Percentage reduction for paused bench and squats

[AColeman]

Hi all,

I was wondering what the general recommendation is for a percentage reduction for the paused bench and squat.

Regards

Al

[Michael Wolf]

When I first introduce both these lifts, I just have the lifter go through what they did on Day 1 of the Novice program: do a titration up to a moderately heavy set of whatever rep assignment they're supposed to do, and that's their initial working weight. Same for pretty much any new variation. Then you work up from there as your skill with the variant increases, usually quickly since there isn't a large difference between them and the primary movement, and you've ostensibly already mastered the primary movement if you're doing those variations (a huge assumption but one you should be sure to fulfill).

If you asking, "If I took my paused squat and bench to absolute max, how much less than my regular squat and touch-n-go bench would they be?" Well, that depends on how long you've been doing them. On Day 1, I'd expect a significant difference, 10-15%, maybe more. After a few weeks of regular exposure, less. Competing in powerlifting and coaching lifters for PL meets has given me a better sense of the absolute difference between TnG and paused bench, and it's not that much once the pause is mastered. However, I generally don't program paused squats to max, so have less of a bead on what a lifter could do at his absolute heaviest, if he wanted to.

[AColeman]

When I first introduce both these lifts, I just have the lifter go through what they did on Day 1 of the Novice program: do a titration up to a moderately heavy set of whatever rep assignment they're supposed to do, and that's their initial working weight. Same for pretty much any new variation. Then you work up from there as your skill with the variant increases, usually quickly since there isn't a large difference between them and the primary movement, and you've ostensibly already mastered the primary movement if you're doing those variations (a huge assumption but one you should be sure to fulfill).

If you asking, "If I took my paused squat and bench to absolute max, how much less than my regular squat and touch-n-go bench would they be?" Well, that depends on how long you've been doing them. On Day 1, I'd expect a significant difference, 10-15%, maybe more. After a few weeks of regular exposure, less. Competing in powerlifting and coaching lifters for PL meets has given me a better sense of the absolute difference between TnG and paused bench, and it's not that much once the pause is mastered. However, I generally don't program paused squats to max, so have less of a bead on what a lifter could do at his absolute heaviest, if he wanted to.

Wow! Thanks for your thoroughness!