Box Squats And Quad Activation

[RobMoriRB]

do box squats target the quads as much as free squats?

[MikeM]

I have been waiting for some of the experts to chime in here, but am disappointed no one has.

My personal opinion is that box squat do not hit your quads very hard in general. I think if you set the box low and just tap it and go, then maybe, but if you set it at parallel and hunt around for it with your butt, then it's all posterior chain and back, very little quad except some of the drive part where your quads are not really being challenged.

I would love to hear some other opinions though.

[BendtheBar]

Sorry, this was in a moderated forum and didn't get released for weeks. Give it 24 hours, we'll get some good responses now.

Just for future reference, if you guys post in moderated forums, please PM me.

[BendtheBar]

I guess I would first like to know if your box squat stance is the same width as your non-box squat stance?

I go wider on box squats and feel it doesn't tax my quads nearly as much. Louie Simmons would disagree, if I am understanding his statements correctly.

Conventional stance squats gave me monster quads. I just don't feel my quads nearly as much when I go wide. Perhaps this is body type and strength/weakness related.

[gaspers04]

Well I did box squats for some time, almost exclusively when I first joined here. I dont feel that there was much quad recruitment at all. Posterior chain I feel, but I have been know to be wrong.

[Fazc]

My experience has been the same as Gasp, Steve & Mike's. I used box squats heavily this year, in fact almost exclusively and my quad strength went through the floor. I know Contreras has his quad activation study and he found more quad activation via Box Squats but I just can't see how that's true.

A proper deep, upright torso, knees extending forward, raw squat will nail the quads. (And before anyone say's it, if you do them correctly they will not hurt the knees.)

[Bodybygamma]

Nope, Louie Simmions (even tho I hate the fraud) said it clear that if you dissect a box squat it is a leg curl in the motion and form, especially if you sit back and have it low. Hips, Glutes, Hamstrings.

Quad focus would be in front squats and variants, but since we are a quad dominate society I would say it would be foolish to purposely target your quads for isolation.

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by Bodybygamma

Quad focus would be in front squats and variants, but since we are a quad dominate society I would say it would be foolish to purposely target your quads for isolation.

Not at all. Quads will help you get depth.

I think through all the 'posterior' rhetoric we've been fed over the years, people forget that the primary function of the quads is to extend the knee.

[YoRR]

if anyone is interested, Louie Simmons on box squats:

You Tube

You Tube

[BendtheBar]

Some past discussions that might help anyone interested.

Box Squats. Yay or nay?

Box squatting for the RAW lifter