Brendan Brown Powerlifting Academy

💥 Lift of the Week: The Pin Squat 💥

That’s right — two weeks of squats in a row! If that doesn’t show how powerful the squat is, I don’t know what does.

This week we’re breaking down the Pin Squat — a powerhouse variation with a reduced range of motion that helps separate the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (lifting) phases, build explosive strength out of the hole, and allows us to overload with heavier weight.

In this video, I walk you through:
✅ What the Pin Squat is
✅ Why it’s such a valuable tool
✅ How to perform it safely and effectively
✅ Real examples from me and my athletes in action

Got questions on how to implement it in your training? Drop a comment or come train with us. Let’s get stronger — together.

Zero Comfort Fitness
Zero Comfort Fitness - Team

Lift of the week: banded squats! Check out why and how we use banded squats, and accommodating resistance in general, to enhance our programming and make our athletes as strong and explosive as possible!

We've got lots of big and exciting news here at the Brendan Brown Powerlifting Academy!

First, our website will officially be live next week, August 14th! https://www.bbpowerliftingacademy.com/

We will officially be launching our video series on a weekly basis right here! Videos will go in depth on various lifts, continued education, highlighting our athletes and their accomplishments, and so much more!

Lastly, we are thrilled for our official ribbon cutting ceremony in October to celebrate our opening, as well as our next Saturday In-depth powerlifting clinic: open to the public!

Let's get stronger together!

Zero Comfort Fitness
Zero Comfort Fitness - Team

Not every lift is pretty. Here’s a great example from this past week!

605 band squat single. This specific band set takes away approximately 60lbs off the bottom of the lift, with no tension on the top.

Here we can see a quick failure about halfway up the lift, but an excellent recovery. This failure was due to lack of core stiffness and not enough external rotation at the knees. Understanding the fundamentals and how to recover when the weight becomes overbearing is crucial for success and for safety!

The purposes of this lift, using bands from the top, are:

1. Accommodating Resistance. This is a staple of our training methodology. A traditional lift, an isometric lift, is not an even feat of strength; you overcome the most resistance at the bottom of the lift, and are able to accelerate and produce more force as you gain leverage in the range of motion. Accommodating resistance fixes this—it ACCOMODATES the resistance by making the lift heavier as you gain leverage and strength. This means you can make the lift isokenetic instead of isometric, and work at near 100% effort throughout the entire range of motion. This creates the most effective and efficient set possible.

2. Overload. With this style, you can load and walk out with more weight in the bar than you can actually lift. Your body and core can feel the heavier load and help build the bracing mechanisms you need for heavier weight. It’s also great mentally to feel the heaviest weight possible, so when you get back to your ‘true max’, it feels lighter and builds confidence!

Come check out and see how we use accommodating resistance to build the greatest powerlfiters in Texas!

Zero Comfort Fitness

Coach Brendan hitting 525 lbs for 3 reps today.

The squat is, in our humble opinion, the staple of powerlifting. It’s the perfect balance of strength, power, control, and confidence. It’s easy to push yourself on a deadlift when there’s little risk, but putting weight on your back near your max requires not only overcoming fear, but turning that fear into confidence and the adrenaline needed to make the lift.

Here are a few key elements of the squat that we focus on at the Academy:

Position and Control: A low bar squat, narrow hand placement, a powerful athletic stance, and actively driving your chest and elbows forward all contribute to control of the bar. This allows you to stay locked in and move with power while prioritizing safety.

Equipment: Squat shoes give you the leverage to maximize strength. Knee sleeves and a belt help keep your body tight and supported, reducing stress on the joints and keeping you safe under heavy loads.

Depth: Hitting proper depth is not only essential in powerlifting competitions—it also challenges your body to get stronger and more explosive from its weakest position: the very bottom.

Advanced Techniques: Once the basics are mastered, there are always ways to refine your squat. Manipulating eccentric speed, creating torque through knee rotation, mastering breath control, and balancing violence, precision, and quickness in your setup all contribute to building your best squat.

Come train at the Brendan Brown Powerlifting Academy, and you’ll see firsthand why Coach Brendan broke the Junior World Squat Record in 2019—and how you can maximize your own squat.

Zero Comfort Fitness

Let’s gooo 💪🏻