Strength and Physique

The classic bodybuilding method for gaining muscle mass is the "breathing squat." It was a method popularized by Ironman editor Peary Rader in the early days of bodybuilding, and it is the one method that consistently produces results. People looking to produce size always come back to this method to jumpstart their gains. The popular book "Super Squats" by Randall Strossen renewed interest in the technique.

If you’re not familiar with breathing squats, it’s really simple in theory, BRUTAL in execution. Take a 10-15 rep max weight for the back squat (full range version) and perform 20 reps instead. What will happen is you’ll get to the 10-15th rep, stand still with the bar on your back, breathe a few breathes, then do another rep, breathe a few deep breathes, then do another rep, and so on and so forth until you reach 20 reps.

What you’re essentially doing is a form of rest-pause for squats, but a better version of it. Breathing squats induce hypoxia (breathlessness). This state of oxygen debt forces your body to produce more red blood cells. More red blood cells means more carriers of your body’s naturally occurring anabolic hormones: testosterone.

You’ll be producing more testosterone, because of the heavy squatting. Anytime you lift heavy for an extended set, you produce testosterone. The heavier the weight, the greater the dump of T. The most amount of weight you lift will of course be through back squats.

Although 20 rep squats are a fantastic method to size and strength, it is only a training tactic and not a training strategy. In "Strength and Physique, V1" I incorporate 20 rep squats into a more complete bodybuilding program. This program takes advantage of the testosterone pulse from 20 rep breathing squats.

For more insights into strength training and bodybuilding, visit http://strengthandphysique.blogspot.com
 
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This entry was posted on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 at 8:08 am and is filed under Training. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.