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What is Sticking point?
Sticking point is the specific joint angle in a lift where the strength curve — how much force you can produce — dips below the demand of the bar, causing the barbell to slow down dramatically or stall completely. It is not simply the part that feels hardest because you're tired; it is a repeatable location tied to your joint angles, limb lengths, and which muscles are best positioned to contribute force at that instant. Every major lift has a well-documented, if lifter-specific, sticking region.
How it works
The sticking point exists because muscles and joints don't produce equal force at every angle — moment arms change as a joint moves, so the load on a muscle relative to its strength peaks and dips through the range. Research on the bench press, squat, and deadlift places the sticking region in the first third of the bench press just as the bar leaves the chest, around or just above parallel in the squat, and off the floor through roughly knee height in the deadlift, though the deadlift's very top range can actually be mechanically easier rather than harder. Once the bar clears the sticking point, remaining strength reserves usually carry the lift to lockout.
Types
Bench press
First third of the press, just as the bar leaves the chest — the shoulders and pecs are at their weakest leverage here.
Squat
Around or slightly above parallel, where hip and knee extensor moment arms are both large.
Deadlift
From the floor through roughly knee height for most lifters; lockout is often the easiest part, not the hardest.
Worked example
Say a lifter's 100 kg squat consistently slows and nearly stalls just above parallel, then finishes easily. Here's how a coach might target that exact region.
| Tool | Set up | Why it targets the sticking point |
|---|---|---|
| Pause squat | 3 x 3 @ 80% with a 2-3 second pause just above parallel | Removes rebound and forces force production at the exact weak angle |
| Pin/box squat to that height | 3 x 5 at the sticking-point height | Overloads the specific joint angle in isolation |
| Bands or chains | Accommodating resistance added to a straight-weight squat | Increases load precisely as leverage improves, matching the strength curve |
Because the sticking point is angle-specific, partial-range and accommodating-resistance tools usually close the gap faster than more straight-weight volume.
Sticking point vs lockout
| Sticking point | Lockout | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Wherever the strength curve is weakest — often mid-range | The final, fully extended end of the range |
| Cause | Unfavorable joint angle / moment arm | A specific muscle group lagging right at full extension |
| If the lift clears it | Usually recovers and finishes if enough strength reserve remains | There's nowhere left to go — it either locks out or the lift is over |
A lift that survives its sticking point can still miss at lockout if a different muscle group is the true limiter.
By goal
- Raw lifters: Pause and pin work at your specific sticking-point angle is usually the fastest fix — video your lifts to find exactly where the bar slows.
- Equipped lifters: Supportive gear (wraps, suits) shifts where the sticking point falls, often making the lift harder near lockout instead of mid-range.
Common misconceptions
- "The sticking point is just wherever you happen to feel tired." It's a repeatable, angle-specific location driven by joint moment arms and leverage, not fatigue — the same lifter tends to stick at the same joint angle set after set, even on a fresh attempt.
- "Every lifter sticks in the same place on the same lift." While there are common regions — early bench, near-parallel squat, off-the-floor deadlift — the exact angle shifts with limb length, technique, and gear, so two lifters can genuinely differ on the same lift.
- "If you clear the sticking point, the lift is guaranteed." Clearing the sticking point means you've cleared the hardest strength-curve deficit, but the lift can still fail at lockout if a different muscle group, like the triceps in a bench press, runs out first.
Related terms
Sticking point FAQ
What is the sticking point in a lift?
The sticking point is the specific joint angle where a lift's strength curve is weakest, causing the bar to slow down or stall. It's a repeatable, biomechanical location, not simply the moment you happen to feel most fatigued.
Where is the sticking point in the bench press?
Research places it in roughly the first third of the press, just as the bar leaves the chest, where the shoulders and pecs are at their weakest mechanical leverage for that particular joint angle.
Where is the sticking point in the squat?
Most lifters stick around or just above parallel, where both the hip and knee extensor moment arms are large, demanding the most force relative to available leverage at that specific depth.
How do you train through a sticking point?
Pause reps, pin or box work at the exact sticking-point height, and accommodating resistance like bands or chains all target the specific weak joint angle more directly than straight-weight volume alone.
Is the sticking point the same as failing a lift?
No. A lift can slow dramatically at its sticking point and still recover if enough strength reserve remains — failing there means the reserve ran out, not that the sticking point itself is automatically a miss.
References
- van den Tillaar R, Saeterbakken A. Understanding and Overcoming the Sticking Point in Resistance Exercise. Sports Medicine (PMC)
- van den Tillaar R, et al. The Sticking Point in the Bench Press, the Squat, and the Deadlift: Similarities and Differences. Sports Medicine (PMC)
- The Sticking Point in the Bench Press, the Squat, and the Deadlift. PubMed 27600146
- The Sticking Point in the Squat: What Causes It and What To Do About It. Stronger by Science
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