box squats

How To Coach The Box Squat/elite FTS
Best explanation I have seen yet on YouTube.
 
Wow... I didn't think I'd see this response...

I love box squats.. I was started on them by IronAddict. It really helped me correct my squat form so that after doing box squats for awhile I was able to do a reg squat with great form.

I think everyone should learn to squat by doing box squats first.

I should add, box squats are not good for low rep/high weight imo... I keep my reps between 6-10, usually around 8. And no "thumping" onto the bench. Nice and slow descent to the box.. Helped me develope my leg strenght by making me focus on the negative portion of the lift as well.

It's also a good lift to do (in the squat cage) if you have no spotter and want to go to failure. If you can set the safety bars to be just below where the bar rests when you are sitting on the box, its easy to dump the bar back if you can't lift it.

I agree with what you are saying. I have used box squats extensively to help my squat maxes. The key is always technique and no slamming down on to the box. Also do not go use to low of a box until u get the hang of it on a least a parallel squat. The box helped me out extensively as I used the box to reach back with my ass to contact the box. This made me bend at the waist first not at the knee which I notice a lot of ppl do when they squat. Bending at the hip and reaching back activates the large movers in the squat … quads glutes and all the back muscles … resulting in a bigger squat over time. I am a wide stance squatter so I always pushed my ass back and onto the box decending slowly, once I hit the box, I stayed very tight (upper lower back, glutes hams, thighs) I would slowly roll back about an inch not rounding my back and staying tight then I would drive forward and drive the hips out and push my traps up against the bar and push my heels down into the ground. Always worked for me. You just have to know how heavy you can go, if u put on a weight that is to heavy, your back rounds and your technique fails then you should reduce your weight. I find they are great with bands as the weight deloads on the bottom part of the squat so your technique does not faulter when you sit on the box and it increases your speed off the box cause if you have a lot of band tension at the top you need the speed to get upright. That is my thought on the subject. If that helps great … if it doesn't then disregard my response :)
 
Used to love squatting wide stance low.
Never mastered box squatting.
Can you explain,iirc,Louie Simmons calling this a giant hamstring curl?
 
I found this video that might help explain … giant hamstring curl. I do not like the fact that the lifter in this video does not bend at the hips first ( he bends at the knees and hips simultaneously which result shoots his knees out over his toes causing harder sheering force on the knees … people with knee problems don't like this ) and push the ass as far back as possible, letting the knees eventually bent on their own, doing this he would not have to move his feet forward as they would already be as far forward as he would want. As in the first comment on the link with you hamstrings so stretched and your ass way back you actually have to squeeze the hamstring really hard, (ie: giant hamstring curl ) in order to launch forward and pull your hips straight into an upright position. This type of squat really develops the prime and strongest muscles for the squat... hams glutes and back ( notice I did not say thighs although they are recruited quite heavily as well). Hope this helps.

 
Wow... I didn't think I'd see this response...

I love box squats.. I was started on them by IronAddict. It really helped me correct my squat form so that after doing box squats for awhile I was able to do a reg squat with great form.

I think everyone should learn to squat by doing box squats first.

I should add, box squats are not good for low rep/high weight imo... I keep my reps between 6-10, usually around 8. And no "thumping" onto the bench. Nice and slow descent to the box.. Helped me develope my leg strenght by making me focus on the negative portion of the lift as well.

It's also a good lift to do (in the squat cage) if you have no spotter and want to go to failure. If you can set the safety bars to be just below where the bar rests when you are sitting on the box, its easy to dump the bar back if you can't lift it.

Don’t disagree but now that I’m on the north side of 40 I wouldn’t do them.

A good alternative is dropping the weight if you can’t control it in the bottom of the squat, or doing smith squats with the “catch” at the bottom of your squat.

As far as form I don’t think anyone should be squatting anything until form is near perfect. Squats much like deadlifts can be back breakers. ☠️☠️
 
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I found this video that might help explain … giant hamstring curl. I do not like the fact that the lifter in this video does not bend at the hips first ( he bends at the knees and hips simultaneously which result shoots his knees out over his toes causing harder sheering force on the knees … people with knee problems don't like this ) and push the ass as far back as possible, letting the knees eventually bent on their own, doing this he would not have to move his feet forward as they would already be as far forward as he would want. As in the first comment on the link with you hamstrings so stretched and your ass way back you actually have to squeeze the hamstring really hard, (ie: giant hamstring curl ) in order to launch forward and pull your hips straight into an upright position. This type of squat really develops the prime and strongest muscles for the squat... hams glutes and back ( notice I did not say thighs although they are recruited quite heavily as well). Hope this helps.


