Partial Squats to Improve your Sticking Point in the Squat

The squat is a fundamental exercise that trains multiple muscles in the lower body, including the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Heavy squats are a challenging exercise, especially when it comes to the sticking point, which is the point in the movement where you struggle to lift the weight.

One way to improve your sticking point in the squat is to perform partial squats. Partial squats are a variation of the traditional full squat where you only squat down to a specific point, rather than the full squat down to break parallel. The partial squat allows you to target a specific range where you’re not as strong.

Here’s how to perform partial squats:

1. Set up in a power rack.
2. Set the safety pins just below your sticking point.
3. Load the bar up with 50 to 100 pounds over your best squat.
4. Position the barbell on your upper back, just like you would your competition squat.
5. Walk the bar out to squat.
6. Position your feet in your competition squat position.
7. Engage your core and push your hips back as you lower your body down to the pins.
8. Stop the movement when you reach the pins without resting the weight or losing tension.
9. Drive hard through your heels and extend your hips forward as you return to the starting position.
10. Stay tight throughout the movement keeping your body tight and your lungs full. Brace hard on your abdominals and squeeze hard into your glutes as you extend into the top of the squat.

You can always adjust the depth of the partial squat based on your specific goals and where your sticking point is. Over time you will need to adjust the pin position as sticking points will change.

It’s important to use competition form when performing the partial squats to get the most carry-over to your competition squat.

Incorporating partial squats into your workout routine will improve your sticking point and overall squat strength. Partial squats are not a replacement for full range-of-motion squats. Partial Squats should be an axillary exercise to full squats. In addition to partial squats, you can also see results from adding pause squats or tempo squats, to further challenge your muscles and improve your sticking point.

Overall, partial squats are a useful exercise for targeting specific muscle groups and improving your sticking point in the squat. Incorporate them into your workout routine and watch your squat strength improve.