Box Squats. Yay or nay?

[IronManlet]

Never used them. Don't think I ever will.

[statirasman]

The low box squats seem to be working for me, I have worked them in the past few weeks and my totals on the full squat are going up. I lower slowly making sure to sit back, slowly settle on the box and deload, then explode up. My power and speed out of the hole has improved alot.

[J_Byrd]

For what its worth, never done any real box squats. Prob never will. If its a low box, will be good for drive out of the hole if done correctly. I perfer to train my glute and hams in other ways.

[RobMoriRB]

I found the box squat will help develop the drive in tough situations where you might get caught on the bottom, maybe rotate it into your work outs every couple weeks.

[gaspers04]

High, parallel and low. I enjoy 'em. I dont feel that they should be the soul lift, but part of a larger repertoire of lifts. But then again I dont squat worth a sh!t, so disregard.

[Violent Volume]

I use them. I like a good mix of both.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by LtL

We're talking about two different things here:

1. A box being used to check depth. You touch it and go.
2. A box being used to allow you to sit back further, pause and then use your glutes and hams to pull yourself up.

Unless you have problems judging your depth then type 2 should be your default. If you're a raw lifter then you need to use the box more sparingly. If you're geared then the box will help more. I would also say that on the Westside template using the box on speed day allows me to squat twice per week and reduces soreness allowing me to go heavier on the second speed session.

LtL

I have to admit, I've used box squats once and that was to judge depth, since there was no way I could tell how low or high I was going during the squat; no mirrors and nobody around to give any feedback, so it was the perfect solution.

[gaspers04]

Is using them now.

[IronManlet]

I guess it just never made much sense to me. It changes the entire squatting movement into something that you just can't replicate without a box (raw, at least).

It makes more sense to me to just learn how to sit back in a regular squat and keep whacking away at it. Unless your trying to do 'weak point training' for your glutes and hamstrings, which is a whole other rant...