breathing.

Breath is support, and thus we want to hold a nice full breath in our lungs when lifting. For example, in the squat, take a breath in at the top of the rep, hold that breath all the way down and back up again, and then release it after you’ve locked out the rep.

On the deadlift, breathe in when the bar is on the floor, hold that breath all the way up to lockout and then back down again, and then release that breath only when the bar is back on the floor.

Tip #2: How do you hold your breath correctly?
Specifically, you perform a Valsalva maneuver, i.e., you forcefully hold your breath against a closed glottis. Put another way, you hold your breath in your throat.

If you’re not sure how to do this, say the word “hick” and hold the “ck’ sound. If you do this, you’re performing the Valsalva maneuver correctly.

Tip #3: Get ready to take a punch.
As you perform your Valsalva maneuver, you’re going to make your midsection tight and rigid. Tighten every single muscle in your trunk (never say “core” unless you’re a “too-tight-polo-shirt-wearing-clip-board-holding-personal-trainer”). Pretend you’re about to take a punch right in the gut, and you’ll probably be doing this very well indeed.

Keep these muscles flexed rigidly all the way down and back up again (or all the way up and down again in the case of the the deadlift), and you’ll be bracing correctly.

Tip #4: Belt
Use a lifting belt.

Among other benefits, a belt provides excellent proprioceptive feedback on what you’re doing with the muscles of your midsection. Also, since you now have something to brace against, you can brace harder, i.e., you can use those trunk muscles more effectively with a belt than without a belt.

Tip #5: Don’t breathe like a buffoon when deadlifting.
Don’t release your breath at the top of the deadlift.

Remember – breath is support, so keep that support until the bar is resting on the floor again.

You’re not hanging out at the top of the deadlift for long – you’re not going to pass out before the bar is back on the deck, so this is easy to do in the technical sense, but releasing your breath at the top can be a difficult habit to break if you’ve been making this error for a while.

To fix this, cue yourself to “lift silently.” From the time the bar starts moving, your mouth shouldn’t make any noise until the bar is resting on the floor again, and this cue does an excellent job reminding you of this.

Tip #6: Don’t “bear down.”
The cue “bear down” is sometimes used to remind people to get tight and brace hard.

However, you never want to push anything in a downward direction when bracing correctly. You are not giving birth, nor are you pooping (although both involve the Valsalva maneuver), so don’t push anything downward when getting tight unless you want to be changing your pants after squatting.

Again, simply think of getting tight as preparing to take a punch. If anything, you can cue yourself to “bear in” (or “bear upward”) as if you’re trying to crush your belly button.

Tip #7: Don’t overcomplicate this.
You’ve been breathing your whole life without thinking about it. You’ve also been performing the Valsalva maneuver your whole life without thinking about it (e.g., anytime you’ve tried to push a stuck vehicle or heavy box).

With that said, now that you’re focused on breathing and bracing correctly, it’s easy to complicate it, and the “fitness social media” world loves to make this worse.

Take a big breath, brace hard like you’re going to get punched, and hold that through the entire rep.

Don’t buy into that old 80s and 90s fitness magazine nonsense about “breathing in on the way down and breathing out on the way up.” Again, if the bar is moving, you’re not breathing.

Tip #8: Don’t hold your breath with puffed out cheeks.
If you’re holding your breath with puffed out cheeks, i.e., if you’re holding your breath against your lips, you’re performing the Valsalva maneuver incorrectly.

This is probably the most common breathing and bracing error we see, so remember – you hold your breath in your throat and not in your mouth against your lips. If you’re doing it correctly, you should be able to Valsalva with your mouth closed or open. Try out the “hick” method back in tip #2, and you’ll be doing it correctly.

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?