Out of breath during 20 rep squats

[fadi]

Hey guys,

I've been doing 20 rep squats for the past 6 weeks, however sometimes I cannot complete the set, not because I cannot physically do it. But because I cannot take in enough oxygen to keep it up. I would be completely out of breath and would have to stop. Anyone experience that and how did you overcome it?

[TheKanezzi]

20 rep squats kinda works that way.

You should try to tough it out and hold the bar on your back until you catch your breath. If you cannot hold it for whatever reason, you should lower the weight.

~Cheers

[fadi]

Yeah I tend to have that problem as I raise the weight every time I hit 20. But a 10lbs jump seem to hit me hard and leave me out of breath by the 14th rep. I'll just try to push through it. I need to try and build my endurance and maybe strengthen my back and hams more to soften the blow on my body.

[Kristofer68SS]

thats how 20 reppers work

lol

[KrayzeeMonkey]

Well in my experience with squats exhale while getting towards the top and then suck in and hold your breath on the way down. idk if you are doing this or not but if you are not this may help you out with going for 20. Also try going slower 3 down 1 up works well for building muscle, strength, and explosion.

[MM11]

As already states 20 rep squats will do that. I will pause and take a few extra breaths if the need arises. That's all the advice I have sorry. At least you are pushing yourself hard!

[Newtonselite]

Yup 20 rep squats makes you feel like a young girl after her first orgasm!

[JohnRock]

Do you do cardio on a regular basis? If not, it sounds like you really should or you're only holding yourself back. Start doing some intervals, Tabatas, circuit training, etc.

[ntornado]

Do you do cardio on a regular basis? If not, it sounds like you really should or you're only holding yourself back. Start doing some intervals, Tabatas, circuit training, etc.

This. Or go find a nice hill to run up 10-15 times.

[andrew732]

Sometimes one will not have sufficient air in the lunges to full throttle on a set, so in between reps just take a nice quick deep inhale or two. I usually don't have this issue but that is what I will do if the issue were to rise.

[Movin_weight]

I been hitting 3 sets of 20 at then end of a pyramid, and sometimes I find myself standing there for 10-15 seconds to catch my breath between the last couple reps. It ain't exactly rest w 300lbs on your back so just dont rack the weight til u hit your 20

[fadi]

Yeah I know the 20 rep squat did that but damn, a small jump in weight takes such a large toll. I do hold my breath till I get back up, otherwise I won't come back up, I know I tried it before to see what happens

I do straight set, no racking in the middle, and holding the weight while taking 5 to 10 secs to breath is not resting at all. It is a workout in itself.

I will up my card, I don't do enough anyway and that can be big part of it. It just gets me when I can finally hit my 20 reps, add 10 poundscnext workout and BAM, it feels 10x harder breathing wise.

I have to say though, excellent results. I won't go back to low rep squats anytime soon. Assuming i can keep hitting my 20s and i cannot begin to imagine someone doing it for 3 sets. That's hardcore

[celc5]

14 sounds about right when my lungs catch fire too. Sometimes having the bar a bit lower, just barely on top of my scapula, helps combat this issue.

Another way to look at it is that you might have reached a plateau with this strategy since you've been working on it for 6 wks. Maybe change the rep range or switch to front squats, hacks, etc etc.

[Sweekaters]

Unless you running a 20 rep squat program specifically, give a 20-25 rep rest paused squat set a try. It's done DC style, to failure, rack the weight and 10 deep breaths, to failure, rack the weight and take another 10 deep breaths, to failure once more, and rack. It's grueling, more weight and reps than a normal 20RM squat, but cardio is less of an issue.

[way8lifter]

hmmm...everytime I run a mile I get winded?? Wonder why ?? LOL