2 Box Squat Questions-

[MsBeverlyHills]

here goes-

1.What height should the box be? I used a 14 inch box last night that seemed kinda low becuase I could only lift 1/2 my regular squat weight. What do you guys use?

2. Do you prefer "touch & go" to acutally sitting on the box? I tried both.

Thanks everyone

 

[Illuminati]

here goes-

1.What height should the box be? I used a 14 inch box last night that seemed kinda low becuase I could only lift 1/2 my regular squat weight. What do you guys use?

2. Do you prefer "touch & go" to acutally sitting on the box? I tried both.

Thanks everyone

1. How tall are you? this will decided the height of the box. you should choose a box that will allow you to break parallel while sitting on it. You might have to start out with a slightly higher box and get used to box squatting, and then lower it.

2. Sit on the box, relax the glutes, and then fire up. Touch and go defeats the purpose of the lift

 

[b fold the truth]

here goes-

1.What height should the box be? I used a 14 inch box last night that seemed kinda low becuase I could only lift 1/2 my regular squat weight. What do you guys use?

2. Do you prefer "touch & go" to acutally sitting on the box? I tried both.

Thanks everyone

I use a 12-13" box and I'm 6'2". A 14" box puts me above depth... You shouldn't be able to box squat what you can free squat...it is a harder lift.

You shouldn't "touch and go" and you shouldn't "sit there" either. Your body gets to the box, ONLY long enough to relax or loosen the hip flexors, and then fire up as fast and as hard as possible.

Here is a less than stellar video clip of me doing box squats and deads from Wednesday. Not perfect form and I feel beat up...but you can get a very rough idea what I'm doing. The box here is about 12.75" to 13".

322 + knotted bands x 2...500 pull...x 3 sets

PLEASE RIGHT CLICK AND "SAVE TARGET AS"!!!!​

12 MB Clip

 

[Guinness5.0]

I use a 12-13" box and I'm 6'2". A 14" box puts me above depth... You shouldn't be able to box squat what you can free squat...it is a harder lift.

Would you say that one's box squat should be about the same as their ATF Oly squat? I ask because mine are pretty much dead even - perhaps I'm too close to touch-and-go.

 

[bignate73]

Would you say that one's box squat should be about the same as their ATF Oly squat? I ask because mine are pretty much dead even - perhaps I'm too close to touch-and-go.

No, an ATF Oly Squat is a narrower stance. you go way lower than parallel on an ATF squat. most box squats are fairly wide stanced and you sit back just below parallel. the range of motion is smaller.

 

[Illuminati]

I use a 12-13" box and I'm 6'2". A 14" box puts me above depth... You shouldn't be able to box squat what you can free squat...it is a harder lift.

You shouldn't "touch and go" and you shouldn't "sit there" either. Your body gets to the box, ONLY long enough to relax or loosen the hip flexors, and then fire up as fast and as hard as possible.

Here is a less than stellar video clip of me doing box squats and deads from Wednesday. Not perfect form and I feel beat up...but you can get a very rough idea what I'm doing. The box here is about 12.75" to 13".

322 + knotted bands x 2...500 pull...x 3 sets

PLEASE RIGHT CLICK AND "SAVE TARGET AS"!!!!​

12 MB Clip

careful brotha you're rounding your lower back when you are sitting on the box

 

[Tweakle]

My box is/was higher than my free.. possibly because I have a HUGE ass and use it to my advantage.

I dont like box's below parallel, strained too many hammies on very low boxes in the past and has been said by the big guys you dont touch and go.

using the box to guage depth and encourage sitting back (put it 2-4" inches below the usual setting) for touch and go is fine IMO but it's not a box squat per se.

 

[Guinness5.0]

No, an ATF Oly Squat is a narrower stance. you go way lower than parallel on an ATF squat. most box squats are fairly wide stanced and you sit back just below parallel. the range of motion is smaller.

I phrased the question poorly...

I meant in terms of weight used. I was wondering if the fact that I use the same weight on ATF Oly's as wide stance parallel box squats is indicative of a potential form problem on box squats.

It's probably a stupid question even when it's worded properly

 

[b fold the truth]

Would you say that one's box squat should be about the same as their ATF Oly squat? I ask because mine are pretty much dead even - perhaps I'm too close to touch-and-go.

Well...my best OLY squat is a couple pounds over 600...very comparable to my box squat...interesting.

 

[b fold the truth]

careful brotha you're rounding your lower back when you are sitting on the box

You are correct. I'm nursing a VERY sore left hip right now and about the only thing that I can squat without turning my lower back a little is the front squat.

I don't have ANY problems with my lower back rounding and it being "dangerous" on me though. Just about every single Strongman event involves picking up something with a rounded back (log, stones, tire, etc....).

Of course...with a box that is closer to "depth" I have zero problems...but add in the slighly deeper box and the hip pain and my form is not great at the moment...

 

[Illuminati]

You are correct. I'm nursing a VERY sore left hip right now and about the only thing that I can squat without turning my lower back a little is the front squat.

