Pause Barbell Lunge
The pause barbell lunge is a unilateral leg exercise that increases muscle recruitment by adding a static hold at the bottom of the movement. It primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes while challenging core stability and balance.
Since lunges require significant balance and central nervous system recovery, the AI analyzes your HRV and sleep data to determine if you are ready for the intensity of pause work. It tracks your RPE specifically during the hold to ensure you aren't rushing the count, auto-adjusting the weight to maintain the correct stimulus. If you have a history of knee pain, the system can instantly suggest a regression like a static lunge to reduce impact forces while still training the target muscles.
Form Cues
- Step forward and lower hips until both knees form 90-degree angles
- Hold the bottom position completely still for the prescribed time
- Keep your torso upright and core braced throughout the hold
- Drive firmly through your front heel to return to standing
- Maintain a hip-width stance to ensure stability
- Don't let your back knee rest on the floor during the pause
- Don't bounce out of the bottom position; maintain control
- Don't allow your front knee to collapse inward
- Don't round your lower back or lean excessively forward
- Don't step too narrow, like walking on a tightrope
Common Mistakes
- Rushing the pause count
- Resting the back knee on the ground
- Using momentum to stand up
- Allowing the front heel to lift
- Collapsing the chest forward
Muscles Worked
This variation intensifies the work on the quadriceps and glutes by removing the stretch reflex or elastic energy usually utilized to bounce back up. The isometric pause forces these muscles to generate force from a dead stop, increasing strength gains and hypertrophy while demanding significant core recruitment for stability.
Primary
Secondary
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