How to Box squat

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HandyAndy

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What are the benefits of doing these? Anything different from regular squats besides the actual movements?
 
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Quagmire911

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This is a box back squat, although you can do box front squats.

Box squatting loads up the posterior chain more, and it is also useful for making sure you hit depth everytime. It can also be used as a change to get progress moving again. There is more, but these are the basics.

For more info read articles on Westside Barbell.
 
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kickureface

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i actually saw this last week trying to learn box squats :)
quag have you done them? currently im having trouble getting the shins vertical. also, it doesn't put enough stress on my legs on texas method :(. how far apart are your back and box squats for reps? mine was about 35lbs lower than back.
 
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eldafar

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You gotta sit on the box, not think of squatting down, then shins will naturally be perpendicular. At first it is kind of awkward to think of sitting down on something as you do on a toilet with a ****load of weight on your back, just start light and build up to it. Concentrate on technique, weight doesn't matter in the beginning, don't let your ego get the best of you.

It also takes a bit of hamstring flexibility to sit down properly, so a short dynamic warm-up for hams might help. Also practice the motion wherever you're sitting down on something throughout the day, be it a chair or a seat, keep back straight, stick your ass out and sit down. Same thing for getting up, pretend you're box squatting with just body weight.

Just small tips, hope it helps. Been doing these all summer.
 
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Rampage1

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who gives a **** how to box squat! if anyone wanted to know how to box squat they would ask!
 
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yungahdubz

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Does it make it easier to box squat if your shins aren't perpendicular? What happens if your shins are at an acute angle?
 
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eldafar

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yungahdubz said:
Does it make it easier to box squat if your shins aren't perpendicular? What happens if your shins are at an acute angle?
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The guy in the video answers your question. Your shings being at an acute angle will transfer more stress from your posterior chain to your quads, which defeats the purpose of posterior chain activation. Box squats will still put stress on your posterior chain, just not nearly as much if your shins aren't at least perpendicular.
 
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Quagmire911

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Your box squat will be a bit behind your full squat. I cant't remember how much, something like 80% of the full squat I think.

Eldfar said it, you need to push your butt back when iniatiating the lift. Remember and push your knees out too. If it is a flexibility issue look up my threads for "The essential 8 mobility drills".

Box squats won't make you as sore as regular squats, so keep this in mind. Remember that soreness isn't neccasarily an indicator of how effective an exercise has been.
 
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JohnnyIrish

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I seem to remember reading that IA was a huge fan of box squats and that they could easily be not only for fixing regular squats but rather done year round.

Quagmire, question. Currently my box squats I've been going a lot lower then the advised 1inch below parallel. You can see how low I've been going here. Unlike that video however I do sit back/pause for each rep on the box now.

Anywho.. am I doing it wrong? Is it ok to go down that far?
 
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mrRuckus

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I've done box squats a lot.

I just don't see the point of them if you can still keep increasing your squat and deadlift without doing them. They seem a more advanced technique. I mean, you don't start doing board presses and working with bands and stuff if you're benching under 200-300 so why start box squatting if your squat itself is still pathetic and fully capable of being steadily progressed?

The same goes with speed benching and the like. Who lifts 100 lbs faster? The 400 lb bencher or the 200 lb bencher who speed trains 100 lbs?

rippetoe said:
At your level I'd do only low-box squats, if you even need those. I'd argue that all box squatting should be reserved for those athletes well into intermediate training.
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It's something to train if you're not progressing the full movement consistently, but otherwise what is the point if the full squat is training the same musculature anyway?

I can say for sure that i've progressed a lot faster using the texas method of 5x5 squats than i have the past year of swapping between squats and box squats.

I do plan on occassionally doing box squats as my light day in my routine, though. Just to say i'm doing them.
 
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kickureface

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@ johnnyirish
that isn't the point of a box squat. you actually sit on it. look in the first 2 vids :p

i like box squats a lot more for powerlifting :D
 
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yungahdubz

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Slightly off topic but are pistols and box pistols bad for your back due to the fact you have to round it?
 
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Quagmire911

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You pause on the box for a split second whilst releasing the hip flexors. No bouncing.
 
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