What’s up everyone.
Hope you’re all getting jacked and handsome.
Today we’re gonna talk about another one of my favourite squat variations and how it can help you get bigger and stronger.
Enter the pause squat.
Now there’s many different ways to do this and these are an absolute staple in mine and clients programs.
Low bar, high bar, front rack position, SSB etc.
The main thing is that we’re pausing in the bottom position for 2-3 seconds and not cheating the pauses.
Have a little watch of the video below and then we’re gonna get into some of the benefits of these.
Builds strength out of the hole
The most difficult part of a squat is when you’re buried deep down in the hole with hundreds of pounds on your back.
So if we wanna become a great squatter, we better get comfortable being in that bottom position which is the most disadvantageous position for a lot of people.
Pausing in the bottom eliminates one of the most critical components of a successful raw squat.
The stretch reflex.
This forces us to build explosive power out of the bottom position to get the barbell moving again.
We have to go from 0-100 very quickly.
So then after we run pause squats for a few blocks of training and let the body make adaptations, the transfer over to your regular squat is immense.
Enforces proper technique
Descend too fast without controlling the tension?
You’ll know about it.
Don’t maintain tightness in the bottom position?
You’ll know about it.
Heel raising off the floor putting you in a compromised position?
You’ll know about it.
Barbell isn’t staying over your centre of mass?
You’ll know about it.
Pause squats in general will highlight your flaws if you’re not careful.
That’s what makes them such a good exercise as you’re forced to use good technique or you’ll be punished.
Consistently doing technically sound reps with pause squats will help build that neurological efficiency and technical prowess which will again, transfer over to your regular squat.
Increased TUT
Increased time under tension (TUT) with a stimulative load is a potent stimulus for hypertrophy.
Just think how much harder the muscles of the quads, glutes, core and back have to work in the bottom of a paused squat.
Just look how long a set of 6 paused squats takes me in the video below.
50 seconds is a lot.
High stimulus to fatigue ratio.
Again this ain’t the first time you’ve seen me talk about this as it’s a huge part of my own training and coaching.
I’m a big proponent of proper exercise selection.
Whether our goal is hypertrophy or strength adaptations, pause squats fit the bill perfectly.
Because we can get a great stimulus with them, without having to use too much weight which can cause a lot more fatigue on the systemic nervous system, which can have a negative effect on subsequent training sessions.
For example, I may do my regular squats for sets of 6 with 170-180kg. I’m doing pause squats for sets of 6 with around 140kg.
That's a drop in load of around 40kg which makes a big difference when the weights start to get heavier.
Even with this drop in load, we still get a great stimulus and achieve what we set out to do without any unnecessary fatigue.
Win win situation.
Confidence builder
To put a heavy barbell on your back, you’ve gotta be a little crazy anyway.
But voluntarily pausing in that bottom position while being crushed is a different ball game and will grow some hairs on your chest.
If you can practice that repetitively with a pause, regular squats are easy in comparison.
Again, the more confident you are getting under a heavy barbell, the more likely it is to move.
How to program pause squats?
Pause squats can be used on both a primary and secondary squat day, depending on your goals.
In a hypertrophy phase, they’re great in that 5-8 rep range for 3-4 sets with around 60-70% of your paused squat 1RM.
In a strength phase they’re great in that 1-5 rep range for 3-5 sets with around 70-85% of your paused squat 1RM.
If this is a new movement for you and first time trying it, start off slow on the lower end of these ranges and let your body adapt to the exercise.
Get technique dialled in first and the weight will follow.
Final thoughts
I’ve never seen anyone who hasn’t benefited from a well executed pause squat. It ranks in my top 3 as a squat variation and as a movement which helps directly build the raw squat.
If you’re trying to build a bigger squat or chunkier quads and currently aren’t doing pause squats, you’re missing out on a tonne of gains.
Get them in your training plan!
Talk to you all in the next one.
Francis.
DISCLAIMER
This is not Legal, Medical, or Financial advice. Please consult a medical professional before starting any workout program, diet plan, or supplement protocol. These are opinions from a jacked scouser.