# Can someone explain the box squat?



## mr_oo3 (Jun 27, 2005)

Been reading a bit of westside and elitefts.com lately, and they all talk about the box squat.

I can't figure out:
1. What it is
2. How its beneficial, and how its unbeneficial.

Anyone know their stuff about powerlifting that can help me out?


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## P-funk (Jun 27, 2005)

Louie Simmons can!!!



> Box Squatting
> By:  Louie Simmons
> 
> Box squatting is the most effective method to produce a first-rate squat.  This is, in my opinion, the safest way to squat because you don't use as much weight as you would with a regular squat.
> ...


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## CowPimp (Jun 27, 2005)

You squat to a box that allows you to sit on it when at the bottom most position of the squat.  The idea is to pause on the box for a solid 1-2 seconds and break the concentric-eccentric chain.  This allows you to improve starting strength and explosive power in the squat, which is essential for getting maximum effort lifts up.

Just in case you're too lazy to read the lengthy Simmons explanation, although I highly suggest it.  Louie knows his shit!


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## mr_oo3 (Jun 29, 2005)

Good info thanks P-funk and CowPimp.

I'm still a bit hesitant...my deadlift is at 127.5kg (281lb) for 4, squat about the same, i'm 17.

Done a bit of looking around...I think I'll just keep regular squatting for now, sounds like a) box squats just give me a bigger chance of injury and b) I can probably keep seeing gains on reg. squats for a while.

Thanks again for the info guys.


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## The Monkey Man (Jun 29, 2005)

P-funk said:
			
		

> Louie Simmons can!!!


      

And I was going to chime in on this, when I saw the thread title!


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## Squaggleboggin (Jun 29, 2005)

If you're looking to add another type of squat, I would also recommend the full squat. That's the only squat I use and I love it. It's a true lift because you go down until you can't anymore, pause, then go back up. It forces you to use a lot less weight than normal squats, too, and it's obviously much more difficult with such an increased ROM. I've made some very good gains using this type of squat.


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## gr81 (Jun 29, 2005)

isn't a full squat a normal squat in the first place..? you should've always been doin a full ROM


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## Lil Mendy (Jun 29, 2005)

Box squats are for speed out of the hole. You also have to make sure the box you are using is the right  box for your size. If you use a box too low you will never get out of the hole.  If you use a box too high then you are basically doing a half squat that is not great either unless you are doing that to feel weight on your back.  Also make sure you stay arched, and keep everything really tight at all times. Lastly do not roll on the box.  Hit the box, and get up.  You do not want to sit there for a long period of time. Remember this is for speed.  You only pause if you are doing pause squats.  that is a whole different thing.  Good luck!


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## shiznit2169 (Jun 29, 2005)

is there a video of someone doing box squats?


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## Lil Mendy (Jun 29, 2005)

go to www.deepsquatter.com there is a section there called team taylor.  Click on that you will see a whole bunch of stuff.


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## gr81 (Jun 29, 2005)

> Hit the box, and get up. You do not want to sit there for a long period of time



well thats not entirely true, I mean obviously not for a long preiod of time but a main factor in box squatting is that you are relaxing the hip flexors on the bottom and breaking the concentric/ eccentric chain. You don't want to sit there, but you defn want to pause. its should be a dynamic movement, thats how speed is built out of the hole... anyways, I agee with the rest of your post


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## Squaggleboggin (Jun 29, 2005)

gr81 said:
			
		

> isn't a full squat a normal squat in the first place..? you should've always been doin a full ROM


 No. Normal squats are when your thighs are parallel (powerlifting squats). Full squats are squats that go down so far it's almost impossible to go farther. Your butt should be a couple inches from the floor. People who post their stats in their signatures always go by the parallel squat, or at least that was my impression since they post it in a powerlifting manner (squat deadlift bench) and that's how powerlifters do it.

 When someone above mentioned getting out of 'the hole,' this is actually the best thing for that. Every rep is farther down the hole than normal squatters would dream of going. That's real power.


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## gr81 (Jun 29, 2005)

well first off my post was just intended to poke fun of the guys who don't go downstairs and just do half movement squats, but if you really want to get into it, parallel or inches below IS a full squat, you talking about ATG squats where you can't go any farther down, so my first post was accurate. by your post your implying that anything short of ATG is less than a full squat, which is not the case. Any squat where you aren't even goin to parallel does not qualify as a squat at all, maybe a sissy squat...lol. believe me son, I am the last person here you need to be defining a squat and powerlifting technique to..


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## Lil Mendy (Jun 30, 2005)

When you are talking to the right powerlifters, you will find out that we do not believe in squatting to parallel.  You have to drop 1-2 inches below. What I was saying was, when you hit the box you do not do a 2second pause.  You hit the box arched, you do not roll.  You hit it sit for a second and drive it up through the hole.  Yes I know this movement is to strengthen the hip flexors. You should also try it with bands!!  Great for core and stability!! Trust me, I am edumacated!!!! LOl!!


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## gr81 (Jun 30, 2005)

yeah man I love training with chains and bands, do it all the time. I know when your having a ME training session your not loungin on that box for many secs.. its all good.. more than the squatting I really like deading with the bands..


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## mr_oo3 (Jun 30, 2005)

SO when you train with bands, do you just put a resistance band around a BB and yourself?


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## P-funk (Jul 1, 2005)

mr_oo3 said:
			
		

> SO when you train with bands, do you just put a resistance band around a BB and yourself?




???  and yourself???    


Loop the band around the bottom of the power rack and then around the BB.  Just make sure you have someone there you hold the bar down while you loop a band around it or it may go flying up.


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## Triple Threat (Jul 1, 2005)

gr81 said:
			
		

> I really like deading with the bands..



When you got the bands, did they come with instructions for using them on various exercises?


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## Squaggleboggin (Jul 1, 2005)

gr81 said:
			
		

> well first off my post was just intended to poke fun of the guys who don't go downstairs and just do half movement squats, but if you really want to get into it, parallel or inches below IS a full squat, you talking about ATG squats where you can't go any farther down, so my first post was accurate. by your post your implying that anything short of ATG is less than a full squat, which is not the case. Any squat where you aren't even goin to parallel does not qualify as a squat at all, maybe a sissy squat...lol. believe me son, I am the last person here you need to be defining a squat and powerlifting technique to..


 I really wasn't trying to argue or anything (I'm certainly not the type of kid who comes online correcting 50 people who actually know what they're talking about and insists he's right). I couldn't quite tell if you were being sarcastic so I figured I'd post and one of us would be corrected (me in this case). I just thought that saying something was a full squat meant you were going ass to the grass, so when you do a squat all the way down until you can't go farther, is ATG the only name for it?

 Ah, yes, and if you go to exrx.net (I'm sure you're familiar) the 'full squat' on there seems to be ATG style, which is another reason why I thought full = ATG.


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## gr81 (Jul 1, 2005)

> When you got the bands, did they come with instructions for using them on various exercises?



yeah I have a booklett from Elitefts.com going over how to set them up and the whole nine.. I actually have like two of these books


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## gr81 (Jul 1, 2005)

its all good squaggle, I was just clarifying


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## Lil Mendy (Jul 2, 2005)

I use both the power rack, and I just bought a jumpstretch platform from Elite Fitness.  That thing is crazy!!  The band tension at the top is wild, and your feet do not move.  It is great!! Especially for that last inch or two at the top really forces you to lock out!!


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