20 rep squat

[Guest guest]

I tried the 20-rep squat today.

At first, I did it with 135 pounds. I didn't have a clever way of devising

my weight; I just used 135 because it's the bar with one plate (each side.) My

hands started to tingle around rep 14 and after that I had to breath

inbetween each rep. I completed the 20, but felt exhausted after it, whereas I

ususally feel really pumped up when I complete a set, so I wasn't too impressed

with

it.

(I should note here that I am not doing typical squats, but full squats, so

that my butt touches my calves, and I lean as forward as is possible without

rounding my shoulders forward. So I naturally use less weight, as this is much

harder than simply going to parallel.)

Then I added 10 pounds, to 145. By rep 10, I was thinking " Oh my God, why

did I do this!) By 14 my heart was racing and I was having to breath several

breaths between each rep. After rep 18, I started to develop a slight pressure

and subtle ache in my head. The room wasn't spinning, but it flickered.

While I was deciding whether or not to finish the set, merely resting the weight

on my shoulder was depleting my breath. I definitely had the stamina and leg

strength to do 2 more reps, but I didn't because I was afraid of giving myself

a severe migraine-like headache.

I never do more than 5 reps, so I might have to acclimate to this a little.

I find it less fun than doing high-weight low-rep, but I did walk out of the

gym a little funny, which is impressive for a 10-minute workout (well, after a

30-minute cardio workout).

I'll probably stick with it for a month, and see if it gives any surprising

mass gains as claimed. I suppose my next time I'll try 2 full 20-rep sets of

145. I don't have access to 1-lb weights, so I'll have to increase in

increments of 5 lbs. I might progress fast at first, because I may just have to

adapt

to doing high-rep workouts, which I never do.

Chris