Paused Squat

Also known as: Pause Squat, Paused Back Squat, Barbell Pause Squat

StrengthFunctional

Track Paused Squat in SmartWorkout and watch your numbers go up

Log sets, weights and progress for free, with no workout limits.

Body Part: Legs

Description

Perform a barbell back squat and hold the bottom position before standing up, keeping tension through the pause. The stop removes the rebound from the descent and makes you initiate the ascent from a stable squat position with the bar supported across the upper back.

How to Perform

Place the bar across your upper back, grip it firmly and extend your legs to lift it out of the rack.
Step back one or two small steps and place your feet about shoulder width apart, with your toes turned slightly out.
Take a deep breath into your abdomen and brace your trunk as if preparing for a punch.
Start the squat by bending at the hips and knees together.
Lower under control until your hip crease is at least level with the top of your knee, or to the deepest position you can maintain without losing spinal position or foot contact.
Hold the bottom position for the prescribed pause, usually one to three seconds.
Drive up by pushing the floor away through your midfoot.
Finish standing tall with your knees and hips fully extended.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Take a full breath into your abdomen before each rep and keep your chest, ribs, and pelvis stacked as you descend.
Keep the pause consistent, usually one to three seconds, and do not use a bounce out of the bottom.
Exhale only after you are through the hardest part of the ascent, then reset your breath and brace before the next rep.
Use less weight than your regular squat at first, since the pause removes momentum and makes the bottom position more demanding.
Set the safety pins just below your lowest controlled squat depth, especially when training heavy paused squats without a spotter.

Common Mistakes

Letting the knees cave inward during the descent, pause, or ascent.
Rising onto the toes or letting the heels lift off the floor.
Losing a neutral spine and rounding the lower back at the bottom.
Dropping too quickly into the bottom position and losing control before the pause.
Shifting the hips to one side or loading one leg more than the other.
Letting the chest collapse forward and turning the squat into a good morning.