Strength Training · Olympic Weightlifting
Paused Front Squat
The paused front squat adds a motionless hold at the bottom of a front squat. It trains leg strength and trunk control while making you stand up without a rebound.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 3 min
How to do it
- Position the bar across the fronts of your shoulders, with your fingertips underneath and elbows pointing forward.
- Stand up to lift the bar clear of the hooks.
- Step back into a roughly shoulder-width stance with your toes turned slightly outward.
- Lower your hips between your knees until your thighs are approximately parallel to the floor.
- Hold the bottom position motionless for 2–3 seconds.
- Push through the floor to return to standing.
- Return the bar to the rack hooks after your final repetition.
Form cues
- Brace your trunk before each descent.
- Keep pressure across your whole foot.
- Track your knees over your toes.
Common mistakes
- Hips shooting up firstRaise your hips and shoulders together so your torso does not tip forward.
- Sinking during the pauseMaintain leg tension at a fixed depth rather than relaxing into a deeper squat.
- Forcing extra depthUse a shallower bottom position if going lower makes your heels lift or lower back round.
Safety
The pause removes the rebound that normally helps you stand, so an otherwise manageable load can leave you stuck at the bottom. Losing the front-rack position can strain your wrists or back and let the bar fall forward.
- Set the safety supports just below the bar's lowest position and test their height with an empty bar.
- Start lighter than your regular front squat and increase weight gradually.
- Secure the plates with collars before lifting.
- End the set before fatigue prevents you from maintaining your front-rack position.
If wrist or shoulder discomfort prevents a comfortable front-rack position, choose a goblet squat and seek physiotherapy advice if symptoms persist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Bumper Plate
- Knee Sleeves (optional)
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Lifting Straps (optional)
- Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
- Power Rack
- Rack Safety Supports
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 3–6 reps
- Rest
- 3 min
Choose a load that leaves about two controlled repetitions in reserve.