Box Squat Tips and Info

[BendtheBar]

Box Squats Do Not Work - YouTube

Box Squats Do Not Work - YouTube

[BendtheBar]

^ "Don't box squat 3 inches below parallel."

[bruteforce]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

^ "Don't box squat 3 inches below parallel."

That was an interesting quote. so I should set it right at parallel?

[Fazc]

He's absolutely right. In my experience the reason box squats work so well is because they are a fantastic hamstring/hip and general posterior exercise.

You don't need to concentrate on depth to the exclusion of everything else, remember the intent of the exercise. That is speed and posterior strengthening, the depth is secondary to that.

[BendtheBar]

I tend to agree with him that most people do them wrong and they are hard to master. I've been trying to master them for years and I still get knee tendinitis every single time I do them...narrow, wide, no difference. They have been a bear for me to master.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I tend to agree with him that most people do them wrong and they are hard to master. I've been trying to master them for years and I still get knee tendinitis every single time I do them...narrow, wide, no difference. They have been a bear for me to master.

I think a nice pair of tight briefs make all the difference, and just pushing back as far as possible. Almost pushing yourself off the floor backwards, like you're jumping backwards if you can imagine that.

[MikeM]

Originally Posted by Fazc

I think a nice pair of tight briefs make all the difference, and just pushing back as far as possible. Almost pushing yourself off the floor backwards, like you're jumping backwards if you can imagine that.

OK. Something disturbing about this.

And get your minds out of the gutter! I mean why do you have to bastardize your motion in order to accomodate this activity? Why do them at all? I get if you are hamstring weak, maybe loading the posterior is a good idea, but isn't there easier/better ways? Good Mornings, GHR, Stiff Deads, etc.?

Seriously, I don't get box squats at all. No disrespect to anyone. Just seeking illumination.

[kitarpyar]

Originally Posted by MikeM

Seriously, I don't get box squats at all. No disrespect to anyone. Just seeking illumination.

My impression was, in addition to posterior loading, this is a good way to get the squat form down. Too lazy/tired to search the video on squat technique, but anyway, basically the video said squat down and back as if your butt is searching for a chair (or box - hence the box squat).

If you listen to the Darden video in this thread, he even cites and example of Jo Jordan and the reason box squats help him is because his normal squat form is almost the same as his box squat form.

So I guess one can think of box squat as a tool for getting down form. Anyway, I am just firing in the dark, and there are lots of good squatters here. May be they can throw some light on this.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by MikeM

I mean why do you have to bastardize your motion in order to accomodate this activity? Why do them at all? I get if you are hamstring weak, maybe loading the posterior is a good idea, but isn't there easier/better ways? Good Mornings, GHR, Stiff Deads, etc.?

I think this is where people get Box Squats wrong, 'cos they can't accept that it is a bastardisation of the exercise. It's an exaggeration of squat form. You're wider (or at least you should be) than normal, you sit back more (made possible by the box), and typically you're more upright so you can load the hips/hams more (made possible by the box).

Just think of them like any other assistance you might do like GM's or RDL's. They're not the same as your competition squat, but they help.

In regards to there being better ways to load the posterior, in my experience there just isn't. Properly performed box squats are just insanely good and have given me such a boost

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Edit - Just to clarify, it's a bastardisation of how most people raw squat. Because it is allows you to mimic a geared squat. So it will look a lot like some geared lifters competitions squats. But even for a raw guy they're going to help, but typically only from an assistance point of view. Especially for the raw guy they just can't be classed as form practice, but they are a great exercise for the posterior.

[big_swede]

I like them since they really smoke the posterior chain and let me use more weight while focusing on the decent, I mean on a freesquat you can get away with "divebombing" a bit on a rep but thats NOT an option on a boxsquat, therefore it helps me stay very tight, and practice to stay very tight, witch transfers over to my freesquat and also deadlift in a way.