Squat Pulses: The Lower Body Exercise Your Workout Is Missing

Elizabeth Millard has written for Men's Health, SELF, Prevention, Runner's World, and several other health and wellness publications. Based in Northern Minnesota (yes, it's just as cold as you've heard), she's also a rock climber, obstacle course enthusiast, and registered yoga teacher. Follow her on Twitter.
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When you practice proper form, squats fire up nearly every muscle in your lower body, from your quads and hamstrings, to your lower back and core. But if you’re ready to increase the burn, try adding in some squat pulses.
What are Squat Pulses?
A staple of any barre class, squat pulses significantly reduce your range of motion in a squat, which keeps constant tension on the muscles, making the move significantly harder.
“Squat pulses are a great way to work on building endurance, especially as you progress in terms of duration,” says Aaron Leventhal, C.S.C.S., former professional soccer player and owner of Minneapolis-based Fit Studio.
With squat pulses, that constant tension, even for a minute, makes these muscles put in the work.
How to Do Squat Pulses
Variations of Squat Pulses
Many find it’s best to progress with squat pulses by time instead of reps. So, instead of doing 50 squat pulses, try doing one full minute, and go slower for your reps. If you’re compromising form at any point, i.e. leaning forward too much, rounding your back, knees are buckling inward, etc., that’s your max time. Build up from there on your next session, Leventhal suggests.
If you’re able to do at least a minute of squat pulses with good form, you may want to consider progressing. Here are a few options:
“As you’re able to do squat pulses for longer periods of time, adding weight or balance will help you increase intensity,” Leventhal says.