Last updated on August 2nd, 2018
3 Reasons To Add Paused Reps To Your Workouts
If you’ve never played around with paused reps you’re missing out on a whole lot of awesome. Paused reps can definitely be hard as hell but they’re oh so worth it. Just like why you need to train glutes, paused reps are almost essential to progressing your strength.
I first started training with paused reps when my back squat hit a huge plateau that I could just not break through. For six weeks I worked on pausing for three full second “in the hole” and … success! I re-tested my PR and smashed my plateau.
Now a days I use paused reps pretty frequently in both my own training programs as well as those of my clients. And below are my top three reasons why!
Reason #1 Improve your strength
The rule of thumb is that you place your pause at the “sticking point” of an exercise. For example when squatting you would pause at the absolute lowest part of the squat. After the pause, the hard part is coming back up. On a bench press you would add a pause when the bar is directly above your chest by only millimeters.
Placing your pause in the sticking point ensures you won’t rely on momentum to get your through the movement (if you’ve ever seen people bounce at the bottom of a squat you know what I mean!). Instead, by maintaining constant tension you learn to use sheer muscular strength instead.
Reason #2 Improve your technique
Paused reps require you to check your ego at the door lower your weights and really fine tune your technique. When you’re hanging out at the bottom of a squat you’ve got to really concentrate on keeping your muscles engaged and in proper alignment in order to get back up. Pausing in the sticking point also revealing your weak spots. This, in turn, allows you to improve them and your mechanics in order to effectively execute the exercise.
Reason #3 Develops Your Muscles
I’ve already mentioned that paused reps maintain tension throughout the movement. This perma-tension helps build and better develop your muscles as it increases you time under tension.
Have I convinced you yet? Paused reps kick butt. Well, they’ll kick yours anyways! Remember though, check your ego at the door and really focus on a three second pause: one mississippi two mississippi three mississippi. No half-assing it and making a good pause less than a breath.
Don’t forget to pin this workout tip!
If you want to get seriously strong, utterly rock your lifts and look badass while doing it, I suggest you add in some paused reps to your training programs.
Have you ever used paused reps? Did you like them?
Looking for more fitness tips? Check out Why New Moms Should Avoid Plyometics as well as 5 Tips For Beginners
Thanks for the reasoning. Sometimes, as someone who doesn’t know about the whys, just that I should work out, it’s very hard to understand why I’m doing something. This is super helpful. Thank you for sharing!
I think a lot of people are in your boat. It’s hard to overcome the “go fast, go hard, go home” mentality but there are so many benefits to training in other ways- glad I could help!
I am absolutely terrible at committing to arm work outs because I am a wimp, but I know how important posture is!! Great advice.
Oh another Shelby! It’s rare I connect with another person with the same name lol Arm workouts can be frustrating if you have a long ways to go but everyone starts somewhere and it’s worth the upper body workouts for the better posture!
I love your advice in this post!! I am so guilty of wanting to get done as quickly as I can, or filling that space with other activity so I can feel like I’m getting more accomplished. This post made me think of my workouts in a different way!
Wahoo I succeeded! 😉 It’s challenging sometimes to slow it down because I think we all have the “just get it done” mentality- but there’s a lot of benefits to taking it slow. Switch it up and enjoy!
I would never have thought of doing this! When I work out and I do three sets of 10, I’m new to working out so I’m starting out small, and I just keep going. I definitely need to stop between each one.
There’s nothing wrong with 3 x 10 -there’s just SO many other ways to go about a workout that it’s nice to switch it up and see new results. Starting out small is the best way to approach it and slowly you’ll find more and more styles to enjoy. And if you need help- just ask!
Ugh, as I much as I want to say I love this, I know first hand how much these can hurt/suck when you are doing them, lol. Or more so… the next day 😉 I try to include these once a week depending on how my body is feeling at the time, but they 100% make me stronger in the long run!
Haha ah Kelsi this made me smile! They DO suck! Paused reps are insanely hard and I definitely curse when I do them 😀 But they are sooo effective. Congrats on you that you get them in once per week- way to kick butt!
I absolutely agree that paused reps are very hard!
I use them in squats and on my upper arms.
Just think about how effective doing a plank is for your core!
You don’t have to do a lot of reps to gets great results!
Great post!
Hugs,
Robin
Exactly! Paused reps are super challenging in a whole different way. I personally prefer low rep workouts so it’s a nice and different way to stimulate the muscles. Front squats with pauses are my favorite 😉
Love the pics but doing it isn’t easy. It requires so much physical and mental strength. Great post!
Definitely not easy! Paused reps are always one of the hardest for me- but so worth the effort 😀
These are all such great workout tips!
Thanks Suzanne!
This is fabulous, weight training ? is one of the best.
Weight training definitely kicks butt!
I have never thought about pausing while I lift to gain strength. I’m totally going to try that next time I’m at the gym! 🙂
Dooo it- it’s not easy. Actually it’s super hard to pause in the “sticking point” of an exercise. but it’s so beneficial and definitely a great switch up to your workouts- enjoy!