Barbell Pin Squat
oec:barbell-pin-squat
A squat variation where the barbell settles onto safety pins at a specified depth to eliminate the stretch reflex and build concentric power.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Pin Squat, Anderson Squat
How to do it
Setup
- Set the safety pins in a power rack to the desired squat depth, typically just below parallel or at your sticking point.
- Set the J-hooks higher to unrack conventionally, or place the loaded bar directly on the pins if performing concentric-only repetitions.
- Step under the barbell, resting it across your upper traps or rear deltoids, and establish an even, full-grip hand placement.
- Unrack the bar, take two to three steps back to establish your standard squat stance, and brace your core.
Movement
- Hinge at the hips and bend the knees simultaneously to descend under control.
- Gently lower the bar until it rests fully on the safety pins, maintaining total body tension and your braced position without relaxing.
- Pause for one to two seconds on the pins to eliminate all elastic rebound.
- Drive aggressively through the middle of your feet, extending your hips and knees to return to a fully standing lockout.
Breathing
Inhale deeply and brace your core with the Valsalva maneuver before descending; hold your breath through the pause on the pins and exhale once past the sticking point on the ascent.
Cues
- Stay tight on the pins
- Do not collapse
- Drive the floor away
Common faults
- Bouncing the barbell violently off the safety pins to utilize momentum.
- Come to a controlled stop on the pins so the weight settles completely without bouncing.
- Losing spinal bracing and collapsing torso posture while resting on the pins.
- Maintain full muscular tension and an active brace throughout the pause; the pins support the bar, not your posture.
Safety
- Ensure both safety pins are set at precisely the same height before loading the bar.
- Use a sturdy power rack with rated safety pins or strap safeties.
Muscles
Joints
- Hip: Flexion, Extension
- Knee: Flexion, Extension
- Ankle: Dorsiflexion, Plantarflexion
- Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization
- Thoracic spine: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Squat
- Modality
- Strength, Powerlifting, Hypertrophy
- Mechanics
- compound
- Force
- push
- Laterality
- bilateral
- Kinetic chain
- closed
- Level
- intermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell; Power rack
- Record
- Repetitions and Load
- Load
- external, total
Related
- variation of Barbell Back Squat
- substitute for Barbell Pause Squat
Sources
- wger: Pin Squat, by M9 (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.