Pause Squats are an excellent variation of the squat. Put simply, pause squats are squats where you pause for a duration of time at a specific portion of the squat movement. Most often, when individuals are using pause squats in their training, they place the pause at the bottom position of the squat - "in the hole" - where many lifters find it most difficult to "squat" the weight back up to their original standing position. However, the pause in the pause squat can really be placed anywhere.
Where a lifter decides to pause in his or her squat should be dictated by two key factors.
1. Sticking Points -
For a pause squat, the pause in the squat should occur at a position in the squat where the lifter finds it most difficult to move the weight - ie. his or her "sticking point" in the squat. You know the feeling. You descend into the squat, hit your bottom position, and initially begin to drive the weight back upwards quickly. However, at a certain point on the squat back upwards, you experience a rapid loss of speed in the squat. You hit that "sticking point" where you really have to grind to get the weight up. This is a weak point in your squat. Pause squats allow you to work on strengthening your squat in that position primarily through increasing your muscle firing efficiency in that position.
2. Movement Pattern Corrections -
Oftentimes, people will have muscular imbalances. These imbalances can lead to poor movement patterns in the squat (as well as other physical movements). Perhaps an individual is suffering from a hip shift at the bottom of their squat. Maybe their knees are buckling inward (called valgus knee) on the ascent back up from the bottom of the squat. These improper movement patterns, if not caught early, can become ingrained in the lifter, leading to poor body mechanics and opening the lifter up to potential injury down the road. Pause squats can be used to help fix these improper movement patterns, allowing for better focus on lifting form and technique to help re-establish proper movement mechanics.
3. Bonus - Hypertrophy
Pause squats can also be used for increasing time under tension with weight. Utilizing 2, 3 and even 5-second pauses in the squat is a great way to increase the duration of time a lifter stays under the squat load. This increase in time under heavy load can lead to - in the long term - significant muscular growth adaptations. Pause squats should be used in moderation, however, particularly when placed at the bottom position of the squat where the quadricep muscles are the most stretched, and the most stress is acting on the knee joint.
Have you used pause squats in your training before? How did you use them? Let me know in the comment section below!
As always, if you are an individual looking to build up your own home gym, look no further than my two favorite fitness manufacturers, Rogue Fitness and Kettlebell King's. They set the standard!
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