There are many advantages to performing a box squat one being that it is the safest way to squat. The actual exercise places more of the load on the hamstrings and glutes taking stress off the knees. Second, using a box provides additional seconds to the stretch reflex at the bottom allowing a higher rate of force development. Lastly the box squat will aid building a bigger deadlift because of the actual pause translate to the concentric movement performed in the deadlift. So how do we perform a box squat? Executing a box squat is almost exactly like a regular squat. In the preparation phase of the box squat the lifter must stand in with feet beyond shoulder width, hips tucked in, shoulder blades pinched together, hands gripped tight around the bar, and neck pressed back into the bar. Here the spine is in perfect alignment witnessing the only forces acting now is gravity. Next, the wind-up begins with the hips pushed backed simultaneously forcing the lumbar to arch creating contraction of the posterior chain (from hips to the upper back) sustaining tension and proper position of the torso. This movement of the squat is where many lifters don’t understand that the hips have to move back first then down not vice versa (Simmons). Pushing the hips back will develop more torque giving the ability to because of the horizontal displacement of the femur in respect to the imaginary center line in the preparatory phase. If the hips were to drop first then the weight would shifted towards the balls of the feet placing tremendous amount of stress on the knees, deactivating the hamstrings and placing more emphasis on the quadriceps. The lifter would lose all kinetic energy and failing before the lift ever begin. Moving on, a point needs to be made when you descend, the knees must be pushed out to the sides and in doing so would activate the hips but more importantly keeping proper alignment. If the knees were to turn inward the torque would rotating in an awkward direction increasing a huge risk of tearing ligaments stabilizing the knee. The back motion forces the glutes and hamstrings to fully stretch, using maximal force potential of the stretch shortening cycle. During the actual contact with the box, the sitting motion is more of a sitting back motion very much as if you were going to sit back into a chair, preserving constant tension on the hamstrings and glutes. It’s been a common mistake of one will plop on the box; this happening will cause a jarring effect on the spine potentially causing a loss of form and kinetic energy (Rippetoe, 2011). When the individual sits down on the box the knees will be beyond the perpendicular creating an obtuse angle of the shin and tibia. The actual execution phase begins with performing a leg curling action to pull oneself off the box. Continuing up the lifter needs to imagine that feet are spreading the floor which will maintain the knees to turning outward and posture. Rising to the finish point the knees and hips must extend to their original starting position creating the imaginary straight line going through the top of the head and straight down the spine. The box squat is the safest and most effective tool that can be implemented allowing faster recovery from workout to workout to build a bigger squat.
References
Simmons, L. (n.d.). Box squating. Retrieved from http://www.westside-barbell.com/westside-articles/PDF.Files/04PDF/Box Squatting.pdf
Rippetoe, M. (2011). Starting strength. (3 ed.). Witchita, Texas: The Aasgaard Company
Author info- Ian Soderqvist, iansoderqvist_3@hotmail.com
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