Succesful pause squat / competitive bench?

[TalEphrat]

Hello Rip,
I started pause squatting a while ago due to an injury, and it works great at the moment. Will soon be slowly switching back to regular squats.


Anyway, I was wondering - how much time one should spend at the bottom without a vertical movement, in order for it to be considered a succesful pause squat / competitive bench?
I mean, mechanically, a regular squat and a regular bench, have 2 points in time that the bar is stationary, by definition (during the switch from "down" to "up").

Do you have an empirical cut-off to what should be considered "paused" rep, when the pause is between the descending phase and the ascending phase?

I guess it would (or should) be related to the stretch reflex, but still, how shall a judge make the call?

[Mark Rippetoe]

A judge will not be involved. Count "one thousand" while motionless and you're good.

[TalEphrat]

A judge will not be involved. Count "one thousand" while motionless and you're good.

Would do that.

How do you think the bench should be judged in that case? Of course without a "press" command, what shall the judge look for in order to give a white light?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I see no reason to pause your bench press unless you are satisfying an arbitrary rule for competition.

[TalEphrat]

I see no reason to pause your bench press unless you are satisfying an arbitrary rule for competition.

My question is, what do you think should be that arbitrary rule in competitions?

[Mark Rippetoe]

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