When warming up, don’t rest & try this instead (plus 10 more tips)

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Your warm-up is either preparing you to lift well . . . or wasting your time. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 11 tips that fix the most common warm-up mistakes, including one counterintuitive tip that surprises a lot of lifters.

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.

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  • Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

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(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?

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Testify Journal - August 31, 2026

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

THIS WEEK'S SUBMISSION

From our video This Stupid Trick Made His Deadlift So Much Easier (click the title to watch):

Biknjak
Great video, Phil. I worked out at a gym once that had ONLY octagonal plates. Talk about bar rolling! When you lower them, they NEVER land on a flat spot. They either roll away from you, or into your shins....ouch! You have to reset every time. Not great for deadlifting😬😳

Phil
Thanks very much, and ah yes, the octogonal plates . . . so true about never landing on a flat spot. They are indeed great shin busters.

TESTIFY ONLINE COACHING

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ARTICLES & VIDEOS

The ONLY Grip That Will Make Your Bench & Press Stronger
Your grip can make a big difference in how effectively you bench and press. In this video, Phil shows you the grip that gives you the strongest, most effective position for both lifts. Click here to watch.

 

4 ERRORS Beginners Make that Experienced Lifters NEVER Do | Part 1 - The Squat
Beginner lifters make these 4 mistakes in the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press. Phil explains and covers how to successfully fix them. This week’s article covers the squat. Click here to read.

 

Blast from the Past: The Bench Press Truth No One Told You
Want to improve your bench press? Make sure you're doing this . . . and not that. Click here to watch.

 

Blast from the Past: 4 Tips for a Better Bench Press
We cover 4 useful tips to help you build a better, stronger bench press. Click here to read.

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.

WHAT'S COMING UP

Below is one 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.

Reminder: We will be closed for training on Monday, 09/07/26, in observance of Labor Day.

Push Pull Pandemonium

  • October 16, 2026

  • Join us for a Friday evening filled with benching, deadlifting, and general revelry!

  • Sign up by September 25 to get a meet shirt and avoid the late registration rate!

  • Registration ends October 15.

  • 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.

Kansas City, MO: Starting Strength Squat & Deadlift Camp

  • November 14, 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
Sled
Outdoors:
10-20 x 25 yds EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every minute, push the sled 25 yards, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.

Indoors:
10-20 x 100 ft EMOM at a weight of your choice

Every minute, push the sled 100 feet, i.e., if pushing the sled takes 20 seconds, then you have 40 seconds to rest. Perform 10-20 rounds.

Compare to 2026.07.27.

Option 2
Bike/row:
4 x 800m

Rest 3 minutes between each round. Score = slowest time.

Compare to 2026.06.08.

Option 3
1. 5 x 50 ft seated sled pull. Add weight each round. Rest as needed.
2. 5 x 100 ft duck walk. Add weight each round. Rest as needed.

Compare to 2026.05.11.

Option 4
Outdoors
4 rounds:
50 yd farmer carry
80 m sled drag
Rest 2 min

Indoors
4 rounds:
100 ft farmer carry
100 ft sled drag
Rest 2 min

Compare to 2026.05.11.

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.

4 ERRORS Beginners Make that Experienced Lifters NEVER Do | Part 1 - The Squat

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

In this multi-part series, we cover four mistakes that lifters often make when starting out. We cover one mistake each for the squat, press, deadlift, and bench press. These are all errors of inefficiency, and as such, people often don’t realize they’re making these mistakes.

Today’s lift is the squat, and the error is that of doing too much with your feet. This shows up in four different ways, so let’s cover each version of the error.

Version #1: Squat Stand
Don’t back out a mile from the squat stand.

Some lifters back out far enough that the safeties stand very little chance of being useful in the event of a missed rep. As a result, the lifter wastes energy backing out farther than needed and potentially puts himself in danger.

Stay within the radius of your safeties (Figure 1) – it’s smarter, safer, and it doesn’t waste energy.

figure 1: this is a reasonable distance back from the rack while staying within the radius of the spotter arms.

Version #2: Deep Power Rack
A power rack (i.e., a squat rack with four uprights) often prevents you from committing version #1 of today’s error (i.e., backing out too far). When you stand the bar up from the hooks and step back, the presence of the uprights behind you tends to provide a subconscious pressure that keeps you from stepping too far back (Figure 2).

figure 2: Megan demonstrates the proper setup inside a power rack.

