20 Rep Squats?

[Mic Soloist]

I usually squat heavy from 6-8 reps. Last week I was working with 315-345. I was thinking of doing some 20 rep squats with 225 every now and then. Is this a good idea or is it pointless? Besides endurance what can be gained from these high rep bastards?

[MixmasterNash]

Uh, muscular endurance is the point. Very effective for building it. I guess it also builds character.

Classic 20 rep breathing squats are done with your 10 rep max.

[andy51]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/cyberpump24.htm

hopefully this article helps

just thinking of it is a little scary

[BigCorey75]

if you do 20 rep squats right and they way they are meant to be done, they are by far the most brutal exercise rep scheme ever, and they work well also for endurance and some extra added size


the muscles of the legs are highly more enduranced than other muscles of the body they have to be hit it heavy weight or something really intense like 20 rep sets for some serious results

[Mic Soloist]

That article was awesome

I did the 20-rep squats tonight, and I really understand what the article was talking about.

Though I now know I wasn't going heavy enough. I did

225 x 20
225 x 15
225 x 20

And it did get hard around 10, but I wasnt about to vomit of die at 20. It was one of the toughest things I've done but I would guess 250-275 would give me that feeling. I usually work out with 315-345 for 8-10 reps. So I'm going heavier next time.

[500squat]

that sounds great, I'm going to try this on my next leg day! Can't wait to feel the burn and pump!

[khalid05]

here's my squat sets:
start with:
225 lbs, 15 reps
315 lbs, 12 reps
385 lbs, 10 reps
405 lbs, 8 reps

I can add more weight(495lbs) for like 5 reps, I just don't want to throw up in the gym so I'll take my time until Im fully ready to go up. YEAH!!!

[Mr Joshua]

I think an added benefit is in helping you to focus your mind during workouts. Since the first 10 reps or so are probably relatively easy it's easy for your mind to wander. Staying focused is one of the keys (IMO) to successful weight training.

If you can learn to stay focused on every single rep for 20 then when you go back to your 6-8 range it'll be all that much easier to keep the mind/muscle connection.

[Big Bas]

That article was awesome

I did the 20-rep squats tonight, and I really understand what the article was talking about.

Though I now know I wasn't going heavy enough. I did

225 x 20
225 x 15
225 x 20

And it did get hard around 10, but I wasnt about to vomit of die at 20. It was one of the toughest things I've done but I would guess 250-275 would give me that feeling. I usually work out with 315-345 for 8-10 reps. So I'm going heavier next time.

from what i understood, (please correct me if im wrong), 20 rep squats are meant for only one set... the fact that you did three seems to indicate your weight was too low

[Mad Max]

This is my eventual goal with squats, to do 20 reps with 225lbs, hopefully by August actually.
I remember when I was younger and used to do a hundred un-weighted squats. My legs didn't get much bigger, but they got pretty ripped. But those squats killed, I swear for the last thirty, each and every one was murder.
20 reps with weight sounds like hell. It's clearly a very psychological exercise, but I bet it'd give great gains.

[ryuage]

so would the fact that he stated that he wasnt going heavy enough.

[ericg]

...Classic 20 rep breathing squats are done with your 10 rep max.

Indeed.

Mic - I would say go with at least the 275 next time.

[Roark]

can someone enlighten me concerning "breathing squats"?

[ericg]

You pretty much take your 10RM and do 20 reps with it. After the first ten you will be dead but u suck it up, take a couple deep breaths and go for 11. Repeat till you hit 20 or fail.

[chris mason]

That's right, you just take as long as necessary between reps to get the next rep until you hit 20.

Just make sure you are squatting with safety catches or a very good spotter(s).

1 set is all a proper set of breathing squats calls for. If you can do more than 1 you didn't work hard enough on the first set. It is incredibly hard mentally to make yourself work that hard.

[RBC13]

If you can only do 10 reps maximum with a weight, how can you do 20? Im not seeing this. You do 10, until your legs are physically unable to go up, and do 10 more? If you do 20, then 10 is obviously not your 10RM, it is whatever you go to until failure, so a 20RM then.

[Roark]

hmmm

i usually take approx. 5-10 secs b/w reps w/ a breath or two when i'm doing my regular squats in a 3-5 rep. range

[Mic Soloist]

next week.... 315 x 20 Yes that's right!!!!!

[Manveet]

If you can only do 10 reps maximum with a weight, how can you do 20? Im not seeing this. You do 10, until your legs are physically unable to go up, and do 10 more? If you do 20, then 10 is obviously not your 10RM, it is whatever you go to until failure, so a 20RM then.

Those 10 reps for your max are done in rapid succession.

The 20 reps are done with long pauses after the 10th rep, hence the term "breathing squats." The extra breathing at the top allows you to slightly recover before you perform the next repetition.

[MixmasterNash]

next week.... 315 x 20 Yes that's right!!!!!

Tape that bad boy. That would be great to see!

[Adam]

20 reppers are awesome. They can really put you out though.
I passed out the last 3 times i did them. Now i dont do them.

[Keith Wassung]

If you take a weight that is trully your ten rep max, you can rest all you want, breathe as much as you want between reps, hook up an oxygen mask, etc, and your are NOT going to get double the reps. What the original author, (Perry Rader) meant was for guys to take a weight that they normally squat for ten comfortable reps ( but without really pushing it) and get 20 reps. The deep breathing happens whether you want it to or not. I grew up near Perry and Mabel Rader and spent many hours discussing this issue with him. I don't know anyone that does their squats ( with any kind of substantial weight) that does not take somewhat of a pause between each rep.

having said that, 20 reps rock

Keith