Pause Squat
Muscles worked: Quads, Glutes.
How to do it
- Set up and descend exactly as you would for a back squat.
- Sink to your normal depth and stop dead.
- Hold there for three honest seconds, staying tight and upright.
- Do not sink or bounce during the pause - the point is losing the stretch reflex.
- Drive straight up out of the dead stop.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Three honest seconds in the hole
- No bounce - dead-stop drive
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 3 to 6 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Loading the bar? Use the plate calculator, and check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Deadlift - back, glutes
- Sumo Deadlift - glutes, quads
- Trap Bar Deadlift - quads, glutes
- Back Extension - glutes
Track the pause squat properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Available worldwide on the App Store.
Steps, cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-08-16.