Anderson Squat

The Anderson squat is a dead-stop squat performed from pins in a power rack rather than from a standing descent. The bar is set up at parallel or slightly below, the lifter walks under it, sets position, and drives the weight up with no preceding eccentric phase at all.

Paul Anderson, one of the strongest squatters of the 1950s, famously trained with this variation by having a hole dug progressively shallower over months of training so he could stand under heavier and heavier weights from a deep seated position. The modern gym version uses adjustable pins to approximate the same idea without the earth-moving equipment.

Because there is no stretch reflex and no stored elastic energy, Anderson squats typically go 15 to 20 percent lighter than a competition squat. That weight deficit is not a failure. It is a measurement. Lifters who can only generate force with a fast descent and heavy bounce find Anderson squat numbers humbling in a way that reveals real starting strength weaknesses.

Use cases include accommodating the powerlifter who misses squats in the hole, training the bottom position for weightlifters who need to catch cleans and snatches aggressively, and supplementing geared lifters who want to reinforce unassisted strength at parallel. Pin height is the critical variable. Measure it and keep it consistent across cycles.

• Set the pins so the bar sits at or just below parallel depth
• Walk under the bar with the same foot stance as a standing squat
• Settle fully onto the pins. No residual tension or rebound
• Brace hard, then drive the floor away without any downward motion first
• Expect the first inch to be slow. The lift accelerates only after breaking the pins

• Bouncing the bar off the pins. Defeats the dead-stop purpose
• Setting the pins too high. Lifting from above parallel does not train the sticking point
• Allowing the back angle to collapse before the drive. Reset and brace before each rep
• Overloading based on your touch-and-go squat. Expect 15 to 20 percent less on an Anderson

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