However, there are plenty of power racks that are quite deep - three to four feet deep for some models (Figure 3). With racks such as these, it’s still quite possible to waste both time and energy backing out too far.

figure 4

The solution is simple – once you’ve stood the barbell up from the hooks, take one step back with your left foot, then one step back with your right foot, and you’ll be an appropriate distance back from the uprights without having wasted energy backing up an excessive amount.

Version #3: Spotters
Squatting with spotters is ideal (Figure 4). You have the social pressure of not wanting to fail a rep when your buddies are spotting you – everyone squats better with spotters – and in the event of a failed rep, you don’t end up performing the crawl of shame out from under your bar (which ends up sitting on the safeties when you squat without spotters).

Figure 4: becky squats as Dawson and jill are ready to spot.

In the case of a failed rep, you also get to avoid the annoying process of unloading your bar, getting it back up to the hooks, and then reloading your bar to finish your set. Instead, when the point of failure occurs, your spotters step in, and then you and your spotters lift the bar back up to the hooks together.

However, squatting with spotters is similar to squatting at a squat stand or in a deep power rack since it’s easy to back out too far from the rack. The solution here is the same as it was in version #2: one step back with your right foot, then one step back with your left foot, and you’re good to go . . . unless you commit version #4 of today’s error . . .

Version #4: Stance Fidgeting
Quit messing with your stance.

You are now efficient when backing up from the uprights – right step, then left step – so don’t ruin that efficiency by messing around with your stance for the next 30 seconds.

Give yourself one chance to adjust your right foot, then one chance to adjust your left foot, and that’s it. With a very small amount of practice, that’s all you’ll need to take a consistently accurate stance.

To help with this, make it a practice to keep part of your foot on the ground when adjusting your stance. Move your toes or your heel – not both at the same time (i.e., don’t lift your entire foot up). When you pick your foot up off the ground, you’ll usually make too large of an adjustment.

The entire process is now very simple – one step with your right foot, one step with your left foot, small adjustment with your right foot, and then small adjustment with your left foot.

It’s quick, straightforward, and you don’t waste any energy preparing for your work set.

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

The Bench Press Truth No One Told You

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Want to improve your bench press? Make sure you're doing this . . . and not that.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 07/22/23)

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

4 Tips for a Better Bench Press

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 12/10/21)

Let’s briefly cover a few tips to help you achieve a better, stronger bench press.

Tip #1: Grip
Take your grip so that the barbell rests on the base or heel of the palm, i.e., directly over the bones of the forearm. This is the best position for efficient force transfer between you and the bar.

To do this, simply pronate your hands slightly by internally rotating your arms a bit and then squeezing the bar tightly with your fingers. (scroll through the photos below for a demonstration)

Tip #2: Retract Your Shoulder Blades
For demonstrative purposes, imagine that you’re sitting upright (Figure 2), and there is a pen oriented vertically between your shoulder blades. You want to try and pull your shoulder blades back (i.e., retract your shoulder blades) so that the pen is pinched in place.

figure 2: at left, Becky demonstrates protracted shoulders (bad), and at right, becky demonstrates retracted shoulders (much better).

Now, simply perform that same motion (lying down, of course) when setting up for your bench press. Retract your shoulder blades before you unrack the bar, and then re-retract your shoulder blades after the unrack as well in case you lose a bit of shoulder positioning during the unracking process. Some people find the uprights of the rack useful to assist the process of setting the shoulders. Then, keep your shoulders retracted throughout your set (and re-retract them between reps if they get a bit out of position).

Tip #3: Leg Drive
Drive up the bench with your legs, i.e., use your legs to drive your body horizontally in the direction of your head (“up the bench”). The drive is horizontal, not vertical, so don’t lift your butt up off of the bench (the rep doesn’t count if you do that). Engage your legs before the start of each rep and drive up the bench throughout the entire movement (not just on the ascent).

figure 2: Becky stares at the ceiling

Tip #4: Focal Point
Find a point directly above you on the ceiling and stare at that point throughout the entire set (Figure 2). Before you start your first rep, you can see the bar in your periphery, and the bar needs to finish in that same spot each time. A stationary reference point makes for a more consistent and efficient bar path, so we watch the immovable ceiling and not the moving bar.

We hope these tips help 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?

book a free intro

The ONLY Grip That Will Make Your Bench & Press Stronger

/ Testify Strength & Conditioning/

Your grip can make a big difference in how effectively you bench and press. In this video, Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers shows you the grip that gives you the strongest, most effective position for both lifts.

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