Barbell Pause Squat
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell, Weight Plate, Squat Rack
- Movement
- Squat
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Quadriceps Glutes Adductors Hamstrings Lower Back Abdominals Back
How to do it
- Set the bar at about mid-chest height and set the safeties just below your bottom position.
- Step under the bar and place it across your upper back in a high-bar or low-bar position.
- Grip the bar evenly, pull your shoulder blades together and unrack it.
- Take two or three steps back and set your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out.
- Take a big breath and brace your trunk.
- Bend at the hips and knees to descend under control to your usual full depth.
- Hold the bottom position still for the prescribed count while staying tight.
- Drive up through the whole foot to standing without bouncing, then exhale, re-brace and repeat.
Common mistakes
- Relaxing or losing the brace during the pause.
- Bouncing or rocking just before the drive.
- Shortening the pause as fatigue builds.
- Losing depth or letting the hips tuck under during the hold.
Safety
Use safety pins or a spotter, since failure happens at the bottom.
Use noticeably less load than for a regular back squat.
Stop the set if you cannot keep a neutral spine during the pause.
Tips
- Stay tight in the hole because the pause is not a rest.
- Count the pause out loud or in your head so it stays consistent.
- Keep your knees tracking over your toes.
- Raise your chest and the bar together out of the bottom.
Details
- Base movement
- Squat
- Load position
- On the back
- Legs
- Both
- Stance
- Shoulder-width
- Tempo and range
- Paused
