Coaches answer: squats and triceps
Every day, coaches get questions about two topics: how the 20-rep squat with breathing pauses works, and what to do when triceps progress has stalled. Here are concrete answers.
Coaches recommend: the 20-rep squat with breathing pauses
The classic 20-rep squat routine is definitely worth trying. It was popularized in its day by Iron Game authors Peary Rader and Bob Hise — and for good reason.
What can you expect? It’s perfectly common for a teenage lifter weighing 67 kg to put on 6–7 kg of mass after 8 weeks of using this method. Provided, of course, that nutrition is in order.
The method is simple: between every repetition you take 3 proper deep breaths in and out. And you do these squats for ONE SINGLE SET. In practice, that means a pause of about 10 seconds between reps.
That 10-second pause lets you summon more effort — more high-threshold motor units are recruited than in a regular squat. High-threshold motor units are also the largest, and the muscle fibers in them have the greatest hypertrophy potential. A simple truth: the harder you have to work, the more you grow.
By the end of the set, it feels as if you’re about to gasp your lungs out. For hardcore lifters, that feeling is a badge of honor — a sign that the effort was honest.
If you’re underweight, your work capacity is low and you want a jump in progress, the 20-rep squat routine is definitely worth trying. But as with any program, it works only until you adapt to it. Over time every routine runs its course, which is why it’s important to keep updating and varying your programs.
Breaking through a triceps plateau — what coaches recommend
Has your triceps progress stalled? This approach could be called the PRE- AND POST-EXHAUSTION ROUTINE. Pierre Roy, coach of the Canadian powerlifting national team, called it THE DOUBLE CONCEPT (Doubl — in French it means doing something twice). Following Roy’s advice, Jacques Demers took silver at the Olympics.
The principle is clear: if an exercise is a weak point, you do it twice in one workout — once at the start of the workout and once more as the very last exercise at the end. The French strength-sports physiologist Cometti also writes only good things about this method in his book.
For your triceps, try the following tri-set combination:
- Lying French press with an EZ barbell over the forehead (also known as the skullcrusher) — choose a weight that keeps you in the 6–8 repetition range. Tempo 3-1-1.
- Immediately afterwards, without resting: close-grip bench press — choose a weight that keeps you in the 4–6 repetition range. Tempo 3-1-1.
- Immediately afterwards, without resting: the lying French press with an EZ barbell over the forehead again — 4–6 repetitions, tempo 3-1-1.
After finishing the tri-set, rest for 2 minutes, then perform the same combination again. 3 tri-sets in total. On the later sets you will probably have to reduce the weight — do so without hesitation, it’s part of the method.
Most people who have tried it describe unprecedented muscle exhaustion and the growth that follows. The method works well for breaking through a plateau, but don’t cling to it — the body gets used to everything.
Translator’s note: A very interesting approach, and I will definitely add it to my own practice. Charles Poliquin recommends performing the whole exercise complex as a tri-set, but I think you can get a good effect even if you perform these exercises as regular sets. You can try both variations.
FAQ
How much mass can the 20-rep squat routine add in 8 weeks?
A typical result is 6–7 kg of mass in 8 weeks, provided nutrition supports growth. The result depends on your starting point and consistency — underweight lifters get more out of this method.
How long should you use the double method before changing the program?
8 weeks is a good rule of thumb. After that, the body has usually adapted and further progress slows down. Changing the program is the key to continued progress.
Can the double method be used on other muscle groups too?
Yes, the method can be used on absolutely any muscle. Pierre Roy originally used it for training legs — he had his lifters squat twice in the same workout when leg strength needed a boost.
Translated by: Janar Rückenberg
Source: WHO – physical activity.
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