A 10-second hold at 110% of your 1RM made squats faster — if you rested only one minute
In short
In 14 resistance-trained lifters, a 10-second supramaximal isometric hold at 110% of 1RM followed by one minute of rest increased mean propulsive velocity by about 0.05 m/s at both 60% and 80% of 1RM compared with no hold, and raised rate of force development at 80%. A five-minute rest produced little to no effect, and inter-limb force asymmetry and balance measures did not change under any condition.
You may not need to lift anything extra to squat faster — just hold it. In an experiment with 14 resistance-trained lifters, holding 110% of 1RM for 10 seconds and resting one minute before squatting raised mean propulsive velocity by about 0.05 m/s at both 60% and 80% of 1RM compared with a no-hold control.
What is a supramaximal isometric hold?
You unrack a bar heavier than your 1RM and support it standing, without squatting down. In this study the load was 110% of 1RM held for 10 seconds. Because there is no descent, a load you could never squat can still be held. The researchers compared a one-minute rest, a five-minute rest and no hold across six sessions.
What changed, and by how much?
- One-minute rest — mean propulsive velocity rose significantly at both 60% and 80%, and rate of force development rose at 80%. Peak concentric force at 80% also went up but just missed significance (p = 0.056).
- Five-minute rest — little to no effect.
- Stability — inter-limb force asymmetry and centre-of-pressure measures did not change under any condition.
How do I add this to my squat session?
It costs nothing, so it is worth trying as the last step of a warm-up. The key detail is one minute after the hold: with five minutes the effect vanished, so strip the bar and start the working set promptly. Always do it inside a power rack with the safety bars set just below the standing position. Log the hold load and rest time alongside the set, so that if speed or reps go up that day you can tell why. For the long-term effects of isometric work itself, see isometric training does build muscle.
This involves loads above your 1RM. Only do it in a rack with safety bars set, and skip it if you have back or knee pain. The finding is a single-session effect in 14 people and does not show a long-term 1RM gain.
Frequently asked questions
What is a supramaximal isometric hold?
It is holding a bar heavier than your 1RM in the standing position, without moving it, for a few seconds. One study used 110% of squat 1RM held for 10 seconds.
How much faster do squats get after a heavy hold?
In an experiment with 14 trained lifters, a 10-second hold at 110% of 1RM followed by one minute of rest raised mean propulsive velocity by about 0.05 m/s at both 60% and 80% of 1RM.
How long should I rest after the hold?
In this study only the one-minute rest worked; a five-minute rest had little to no effect. Rest briefly and go straight into the working set.
Does holding a supramaximal load make the squat less stable?
In this experiment, inter-limb force asymmetry and centre-of-pressure measures did not change under any condition. Because the load exceeds 1RM, it should still only be done in a rack with safety bars.
Source: PubMed