Why You SHOULD NOT Do Pause Reps for the Bench Press

Elitefts Coach & Columnist Swede Burns explains why he doesn't like pause reps in training.

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Time Stamps
Intro - 0:00
The question - 0:05
The reasoning - 0:16
The ballistic aspect - 1:05
The second reason - 1:44
Outro - 2:03
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[robertdunn]

I pause every rep of every set. It builds strength out of the bottom which is the hardest part of the lift. It also builds confidence knowing you control the weight.

[ShaneTumminello]

Did 3x a week benching at various rep ranges each day. Paused every single one of them. Took my bench from 385 to 450 in under a year.

[PainofRazeration]

Wow, I disagree completely. My bench only progressed after I started pausing.

[MarkiMcMark]

I'm really sceptical about this one.
I mean, yeah, you're faster if you just yeet the bar back and forth...but you'll never get to use your body like a spring in competition. You have your commands and need to pause the bench rep. So why practice a way to lift you never actually get to demonstrate? I'm rather leaning towards the side of JM when it comes to speed work.
Then again, you probably don't need to pause EVERY rep, hence a lot of programs contain a touch & go bench variation or tempo bench without a pause (like 3-0-2).

[ThomasG]

Pause reps is what took me from a good bench to a great bencher. Not every rep but pausing my first rep of every set took my bench to new levels.

[LuideMulumba]

My form improved drastically since I started pausing. I'm now back up to the weight I used to work with, but pausing each rep with much better form.

[maseay]

I think training should almost always include pauses. Pausing will make you stronger because you can’t rely on the bounce momentum. Joe Sullivan talks a a lot of controlled tempo lifts and how by slowing things down you are essentially building a stronger foundation by building stabilizers, core strength, stability, etc. .

[Xplora]

Really depends on how fast that pause is. And how fast your touch and go rep is. Some people think a Regular rep is touch and go. 🤷‍♂️

[daveydave]

Pause presses helps explosive/ speed strength.

[ProgressivelyOverloadedNCR]

I found that pausing my work was helpful in increasing my strength, but I think this logic makes a lot of sense. I may go back to mixing my pause work and touch reps again. Great video!

[aidangittings]

As a power lifter, he’s right. You can bench much more weight going faster. But I think during training has helped a LOT of people. He might be talking about more than we understand

[PowerliftingwithGrandpaCharlie]

Thank you ! I get these comments that my Maxes don't count because I didn't pause. I never pause my maxes. I train alone.
135 became 225 then 330 in 2 yrs. I'll bench 340 by new years ! I'm 67 Natty too !

[Luke-idcp]

Paused work is better. Accelerating from the pause works "speed" harder than touch and go with the stretch reflex.

[wendell]

I paused everything, 100% of the reps, for years and once I started doing 50/50 my bench started moving.

[jimmyjohnjuan]

I like to pause squat or come to a complet stop for the briefest of moments. Never like to do the bounce at the bottom. Only time I don't is when I'm doing faster reps. Same for bench.

[jaketurner]

I find myself agreeing with swede, if you’re going to pause do it in the week leading up to comp.

[aldertonewood]

I find power to be an excellent result of a ‘thrusting’ movement… force that muscle flex at max velocity. The ‘pause’ can be used when slowly returning the weight and stretching the muscle (for strength). For all movements: Squat, Hinge, Push & Pull. Implement all variations!

[jswishdaman]

Different Strokes for different folks I guess. Pause reps have definitely helped me get gains. Not necessarily a bad thing.

[PlutoTheGod]

I see where he's coming from, but it's got its place. Both dynamic / ballistic benching & pause / pin presses have heir place.

[adamball]

I’ve been pausing for the past month now. Went from 315 paused to 340 paused tonight.