A barbell squat with a deliberate 2–3 second hold at the bottom, eliminating the stretch-reflex bounce and dramatically increasing the strength demand on the quads and hip extensors.
Form tips
Stay braced and rigid during the pause — do not relax your core or lower back at the bottom.
Descend under control and start counting the pause only when you are fully settled at depth.
Expect to use 15–20% less weight than your regular squat; the pause makes it significantly harder.
General fitness information, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional before starting a new program or if you have an injury. Lyfta AI · Privacy · Terms