Question about pauses between reps...

[ayjay23]

So I recently did a PR on my squats. After watching the video, I noticed that the longest pause I took between reps was about 14 seconds. I'm wondering, how long is too long of a pause between reps?


P.S. If you're curious to see the pause between reps in my Squats, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv13TBBjjcQ (not may not be available in some countries like Germany due to the stupid Finger Eleven song in the background).

[Michael Wolf]

If the bar is still on your back, unracked, it's generally considered all one set. But as for how long of a pause is beneficial and how long is just wasting energy standing there, I don't know that there's an exact set time. Obviously you need enough time to exhale, re-inhale, and brace your trunk. That's a couple seconds at the very least. In a hard set, most people need more time than that, and often more than one breath between reps.

I think the answer to your question is that it's individual and depends on the person. We can easily find parameters that are clearly too long (five minutes) or too short (half a second), but there's some wiggle room in there for reasonable individual variety. I think most people will find 3-8 seconds between reps in a heavy set of 5 to be within the norm, but that's not a hard rule.

[Brian Jones]

Oldie but a Goodie: This is from a few years ago and none are 14 seconds but Rip takes his time in a determined fashion

[ayjay23]

Oldie but a Goodie: This is from a few years ago and none are 14 seconds but Rip takes his time in a determined fashion

I timed the pauses in Rip's last few reps, and they seem to fall between 7 to 9 seconds. Thanks for the vid. Though, this raises another question: What program was Rip doing during this video that had him doing a high number of reps (10)?

[Michael Wolf]

I timed the pauses in Rip's last few reps, and they seem to fall between 7 to 9 seconds. Thanks for the vid. Though, this raises another question: What program was Rip doing during this video that had him doing a high number of reps (10)?

I don't know. Maybe someone has asked him before, try the search function.

[Brian Jones]

I timed the pauses in Rip's last few reps, and they seem to fall between 7 to 9 seconds. Thanks for the vid. Though, this raises another question: What program was Rip doing during this video that had him doing a high number of reps (10)?

Well . .Rip has said in the past that if you want to meet Jesus try doing a 20 rep set....in this instance maybe he was shooting for a meeting with the Pope?

[Nick Klemetson]

Well . .Rip has said in the past that if you want to meet Jesus try doing a 20 rep set....in this instance maybe he was shooting for a meeting with the Pope?

I figured he was just showing off.

[Nermin]

If I recall correctly, Mark ssaid that on the last day of the 20-rep program, Jesus asks if he can work in. Is there any scientific literature that can back this claim up?

[ayjay23]

If I recall correctly, Mark ssaid that on the last day of the 20-rep program, Jesus asks if he can work in. Is there any scientific literature that can back this claim up?

Yes, it's John 3:17.