How to do box squats and what are the benefits?
While this is not very common in most fitness gyms, box squats are very popular among powerlifters, strongman competitors, and a lot of CrossFit athletes are also using box squats in their training.
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What are box squats?
One of the most unique squat variations that you can do in your squat workout is the Box Squat. Box Squats have numerous benefits over regular squats and they can help to teach you the proper way to squat.
What are the benefits of box squats?
- The box squat develops strength, explosive power, and control.
- Box squats will help you to improve your squatting depth and allow you to gradually work your way up to doing full Ass To Grass ATG squats.
- Squatting on a box forces you to pause at the bottom of each rep and this will recruit more muscle fibers to get you out of the hole and squat back up to the top.
- The more muscle fibers you can recruit, the more strength and growth you'll experience.
- Another key benefit of box squatting is that you can sit back farther than you could if a box wasn't under you.
- This takes away stress on the knees and places more stress on the powerful hips, hamstrings, and glute muscles.
- So if you find regular squats hurt your knees, give box squats a try!
- And one of the best benefits of box squats is that they allow you to accurately set how low you'll go in your squat, simply by adjusting the box height you can have consistent squat depth every single time. No more second-guessing if you are going deep enough.
How to properly do box squats?
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| How to do box squats |
Now when it comes to the actual sets and reps for box squats, most powerlifters will use multiple sets of low reps.
The classic Westside Barbell Club uses 10 sets of 2 reps with 60% of your 1 rep max as the foundation for most of their box squat workouts.
The reason for doing multiple sets with lighter weights is so they can apply 100% effort to submaximal weights.
This helps develop explosive speed and power. It's kind of like the same principle of doing plyometrics.
For example, when you do a vertical jump you are obviously using submaximal weights (just your bodyweight) but you exert 100% max effort in order to jump as high as you can.
It's totally opposite of the "slow and controlled" bodybuilding style of lifting.
Now for someone who is just learning how to box squat, I recommend starting off conservative, using lighter weight and focusing on proper technique, and working your way down to a lower box height.
A good basic set and rep pattern for bodybuilders and general fitness enthusiasts would be 5 sets of 5 reps.
Keep the reps low, never perform high reps to failure with box squats. If you feel the need to increase your training volume, increase the number of sets performed rather than increasing the number of reps per set.
Here is an example video demonstrating how to do box squats:
Author: Lee Hayward, fitness coach
