Beyond-Brawn-2nd-Edition

HOW TO PERSONALIZE YOUR TRAINING PROGRAMS
with a very abbreviated training program, lots of recovery time, and plenty
of quality nourishment. Never go through the rigors of 20-rep squatting or
deadlifting unless you know you can fully satisfy the rest, sleep and nutritional
components of recovery. Otherwise you will knock yourself out in the
gym for nothing.
13.57 e rest-pause 20-rep style means performing one rep at a time—absolutely
no continuous reps. is permits the heaviest poundage. In the squat you
keep the bar over your shoulders, stand upright between reps, and take as
many deep breaths as you need—increasingly more as the set progresses.
13.58 For 20-rep deadlifting you can set the bar on the floor and stand between
reps. If you pause between reps as you stand while holding the bar, your grip
will fail before you have adequately worked your legs, glutes and back.
13.59 Between reps in the squat you must hold your body safely and securely,
without rounding your back, without losing or exaggerating the natural
arch in your lower back, and without any swaying at your hips.
13.60 Intensive 20-rep squatting and deadlifting need to be experienced before
they can be fully appreciated. A single set is a workout in itself—a test of
both the body and spirit. You must take your time to adapt to the rigors
involved. Do not jump in at the deep end. While a few people survive on
that approach, the great majority fail. You must condition your body to
withstand the rigors of 20-rep work. e demands are not just muscular.
e heart and lungs need to adapt, as does your entire supporting structure
including your shoulder girdle, vertebral column, and even the arches of
your feet.
13.61 For 20-rep work to be productive it needs to be implemented in a prudent
way. ere is a macho and foolish tradition attached to 20-rep squatting
that wants to exaggerate the severity of the exercise, i.e., “Take a weight you
can only squat 10 reps with, and then force yourself to get 20 reps!” While
unnecessarily exaggerating the severity of the exercise, this foolishness also
increases the chances of failure and injury.
13.62 Adopt a sensible, progressive approach. Start using a weight with which you
could do about 40 reps if you were to go to your limit, but stop at 20. Add 5
pounds a week until you get to the point where you could only get 25 reps if
you went all the way, though you still stop at 20. en drop to a 2 pounds or
1 kilo a week increment. Keep that slow rate of progression for six months
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