I don't have ANY problems with my lower back rounding and it being "dangerous" on me though. Just about every single Strongman event involves picking up something with a rounded back (log, stones, tire, etc....).

Of course...with a box that is closer to "depth" I have zero problems...but add in the slighly deeper box and the hip pain and my form is not great at the moment...

yes. i forgot that you train strongman, and that there is a lot of picking up heavy weights from the ground.

getting used to a different height on a box is tough. I made a drop in 1", and it threw me all off. Takes some time to get used to.

 

[kingkrs]

All my squats are rock bottom. No boxes or anything, just all the way down slowly and controlled then back up explosively.

Hey truth I like the lifting shoes, Chuck Taylors.

 

[b fold the truth]

All my squats are rock bottom. No boxes or anything, just all the way down slowly and controlled then back up explosively.

Hey truth I like the lifting shoes, Chuck Taylors.

If you are squatting with a wide stance...Chucks canNOT be beat!!!!

 

[bignate73]

If you are squatting with a wide stance...Chucks canNOT be beat!!!!

Plus they are stylish!

I have 2 pair!

 

[majutsu]

To break parallel means (in most feds) for the top of your thigh near the hip crease to go below the level of the kneecap. So when I make my boxes for folks, I measure from the floor to the top of the kneecap, the shin length. Then I measure the fattest thigh diameter I can find, up near the hip crease, the thigh thickness. Box height = shin length - thigh thickness.

This is just two fast measurement of a standing person. This is how you make boxes for a team, e.g. Works for me. Good luck, lady.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

Thank guys for the advice.

Clint- great vid. I want to train with YOU!!!

To majutsu- Thanks for the box calculation. Thats very helpful once i figured it out..lol

 

[b fold the truth]

Clint- great vid. I want to train with YOU!!!

Well...I'd love to have you over...

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

Well...I'd love to have you over...

cool.. next time im in Greece

so update- tried box sqauts again w/14" box today. Two things i learned-

-Tried B folds style in the vid that made them harder (duh) than my old way, touch & go. I maxed out @135- a good 50lbs under my regular squat

-Did them at the end of my workout. Also was pretty retarded since Im supposed to go out tonite & cant walk real well right now..lol

anyway- good workout. thanks guys for the advice

 

[dce2956]

On box squats, I've noticed that my speed on my regular oly squats is lacking a lot, even with about 60% of my 5rm. I am thinking speed, but i feel like its just as fast squatting with 115 as it is with 185. I have no chains or bands to work with. Will box squats help with this explosiveness off the bottom. Once i'm above paralell even my 1rm feels easy. So long story short, will box squats help with explosiveness in the bottom of a squat?

p.s. once i finish my current cutting cycle i'm gonna work on speed BIGTIME. i think the speed that all my lifts are done is just too damn slow. the only thing i can really do fast is my deadlift/powerclean.

 

[Guinness5.0]

Yeah that's the point of box squats - to improve strength out of the hole.

 

[b fold the truth]

cool.. next time im in Greece

so update- tried box sqauts again w/14" box today. Two things i learned-

-Tried B folds style in the vid that made them harder (duh) than my old way, touch & go. I maxed out @135- a good 50lbs under my regular squat

-Did them at the end of my workout. Also was pretty retarded since Im supposed to go out tonite & cant walk real well right now..lol

anyway- good workout. thanks guys for the advice

Cyprus, young lady, Cyprus. I am yet to go to Greece myself

 

[Chambewy20]

On box squats, I've noticed that my speed on my regular oly squats is lacking a lot, even with about 60% of my 5rm. I am thinking speed, but i feel like its just as fast squatting with 115 as it is with 185. I have no chains or bands to work with. Will box squats help with this explosiveness off the bottom. Once i'm above paralell even my 1rm feels easy. So long story short, will box squats help with explosiveness in the bottom of a squat?

p.s. once i finish my current cutting cycle i'm gonna work on speed BIGTIME. i think the speed that all my lifts are done is just too damn slow. the only thing i can really do fast is my deadlift/powerclean.

Yes box squats can help tremendously with speed, if you train them that way. We typically, on our dynmamic days will do a three week wave one week one - 50% of 1 rm, week two - 55% of 1 rm and week - 3 60% of 1 rm, more advanced guys will to 50, 53, and 55%.

The percentages are just gauges or ranges, everyone differs dependant upon experience and gear that may or may not be used, with you i doubt you'll use it. Regardless, set 6-8 should be the quickest, you should be fatigued and taxxed a bit but not exhausted. I used to go 365 x 2 x 3, 385 x 2 x 3 and 405 x 2 x 3, I was in good shape and got faster throuhout, although I was not very flexible and did not do sufficient warm ups. Don't worry about chains or bands if you don't have them.

This helps a lot with explosive strength, when you sit on the box in a controlled and quick manor, pause and release the glutes and hip flexors and blast out of the hole, when you free squat and that pause is not there, it makes a world of difference. 9 sets of doubles usually do it for us, hope this helps....