I find myself teaching (insert "preaching") this a lot whether it be in my gym or remotely to clients or Q&A'ers (Thursday's on IG in case you didn't know).
There is a difference between box squatting and squatting to a box...
Squatting to a box, in my world, is taking your competition squat to a box.
For most raw lifters, it looks like this:
- A normal amount of forward knee travel
- Preferably equal load between the quads and posterior chain
- Usually a touch and go to the box (no focus on breaking eccentric/concentric chain)
Box squatting is its own exercise, especially for a raw lifter.
In a box squat we're looking for:
- Little to no forward knee travel (shins vertical)
- An emphasis on the posterior chain (sitting back with shins vertical places the load on the hamstrings, hips, glutes, low back)
- Clearly breaking the eccentric/concentric chain while keeping even pressure on your feet and staying tight on the box.
Box squats are most often used by geared lifters because it mimics their competition squat, but it can be a great builder and teacher for raw lifters.
Squats #1,2,3 are 'squatting to a box' -forward knee travel, touch and go
Squats #4,5,6 are 'box squatting' -vertical shins, breaking eccentric/concentric chain
[youtube=http://youtu.be/kyE0fhPYgew]
Questions that I've gotten pretty regularly on the topic...
Should I box squat?
If your posterior chain is weak, as is the case for almost every novice powerlifter ever, then yes, you should box squat.
How often?
You can do it for a 6-8 week cycle.
You can do it as a secondary movement on your squat day.
You can use it as a second squat session.
What if I like squatting to a box?
If you're trying to build confidence in your competition squat, then maybe squatting to a box is a good move for the time being. But if you find box squatting is more difficult, then you probably need some of that in your life. Most good to great powerlifters get really comfortable doing shit they suck at.
Will box squatting mess with my competition squat?
It shouldn't. But then again, I've seen plenty of powerlifters fuck up a free lunch.
Some throwback box squats/sumo pulls from the compound circa May 2016...
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jergu1-ZERw&t=82s]
