Pause Squat
A bodyweight squat held still at the bottom, removing the bounce so the legs restart from a dead stop.
How to do it
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip width and toes turned out a little.
- Pull your shoulders down and back and brace your trunk.
- Push the hips back and bend the knees together to descend.
- Lower until your thighs are at least parallel, keeping the heels down.
- Hold the bottom position for about a second without relaxing.
- Press through the whole foot to stand and reset before the next rep.
Key technique cue
Stay braced in the hole for about a second, then stand without bouncing.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Relaxing in the bottom position, which lets the chest fold forward on the way up.
- ✕ Bouncing out of the pause, which is the exact reflex the hold is meant to remove.
- ✕ Letting the heels lift, which shifts load onto the front of the knees.
- ✕ Holding far longer than a second, which fatigues the position instead of training it.
Benefits
- ✓ Removes the stretch reflex, so the legs produce every bit of the force.
- ✓ Builds control and bracing at depth before external load is added.
- ✓ Needs no equipment, so it scales any bodyweight lower body plan.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Pause Squat
- Belt Squat
- Smith Machine Squat
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Step 3 -
Step 4
About the exercise
The pause squat is an ordinary squat with a deliberate stop at the bottom. You descend under control until the thighs are at least parallel, hold with the trunk braced, then stand. The pause removes the stretch reflex, so nothing helps you out of the hole and the quadriceps and glutes have to start the rep cold. The hold stays short, around a one-thousand-one count, and staying tight in the bottom position is what makes it work: lose the brace and the chest folds forward as you try to stand.
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