Box Squats

[TheSoldier]

Do you guys sit on the box for a second and then go up or touch and explode up immediately? And which is the best way to do it?

Thanks

[Johnny_D_09]

i touch and explode u immediately...IMO it does alot more for my acceleration while sprinting

[The_LB_43]

i prefer to sit and semi-relax my leg muscles for 1 full second, then explode up

it seems 2 work more for explosive hit power than the touch-n-go method

but you should use both. vary your routine every couple weeks or so

[mpls28allday]

A box squat isn't a box squat unless the momentum between the eccentric and concentric portions is broken. Box squats are done for starting strength so you should be lifting the weight from a complete stop.

Touch and go is good for setting the depth in your regular squats so you go to the same depth each time, but it's not a box squat unless the momentum is broken.

[jgood]

Yes if you don't stop then your doing a squat but at the same depth (which isn't a bad thing). Box squat is suppose to be from a dead stop.

[roid_monkey]

keep your arc and let the hip flexors go for a second then up

[andrew2123]

yea it's really dangerous if you're doing heavy weight and not experienced with this lift. I usually touch for a brief second then go up. On my last rep i'll sit for maybe 2-3 seconds an then go.

[rnaco]

not a lift for beginners.

[ruga buga]

relax in the bottom then tension up and go, no touch n go.

[jaberocs]

you have to release the tightness in everything except your core, so its not really a touch and go. plus that may lead to bouncing which can result in injury.

[toad1]

i guess i do 'touch an go' but that is what i'm using the box squat for so that i'm going to the same postion in every squat. i only ever 'sit' at the bottom of the squat every once and a while.


if you pause/sit for a second or 2 at the bottom of the squat this will help develop power in your legs and it will also help to teach you how to 'get out' of squats if you go back to doing them normally as with the pause at the bottom you will lean what you are doing to stabilize the weight and not fall foward etc

[ruga buga]

i guess i do 'touch an go' but that is what i'm using the box squat for so that i'm going to the same postion in every squat. i only ever 'sit' at the bottom of the squat every once and a while.


if you pause/sit for a second or 2 at the bottom of the squat this will help develop power in your legs and it will also help to teach you how to 'get out' of squats if you go back to doing them normally as with the pause at the bottom you will lean what you are doing to stabilize the weight and not fall foward etc

I may be wrong but that just sounds like you are using the box to judge depth, not an actual box squat as the mechanics are certainly not the same.

[toad1]

I may be wrong but that just sounds like you are using the box to judge depth, not an actual box squat as the mechanics are certainly not the same.

i guess i do 'touch an go' but that is what i'm using the box squat for so that i'm going to the same postion in every squat. i only ever 'sit' at the bottom of the squat every once and a while.

^^^



no you are right, thats what i tryied to say. the primary reason i box squat is to judge depth and not for the purposes that you would do box squats for.


if you can find them ive lost the like there is some really good squatting and box squating articles on t-nation

[ruga buga]

Ah I missed your first post there, sorry.

I will go look at them, quite a few good ones from westside barbell too

[Stteven]

Good article on the box squat by Dave Tate:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...FC028516.hydra

Another good article by Louie Simmons (owner of Westside BB):
http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/ls9.htm

Must reads for any squatter.

[toad1]

yeh thats the one the dave tate one is awesum.

[TheSoldier]

Thanks for the help guys

I dont really have a solid box and was thinking of doing box squats on mats, but then my school coach was saying how it was bad since the mat is soft and you sorta sink into it, and when you box squat and sit back onto the mat you were relaxing your muscles and how it would cause back injuries. Is this true, and any comebacks I can say?

[jgood]

I would agree on not doing it on a soft surface that gives .. you need something sturdy that won't budge or else you really have nothing to push against to create that force. Imagine if a sprinter used a starting block that pushed back when they took off .... they would not accelerate as quickly aka not have as much power.

[SteR-]

Thanks for the help guys

I dont really have a solid box and was thinking of doing box squats on mats, but then my school coach was saying how it was bad since the mat is soft and you sorta sink into it, and when you box squat and sit back onto the mat you were relaxing your muscles and how it would cause back injuries. Is this true, and any comebacks I can say?

Do what I do.. just stack up plates to the appropriate height and sit on that

[qdiddy69]

if u do it right, ur suppose to sit for a second