It does.I don't believe my hand are as strong as they should be.Are you using GHD movements?
 
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Don’t disagree but now that I’m on the north side of 40 I wouldn’t do them.

A good alternative is dropping the weight if you can’t control it in the bottom of the squat, or doing smith squats with the “catch” at the bottom of your squat.

As far as form I don’t think anyone should be squatting anything until form is near perfect. Squats much like deadlifts can be back breakers. ☠☠


Weird... I'm around 40 and feel safer doing box squats vs reg squats. The only reg squats I like are 20 rep squats
 
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Weird... I'm around 40 and feel safer doing box squats vs reg squats. The only reg squats I like are 20 rep squats
Have been a member of a hard core gym that didn't allow box squats.
Somebody needs to build a box with a bit of a suspension system for safety.
 
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Have been a member of a hard core gym that didn't allow box squats.
Somebody needs to build a box with a bit of a suspension system for safety.

hmmm... "hardcore" and "rules" don't belong in the same sentence lol...

box squats force me to do a slow negative to avoid hitting the box.. I literally ease on to the box softer than I sit on the toilet.
 
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It does.I don't believe my hand are as strong as they should be.Are you using GHD movements?
I always used glute ham raises as they smack the glute hams real hard it you extend backward to an almost upright position and squeeze the glutes. I owned a ghr machine for along time as I have a home gym and I always use to do them with band resistence ( wrap a band round back of neck and attach to bottom or ghr machine). Ask my strength increase I would add more band resistence. Great assistance exercise for deads and squats. The exercise that worked the best for me for GH development were bent leg good mornings. Those helped my squat and deadlift significantly. A pic of the GMR machine in my home gym
 

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We all have opinions about box squats, and yes you have to be spot on with technique, and when I say technique, chest up ass back, pre tighten all muscles before you squat, sit gentle on the box stay tight and sit back, and watch the weight you use ( if to much weight your technique goes to shit). if you are not comfortable with them use lighter weight, but always presqueeze all muscles involved before you go down and take a big breath and hold to end of lift. Watch successful squatters ie Louie Simmons, read westside articles on their site. Get their old video's on squatting where they show a full box squat workout with the whole west side group. If you still have problems with them do not use them, find what works for you.
 
Have been a member of a hard core gym that didn't allow box squats.
Somebody needs to build a box with a bit of a suspension system for safety.
Build a box with 2x4's that stack from lower to higher than parallel levels. Find your self some thick foam rubber and cut it to the size of he squat and voila a box that aborbs force as you squat on it. I only say this as I have built one and it worked very well. Just an idea :)
 
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Yeah Nordic curl.
Used to have a GHD in my garage,sold it along with the house.
Sorinex has a floor roller device,I may get around to purchasing it.
 
hmmm... "hardcore" and "rules" don't belong in the same sentence lol...

box squats force me to do a slow negative to avoid hitting the box.. I literally ease on to the box softer than I sit on the toilet.
Hard core powerlifters and later wrestlers and strongmen types including Kazmaier.
Owner considered them dangerous.
Slow negative and maybe a sudden failure?
I have come down funny once years ago
 
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Build a box with 2x4's that stack from lower to higher than parallel levels. Find your self some thick foam rubber and cut it to the size of he squat and voila a box that aborbs force as you squat on it. I only say this as I have built one and it worked very well. Just an idea :)
Sounds cheap to build.I built a reverse hyper to fit a cage with 2 by 4,2 by 6 and some one inch pipe and tees,cheap.But I like the idea of suspension.
Bodyweighr plus a significant poundage ...
 
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I always found I had to hinge slightly to launch so it must be lack of hamstring strength.
 
I always found I had to hinge slightly to launch so it must be lack of hamstring strength.
You can never have enough hamstring strength, train them hard and build up the load on the over time. :)
 
Sounds cheap to build.I built a reverse hyper to fit a cage with 2 by 4,2 by 6 and some one inch pipe and tees,cheap.But I like the idea of suspension.
Bodyweighr plus a significant poundage ...
Sounds great. If you can build it and it works the same it's a lot cheaper. Reverse hypers are great for the hamstrings and your initial starting weight with them is low but over time your strength will grow. Remember power and strength is not a sprint it's a progression over time. Good luck with the ham strength
 
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