Hail to the dinosaurs!
Training questions are like bananas – they come in batches. One of the common questions over the past few weeks involves the 20-rep breathing squat. Folks want to know how much weight to handle when they begin to perform 20-rep squats.
So let’s talk about that today. And pay attention, because this is one of those topics where there is some very seriously BAD advice carved in granite tablets and presented to the world as Training Gospel.
The BAD advice on 20-rep breathing squats is as follows:
“Take your absolute top, maximum weight for TEN reps – and then perform TWENTY reps with it!”
That’s the time-honored formula, and it’s been repeated over and over again so many times that it’s probably one of the best known “rules” out there.
It gets repeated because it’s dramatic and it’s impressive and it gets you fired up and rarin’ to go out and do some heavy squats. And it makes an important point about 20-rep breathing squats – which is, you really need to work hard on them.
But you DON”T do it by charging off and doing 20 reps with your 10-rep maximum the very first time you do breathing squats.
Instead, you do it this way – slowly, progressively and intelligently:
1. Take 50% of your 10-rep max and do 20 reps.
2. Perform each rep in letter- perfect form.
3. Concentrate on your breathing.
4. Work to make this the bets set of squats you have ever done.
5. Immediately after the squats, perform 20 reps of the breathing pullover with very light dumbbells (no more than 15 pounds) or a 15 to 25 pound barbell. Do NOT go heavy on the pullovers. They are supposed to be very light, because all you are trying to do is to expand your ribcage through deep breathing and stretching.
In your next squat workout, add five or ten pounds to the bar and perform another PERFECT set of 20 reps.
Continue in this fashion, slowly and steadily, until you are handling your maximum possible weight for 20 reps.
At that point, try to add weight when ever possible.
By starting with an EASY weight at the beginning, you develop good habits for your breathing squats. You learn to perform each rep in absolutely perfect form. And you learn how to focus for the full 20-rep set.
If you start too heavy – which is what most guys do – you almost always begin to perform your reps in lousy form. You round your back. You cut your depth. You drop and bounce. You don’ t raise your chest and shoulders as high as possible when you breath between reps. You start to lean over and look down at the floor in-between reps.
That’s not good. It makes the exercise far less productive – and much more dangerous.
In addition, if you start light and build up, you develop a success-oriented mentality and approach each workout with plenty of confidence. In contrast, if you start too heavy, you quickly fall into the “Can I do it?” mentality – and pretty soon, you don’t get your full 20 reps – and then everything starts to fall apart and your progress comes to a crashing halt and you burn out big time.
I know. I’ve been there. I’ve made the very same mistake I’m telling you all about. And I’ve seen plenty of other people make the very same mistake.
You may very well get to the point where you are handling your former top weight for 10-reps for a full 20-reps in the breathing squat – but don’t try to START there. Start light, and work your way up.
The above advice also applies to 20-rep deadlifts or any other high rep “death set” or “death march” exercise. YES, you are going to work them hard. Very hard. But NO, you are not going to go full-bore the very first time you try them.
So if you’re thinking about doing 20-rep squats or deadlifts, keep the above points in mind. And look forward to some good old-fashioned hard work – and some GREAT GAINS!
As always, thanks for reading, and have a great day. If you train today, make it a good one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. For more information about 20-rep squats and deadlifts, weight gaining programs and heavy-duty, high-octane muscle-building workouts, grab a copy of Dinosaur Training and a copy of Strength, Muscle and Power:
1. Dinosaur Training: Lost Secrets of Strength and Development:
http://www.brookskubik.com/dinosaur_training.html
2. Strength, Muscle and power:
http://www.brookskubik.com/strength_muscle_power.html
