Suspender Squat Power Pull

How to do the Suspender Squat Power Pull

1. 1Set the suspension straps to mid-length so the handles hang at roughly hip height when you stand in front of the anchor.
2. 2Face the anchor point, hold one handle in each hand with a neutral grip, and walk your feet forward until you feel light tension in the straps with your arms extended.
3. 3Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, toes turned out slightly to match your natural squat stance.
4. 4Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to lower into a full squat, letting your arms extend as you descend and using the straps for balance. Keep your chest tall and knees tracking over your toes.
5. 5At the bottom of the squat, your weight should be in your heels and midfoot, with hips below parallel if your mobility allows.
6. 6Drive through your feet to stand up explosively, and as your hips rise simultaneously pull the handles toward your chest or shoulders in a rowing motion, bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
7. 7Finish standing tall with elbows pulled back and handles at chest height, body fully extended.
8. 8Slowly return the handles forward and lower back into the next squat under control.

Form tips

• Let the straps carry only enough of your weight to stay balanced — the load should be on your legs, not your arms.
• Time the pull so it begins just as your hips start to rise, not before. Rowing early turns it into an arm exercise instead of a power movement.
• Keep your torso as upright as possible throughout the squat by using the strap tension to counterbalance your weight forward.
• Squeeze your glutes and fully extend your hips at the top before resetting for the next rep.
• Control the descent — do not use the straps to catch a sloppy drop into the bottom position.

Common mistakes

• Pulling the handles before driving through the legs, which breaks the power chain and shifts load onto the arms rather than the thighs.
• Leaning too far back and letting the straps hold most of your bodyweight, which reduces the demand on the legs and turns the movement into a suspension lean.
• Allowing the knees to cave inward during the squat, which stresses the knee joint and reduces glute involvement.
• Cutting the squat depth short by stopping well above parallel, which limits thigh development and the power generated through the full range.
• Shrugging the shoulders on the pull instead of driving the elbows back, which loads the traps rather than the mid-back.

Frequently asked questions