Pauses between reps

andylllI

How long can you pause between reps and still count it as a full set? Like, I can squat 3x but then I need to stand there and pant for about 10-20 seconds if I want to make my last two reps. Is this cheating? If I do that successfully and make all my reps does that mean I should add weight or should k be able to do it smoothly? Same with heavy deads. At what point am I doing 5 sets of singles? Or does it even matter?

canadianlbs

idk, but i stand there and huff for a while between (usually) at least the third and fourth reps. to me it's still time under tension, so so long as i don't actually re-rack the bar it still counts.

interested in hearing opinions on this from people who are more advanced. mr trainer has pointed out to me that if i stand around with the bar over my head before starting my next ohp rep, i'm 'leaking' energy the whole time. to me it's 'resting' but doesn't seem like he sees it that way.

krokador

I always went at it in a not-so-lenient way, as basically, anything more than 2-3 breaths to re-stabilize means I "paused" during the set. If I have to pant for 20 seconds to get it, I'll count the rep but I'll take a note and won't count it as a "success".

Just for a reference, there's an actual training protocol called rest-pauses, where you do as many reps as you can, rest about 20s, do it again, rest another 20s and finish up with all you've got. It's meant to squeeze out more reps that you would in a normal set.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler71.htm

There are strength and muscle adaptations that occur regardless of whether you pause or not, but overall your muscle endurance system won't be taxed the same way. 5x5 is not purely strength, so progressing in weights while doing that would probably reinforce the pattern. You'd still gain strength to a degree, might move up faster, but you're missing out on the cardio adaptations and all that good stuff.

Also, it's a mental thing for me, but if I allow myself to "complete" a set with a pause, I get complacent and might do it more and it's counter productive. So I'd rather not do it!

@canadianlbs You may not realize how much energy you spend just holding the bar statically anywhere because you have never held it there long enough to "feel" it. I have done sets of 10-15 overhead squats, or walking lunges with the bar or kettlebells overhead, and I will confirm that you ARE expending energy holding it there (albeit less than at the bottom position, so if you are going to rest, overhead is the better spot).

It's not quite the same muscles and contraction as the OHP itself so it may not show that much during your rep, but it taxes you in the long run. Again, not necessarily a bad thing: shoulder stabilizers NEED the work, but maybe not throughout a set where you are pressing heavy stuff over your head, haha.

andylllI

Ok thanks that makes sense.

canadianlbs

krokador wrote: »

@canadianlbs You may not realize how much energy you spend just holding the bar statically anywhere because you have never held it there long enough to "feel" it.

yup. it's definitely a 'relative rest' thing. like, 'this is more restful than actually doing the rep.' but nowhere near as restful as having the bar in the rack and my hands on my hips