Box Squats. Yay or nay?

[Trevor Ross]

From what I understand they're more for geared squatters, but having a box underneath you keeps you honest. Just don't sit all the way down, barely touch the box, that's my experience anyway.

[BendtheBar]

Too much of a reliance on box squats results in a change in my raw squat stance. I use them, but not overuse them if that makes any sense.

I've tried running only box squats but things didn't work great for me. I like them mostly for speed work or heavy, high box wide stance to work my glutes, and on my wide stance depth.

[Fazc]

I like 'em.

I reckon as long as you're doing your regular Squats alongside them, they're going to benefit you. It's a squat variation which, for me, gives me less knee stress. So I get leg/back work without the knee stress. Win-win!

[JacktheThriller]

People do them at my gym but incorrectly on the end of bench. I personally think they are a bad idea for most people. If you miss a lift and crash your looking at compression from the upper and lower spine leaving the middle only one place to move, straight back and slip a disc. IMO

[Off Road]

I only use a box to check depth periodically.

[Off Road]

Originally Posted by JacktheThriller

People do them at my gym but incorrectly on the end of bench.

Yup, if they are using a bench, they are probably squatting high.

[Trevor Ross]

Sitting down on the box acts like a suit does it not? That's why I don't sit down on it, I just graze the top to keep the squats low. I don't have a problem with wide squats raw.

[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

[Trevor Ross]

I've been hearing a lot of hate on the box squat lately saying it causes back problems etc.

[Bodybygamma]

Originally Posted by Trevor Ross

From what I understand they're more for geared squatters, but having a box underneath you keeps you honest. Just don't sit all the way down, barely touch the box, that's my experience anyway.

Box Squats are better for the raw lifter than the geared lifter if used right. If you disect them they are the barbell equivelent of a leg curl in terms of hamstring involvment. The key is to use this as an assistance tool along with regular squats and not in lue of.

Its a great way to squat twice a week without wrecking your knees.

My squat went from 495 @265 to 525 @242 in a matter of months from adding in box squats,(back when I was doing them.) Key word is in addition to, I can't stress that enought. Vary the bars, the heights and bands/chains from week to week, focus on repsxsets 9-15 to 1-3. Pause with lighter weights, explode off the box with heavier ones. Always use 70% or less.