How To Tempo Squat

Learn How to Tempo Squat

In this video, we teach you how to tempo squat, when to program tempo squats and why they are an effective supplemental lift to build a bigger squat.

The tempo squat is really just a SLOW squat. Many lifters have trouble staying balanced on their mid-foot while they squat. Or maybe they dive-bomb into the bottom of each rep. The tempo squat teaches the lifter to feel their balance throughout the entire rep. It also helps teach control.

Programming Tempo Squats

Let’s say a lifter has trouble staying balanced on the mid-foot on the descent, but has no problem on the ascent. In this case, the coach could program “3-1-0” tempo squats. This reads as “3 second descent, 1 second pause, 0 second ascent.” The lifter would go really slow on the way down, pause at the bottom, and fire up.

Another case might be a lifter who has trouble staying balanced both on the way down and on the way up. The coach could program “3-0-3” tempo squats, which would read as “3 second descent, 0 second pause, 3 second ascent.”

Watch the video above for more tips on programming the tempo squat for strength!