20 rep squats

[MONSTAFACE]

whats up. i was doign some reading and came across this.

The classic 20-rep squat routines are certainly worth a try. To do this program, one takes 3 deep breaths in between each rep. And, of course you're only supposed to do one set. What's really happening is that you're doing 20 single-rep sets with 10 seconds between each rep. This 10-second pause, while taking the 3 deep breaths, allows you to recruit higher-threshold motor units than if you did the 20 reps in a slam-bam fashion. Hence the greater-than-normal motor unit recruitment. When performed with the right load, you'll cough up a lung at the end of the set (which is a real badge of honor among hardcore trainers). If you're underweight and have low-work capacity, I strongly encourage you to try 20-rep breathing squats. But, like any other routine, it will work only until you adapt to it.

i did not know that there was supposed to be 10 seconds in between reps. has anybody else ever heard of it being like that.

[widdoes2504]

I have never heard of taking so much time off in between reps personally. Anyone else?

[MONSTAFACE]

i sure havent. i thought it got to a point of you taking a long time was when you got tired and felt like you couldnt go anymore. once that happens you take as long as you need to get the next one out.

[_Wolf_]

i dont like 20 reppers. they dont help with overall strength to my 1RM.

[MONSTAFACE]

well i did some reading on it and i know it wont help with overall strength. i know if you want to lift more you have to do just that. and 20 reppers get you good at 20 reps.

but through the reading i have done with it I have never read about going 10 seconds per rep.

so i wanted to see if other people read of it going that way and or if they actually did take 10 seconds per rep

[IronKitten]

Widdowmakers suck

The way I've always known to do a widdowmaker set is to go at a more 'normal' tempo until you start to fatigue (which should be in the mid teens of your reps), then take a couple extra beaths at the top of the rep just to make sure you get through.

But this 10 second rep format may be a variation for a different type of goal.

[Eric3237]

You know it's funny when you see people have conversations about strength. They throw around the word heavy without ANY conception of what that means. Hard is not heavy. Heavy is heavy. Ninety percent of these conversations you will see people arguing about what rep range, is BEST. And compare 20 reps squats with sets of 10 to 12 or just 6 to 7. Basically everything but truly heavy.

This is basically just a really big cluster set. The advantage of clustering is to take a weight that you would normally lift, for example, for 5 reps, and lift it 10 or even 15 times. (You would start out with a clustered set of 5 singles). OR EVEN HEAVIER. This is an excuse NOT to lift heavy but just FEEL like you are lifting heavy. There might be a specific goal in mind for this but I doubt the person writing it actually had one in mind. I mean, "higher threshold motor units" sounds like they want to effect absolute strength. The degree to which it works depends on the individual.

[MONSTAFACE]

ok i feel you. after reading some stuff i figured it was more of an endurance thing anyway. its just the 10 seconds in between sets thing baffled me a bit. thanks for the info though everybody. dont think i will be doing these anytime soon though.


but instead of starting a new thread i will just ask here.......... what do you guys think about squating and doing deadlifts barefooted. is that normally for purposes oh staying on the heels. when i got back into squating i found that i started to lean forward a little bit which i never did and it was killing my knees. after some time off everything was cool. right no i dont feel like im hurting my knees bu i feel like i still tend to lean forward once in a blue. do you think practice with barefeet would help that. i also got this little platform thing at the gym and i was thinking about just squating on that so that way the front of my feet would hang off and i would just be pushing off my heels exclusivley

[IronKitten]

You probably just have a tight posterior chain (which a LOT of people have).

Barefoot will give you a 'flat' plane to work from, since a majority of 'athletic' shoes have a bit of a heel on them.

I have specific shoes that I use on leg days, that are flat soled. Once I switched to those, it was amazing the difference that it made.

[Darkhorse]

Here's typically what happens when I do them. I say "typically" because I just want to make it through without dying.

Pick a weight heavy enough to be able to bust out 7-8 reps without stopping (pausing). When I get to about eight, I pause, take a big 5 or so breaths to regain composure, then bust out 4-5 more. Usually I'm good to go until 14 or so reps. Then I basically have to take 10 breaths (by now they're very shallow fast breaths) then go for 2 more, maybe another set of 2, then I'm just trying to make it through singles until I either hit 20, or the rep is such a slow grinder that my lower back starts really rounding bad.

Personally, I only go as far as my form allows. Usually that's between 17-20 for free squats.