box squats

[2gcorey]

is it to good to sit on the box? isn't that hard on the back if you go down and then sit on it then go back up? shouldn't you just tap the box then back up? just curious cause i was watching someone in the gym who i thought was gonna snap their 130lb spine as they sat on the box. i didn't say anything cause i wasn't sure i don't feel comfortable offering advice n the gym.

if its a safety issue do you guys normally speak up and help someone?

 

[Rokdog]

if its a safety issue do you guys normally speak up and help someone?

I can't offer help on the box but my policy is to only correct them if it is a safety issue for me.

 

[Cogar]

I first learned to do squats, including box squats, from a power lifter. He told me to go down until you touch the box and then immediately go back up.

As a side comment, it makes sense to not sit on the box, since that removes muscle tension. If you do not maintain muscle tension throughout a movement, and this goes for other exercises like curls or pull-ups, the weight has to be supported by the joint and ligaments. You can overload the joint and get hurt that way.

PS: If I see someone doing something that might hurt them, I will approach them and say something like "how's it going?" If they seem friendly, I'll talk. If not, I will go about my business and let them go about theirs.

 

[canadian champ]

sitting on the box is a definite no-no. In my gym, we have posters on the walls indicating proper form. I would simply direct them to the posters that way i wont feel like im being a complete ass.
cc

 

[RaulJimenez]

I don't mean to sound rude but after watching Dave Tate in one of his Westside Barbell seminars, he definitely says to sit into the box , then explode with your glutes up and keep your back arched through the whole movement and just explode UP.

 

[Gethuge]

Sitting on the box MIGHT be ok IF the decent is VERY SLOW! I guess the bottom line is, no, I would definately not recommend sitting at the bottom. It should be more of a "touch and go" type of exercise. You can pause just as you touch the box before "exploding" out of the bottom if you wish.

 

[Squiboy]

im pretty sure that the box is there too just really get the form in for one thing, but sitting on the box while attempting to keep your muscles as tight as they were should help quite a bit on explosion speed and strength. I would say sit shortly keeping your muscles tight and go down really slow, dont pound onto the box just settle in there.

 

[RaulJimenez]

Yeah that doesn't mean you should slam yourself into the box, you need to sit down into it slowly, and then FORCEFULLY explode from your GLUTES UP.

 

[lvtrojan]

decent link

http://www.weightliftingdiscussion.com/boxsquat.html


looks like both ways are acceptable if done properly.

 

[Trapark666]

The idea behind doing a box squat is to sit completely on the box to let your muscles relax. Then you have to start with no momentum and drive up off the box. You start with a box close too or less than parrallel. Your calves should be about 2-3 inches away from the box when you start your movement. Sit down and back on the box decending slowly, not just dropping down on it. Let your hip flexors and quads relax for just a moment and then explode off the box. Do not use a rocking motion to gain momentum when standing up.
Touch and go squats on a box are where some people run into problems because they rely on the box to stop their momentum. Many people descend to quickly and it has a jarring effect on the spine. If you need something to show yourself that you are parallel then you can take a bungee cord and wrap it around the power rack and adjust it to the height you need. When you butt hits the cord, you know that you are low enough.
I would suggest to anyone to incorporate box squats into their routine. You will be surprised at how fast your regular squat will increase.

 

[2gcorey]

how good can exploding up be though, from a rest posititon? just sounds like a good way to tear a muscle or tweak something. i don't explode on anything i do. people say not to do that, but for this they say to do it? so when lifting is exploding up a good thing or not?

 

[Cogar]

how good can exploding up be though, from a rest posititon? just sounds like a good way to tear a muscle or tweak something. i don't explode on anything i do. people say not to do that, but for this they say to do it? so when lifting is exploding up a good thing or not?

I agree, resting on the box or not, "ballistic" and "explosive" movements with heavy weights are a good way to ask for trouble.

 

[RaulJimenez]

how good can exploding up be though, from a rest posititon? just sounds like a good way to tear a muscle or tweak something. i don't explode on anything i do. people say not to do that, but for this they say to do it? so when lifting is exploding up a good thing or not?

It all depends on the kind of lift that you are doing, but when you are down on a box, you need to compress your glutes and quads to the maximum in order to go up again, that is what I meant by explosively going up using your glutes.

 

[Trapark666]

It all depends on the kind of lift that you are doing, but when you are down on a box, you need to compress your glutes and quads to the maximum in order to go up again, that is what I meant by explosively going up using your glutes.

Exactly, plus you should be using enough weight that "explosion" is a loose fitting term here. It is hard to explode with 400lbs on your back. There is a great article on this forum where IA describes Westside's box squat routine. I combined this along with regular squats for eight weeks and couldn't believe the progress that I made.

 

[Ceaze]

check out Dave Tate's article on box squatting - Squatting From Head to Toe

 

[lvtrojan]

What do most people use if their gym does not have a "box"to use when squatting? flat bench, etc?

 

[Cogar]

What do most people use if their gym does not have a "box"to use when squatting? flat bench, etc?

FWIW, I use one end of a flat bench. Since our gym has quite a few and they have different heights (the difference may be 3" or so), I find the lowest one and drag it over to the squat rack.

 

[SCORPIO]

What do most people use if their gym does not have a "box"to use when squatting? flat bench, etc?

I use cinder blocks at home. I go exactly to parallel when I touch the top of the block.

 

[Ceaze]

you can use those aerobic steps as well