Pin Squat vs Box Squat vs Traditional Squat

By Travis Mash

After great feedback on our Box Squat vs. Traditional Back Squat article, we’re diving deeper into the Pin Squat—a lesser-known variation that may offer solutions the Box Squat can’t. While there’s limited research on the Pin Squat, we’ll explore its benefits and drawbacks using scientific principles to uncover its potential.




Content menu:

Watch video here:

What is a Pin Squat

The pin squat can be performed one of two ways. First, an athlete can perform the pin squat exactly like they would a box squat, meaning they squat down until the bar rests on the pins, and then execute the concentric portion of the lift. The bar can rest on the pins for any given amount of time, which is similar to the pause on the box of a box squat. The pins can be set to any predetermined height just like using various box heights.

The other way a pin squat can be utilized is by starting the lift with the barbell resting on the pins, which means the movement begins with a concentric contraction. Once the athlete completes the ascent of the lift, they have two choices:

  1.  The athlete could rack the bar immediately if they want to eliminate the eccentric contraction completely. 
  2. The athlete could perform the descent like a typical isotonic squat movement.

Having these two options is where the pin squat differs the most from the other two variations, but let’s take a closer look at all the differences.

Understanding the Differences: Pin Squat vs. Box Squat vs. Traditional Squat

Like we discussed in the previous article, one of the biggest reasons that coaches have their athletes box squat is to focus on the concentric contraction assuming the passive force production produced from the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) is eliminated by pausing on the box. However, I was able to show that it would take a 4 second pause on the box to totally eliminate the effects of the SSC. The pin squat is going to be the best option for focusing on the concentric contraction.

Eliminating Stored Elastic Energy with the Pin Squat

Especially if an athlete utilizes the bottom up approach to pin squats, there is zero stored elastic energy that would be present from a preceding eccentric contraction. Even with a box squat paused for four seconds, the athlete will have the advantage of an already engaged torso. If you read my article “The Size Principle”, then you know that the body doesn’t automatically recruit the high threshold motor units. When the torso is already performing several isometric contractions during the eccentric contraction of a box squat or traditional squat, it will take less time to recruit the maximum number of high threshold motor units necessary to perform the concentric contraction. 

Recruitment of High Threshold Motor Units in the Pin Squat

Even when an athlete utilizes the traditional top down approach to the pin squat, there are no isometric contractions necessary to stabilize the barbell with the entire load being taken by the pins. Either way, the pin squat will be more of a focus on recruiting the maximum number of high threshold motor units necessary to perform the concentric contraction of a squat. 

The Role of Compression Forces: Pin Squat vs. Box Squat

That brings me to the last major difference between the pin squat and the other two derivatives, especially the box squat. While in the bottom portion of the squat, there isn’t the two-way compression force experienced like in the box squat. If you follow Coach Mike Boyle, his biggest reason for avoiding the box squat is ground reaction forces experienced from the box expressing forces into the torso along with the force of the barbell being acted upon by gravity. Anecdotally, I agree with Coach Boyle. The potential benefits from the box squat have never outweighed the potential risks to the spine, but that is totally my opinion. I’m aware that all exercises come with a potential risk.

Benefits of the Pin Squat

Benefit #1 Improved Starting Strength

Starting strength is the ability to overcome inertia as quickly as possible. It comes down to recruiting enough high threshold motor units to produce enough internal torque at the various joints of action to overcome the external force. External force is caused by gravity acting on the mass of the body and any added mass from a barbell or other external load. 

To improve starting strength, the body must adapt in a few ways like rate coding and high threshold motor unit recruitment, especially synchronization. Rate coding is the speed of signal the brain sends down the alpha motor neuron to all of the muscle fibers it innervates. High threshold motor units (HTMUs) are ones with the bigger fast twitch muscle fibers capable of large amounts of force. Synchronization is the body getting better at calling on more of those HTMUs at the same time. You can take a closer look at all of the adaptations from concentric contractions in my article “Adaptations from Concentric Muscular Contractions”.

What about Athletic Performance

How would this benefit athletic performance? There are several athletic endeavors that go from a state of rest or a static contraction to dynamic concentric contraction like the start of a sprint, throwing a shot put, or a throw in wrestling. If you want a more static contraction to mimic a throw in wrestling for example, you might have the athlete start from the top, lower the bar onto the pins maintaining some tightness in the torso and hips during a 2-4 second pause before exploding into the bar for the concentric contraction. 

Pin squat in action using gymaware RS

Velocity Based Training to Maximize Adaptations

Much like the power clean, the pin squat is great at improving starting strength, acceleration, and rate of force development. As long as velocity based training (VBT) is applied, it’s easy to monitor improvements with specific loads. For example, my athletes are finding out that moving loads 80-120% of their body weight is correlating to higher vertical leaps and faster acceleration times. 

