You’ll notice in some of our weightlifting programs we include pause squats as part of fundamental strength work. We program pause squats for several reasons including, to increase the athlete’s explosiveness, generate hypertrophy, and boost overall strength in specific positions of the squat. Additionally they can be a powerful tool to manage or rehab knee tendonitis.
Aside from these benefits, we like to include these types of squats where we feel the athlete will benefit from a short dip in volume and intensity to 1) recover and 2) prepare for heavier weights. For example, in our most recent basic program’s three-day squat cycle, the first day was all about volume where we would push high reps and smaller loads. The third day was where we would push heavier weights with less reps—intensity. The second day was where pause squats came in. The purpose behind these squats was to help our athletes recover from the week’s heaviest volume squat workout, and prepare them for the bigger weights to come in the next squat workout, while also working on power output, hypertrophy, and specific positional strength.
Pause squats are an excellent tool for any athlete looking to build strength and stay healthy in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. If you’re looking improve your overall strength we highly recommend you consider adding them in!
Join our team today!
http://www.wodfollow.com/powerandgrace-olympic