You can tell your athlete to maximize their intent into the barbell, but every study that has looked into the concept has determined that the immediate visual and audible feedback provided by VBT is the only way to maximize intent (Weakley J, et al., 2023). Therefore, if you want to maximize the adaptations from pin squats or any other method/exercise in the weightroom, you are going to need VBT to give athletes a target to shoot for and exceed.

Benefit #2 Specificity

The other benefit is that pin squats can get really specific in terms of joint angles. Once again, the Principle of Specificity is a must for coaches to grasp because it’s crucial for understanding the transfer of training that’s happening within the training room.  Like I said in benefit 1, starting strength, pin squats are great for improving an athlete’s ability to overcome inertia at a high as possible velocity. More importantly, the coach can specify the joint angle to match or nearly match the same angle the joint is in during their sport.

Benefit #3 Maximize Power

Therefore, if power is the ultimate goal, I recommend spending quality time at around body weight with the goal of higher velocities versus just adding load. We are spending blocks of time where absolute and accelerative strength are the main goals with lower loads of 80-120% of body weight secondary. Followed by blocks where lower loads of 80-120% at maximum velocity is the primary goal with accelerative and absolute strength secondary. 

Benefit #4 Fatigue Management & Recovery

Lastly, if fatigue management and recovery is the priority like in-season for example, the pin squat from the bottom up racking the bar at the top of the concentric contraction should be a go to. Eccentric contractions, especially those dynamic amortization phase movements cause the most muscle damage and overall fatigue. Eliminating or at least minimizing those elements in-season would allow the athlete to continue building strength without creating unnecessary muscle damage and overall systemic fatigue. 

Shortcomings of the Pin Squat

Most dynamic movements in athletic performance require efficient uses of the SSC and the other reactive components of the body. Tendons are strengthened most efficiently from eccentric contractions along with all of the physiological components that resist stretch, which are all important for dynamic and explosive athletic feats. Hypertrophy will never be maximized with pin squat, but once again it’s all about knowing when to use a tool.

Like the box squat, the other shortcoming would be impracticality of using it with big groups. If specificity is the goal, it will be hard to match 4-5 athletes based on height and anthropometrics. If you’re working with high school athletes, as long as you’re getting close enough, there will still be massive improvements especially with the use of VBT. As long as athletes are moving a heavier load from a specific height or a specific load at a higher velocity, then a positive adaptation is taking place.

Assessing Potential Risk of the Pin Squat

Of the three variations of the squat, the pin squat seems to be the safest. When the athlete is at the move vulnerable position, aka in the bottom position, the load is taken off the system. Plus, the ground reaction forces of the box are eliminated as well. The only potential risk that I would consider is getting out of position in the bottom and applying force into the bar dysfunctionally. 

The same could happen with the traditional squat and the box squat, but the one advantage from both is constant tactile feedback. I would suggest spending quality time practicing the starting position for the bottom up pin squat and the bottom position for the top down. I would also recommend spending quality time practicing how to properly brace 360 degrees around the core. The same practice is required for the other two variations as well.

Potential Application

Like any exercise, the pin squat is a tool. In-season, it’s a great way to continue to progress without creating unnecessary muscle damage and fatigue. It’s a great tool for improving starting strength, acceleration, and rate of force development. It’s important to spend time moving heavier loads from specific heights as fast as possible. However, it’s also important to spend time with specific heights at specific loads in relation to bodyweight moving them as fast as possible.

For maximum strength, hypertrophy, connective tissue, and force production, the traditional squat should be the primary choice. However, the box squat is an option as well as long as technique is a major concern at all times. Regardless of the variation used, it’s always important to use VBT for compensatory acceleration and maximum adaptations. 

By now, I hope that all of you understand that all of these exercises and methods are tools. My goal is to teach all of you to be masters of tool application. If you have any questions, email me Travis@GymAware.com.

References:

Weakley J, Cowley N, Schoenfeld BJ, Read DB, Timmins RG, García-Ramos A, McGuckian TB. The Effect of Feedback on Resistance Training Performance and Adaptations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2023 Sep;53(9):1789-1803. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01877-2. Epub 2023 Jul 6. PMID: 37410360; PMCID: PMC10432365.

Coach Travis Mash

Travis Mash

Being a World Champion in powerlifting, Travis competed at a world-class level in Olympic weightlifting and has coached professional Olympic weightlifters alongside Don McCauley and Glenn Pendlay at Team MDUSA. Now Travis coaches the most successful weightlifting team in the USA.