This week we have a guest post from my friend Alyssa Parten. She’s a coach and trainer with 7+ years of experience, a bachelor’s in exercise and sport science with a minor in nutrition from The University of Alabama, and is currently earning a duel master’s in human movement and strength & conditioning. You can find out more about her on her website. She is writing today about the box squat. I’ll be back next week! - DJ

The box squat is an exercise commonly used to improve strength, power, and technique in the back squat. This variation of the squat has been a long-time favorite for elite powerlifters and even considered to be among the best accessory lifts for maximizing performance in the back squat.

I have been implementing the box squat into both my own and my clients (powerlifting and recreational weight lifters) programs for quite some time, and I hope diving a bit deeper into its benefits will show you how great of an exercise it can be!

First things, first, we need to understand the differences between the box squat and the traditional back squat. I often see people treating the box squat technique exactly like a back squat with the addition of a box as a point of reference. These exercises look similar, but they do have their differences!

The Technique and Mechanics

The mechanical differences in the box squat compared to a traditional back squat are:

1) the foot stance is typically much wider, and 

2) the shins maintain a vertical position (resisting against the natural urge for anterior knee displacement) throughout the movement.

It should also be noted that sitting on a box should be in a controlled manner, to avoid spinal compression by force. The box squat is completely safe when executed with a controlled descent/eccentric phase. In addition, resist rocking back to produce momentum to lift off the box. Instead, keep the bar in line with the heels of the foot to maintain center of gravity (COG). 

By performing the box squat in this way, the hip extensors become the prime movers of the lift, maximizing posterior displacement and increasing hip extensor muscle recruitment. Studies have analyzed the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and adductor magnus and found their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) to be when the hips approach 90 degrees of hip flexion during the concentric phase of the squat. The adductor magnus increases contraction to perform hip extension until approximately 75 degrees of hip extension, and hamstrings until 35 degrees.

In the box squat, the point of reference is typically positioned at or just beneath parallel. Considering the box squat involves a position at which the hip extensors are the prime movers, and the point at which the lifter pauses on the box is where the hip extensors MVC begins for execution of the squat, it is reasonable to believe the integration of this exercise could build the strength and RFD needed to finish a maximal attempt squat. This would explain why this lift is well-known favorite to elite powerlifters. Understanding the role of the muscles involved throughout the squat is crucial in selecting exercises to prepare the body to perform at the highest level with the most mechanical advantage. 

The Benefits

Obviously, the whole point in any squat variation is to improve strength and power in the traditional back squat. That’s the reason elite powerlifters love the box squat as one of their go-to accessory lifts, they know it to improve their squat strength. Beyond just anecdotal beliefs from other powerlifters that the box squat is an exercise that can improve strength and power in the back squat, there is scientific research to back up this theory, as well. 

Rhea et al (2009) noted that RFD is likely more important in force output than muscular strength alone, and multiple studies have found the box squat to produce higher RFD and power. A study conducted by Swinton et al (2012) compared kinetic differences between a narrow high bar squat, wide stance low bar squat, and wide stance box squat. The results of this study found the box squat produced the greatest RFD compared to the other two squat variations. Another study comparing the squat and box squat found consistent results with Swinton et al (2012), in that higher peak force and power was discovered in the box squat when performing 60%, 70%, and 80% of the squat 1RM.

With these numerous results, it may be viable to assume that the application of the box squat could have positive implications in developing ones RFD, and inherently, their strength in executing the traditional back squat.

The Implementation

The box squat, as I’ve mentioned, can be used as an accessory lift to improve the traditional back squat. Not only can it be treated as an accessory lift but you can program it as a main lift, as well. Here are a couple ways I would program the box squat:

 

As an Accessory Lift:

Back Squat 4x3, @ 87%

Deadlifts 3x6, @ 80%

Box Squat, 5x5 @ 70-75%

Front Rack DB Split Squats, 3x8 RPE 8

Hamstring Curls, 3x15 RPE 8

Ab Wheel, 4x8-10 RPE 8

 

As the Main Event:

Box Squat – Find 3RM

Box Squat, 3x3 @ 87%

Front Squats, 4x6 @ 60%

Snatch Grip RDLs, 3x8 RPE 8

Leg Extensions, 3x15 RPE 8

Deadbug Variation, 4x8-10

 

You can also utilize accommodating resistance (AR) with the box squat to really emphasize RFD. A way you may see this done is:

Box Squat + 1” Bands, 5x5 OR 8x3 @ 55-65% 

Deadlifts, 4x4 @ 85%

T-Bar Rows, 4x8 RPE 8

Goblet Squats, 3x12 RPE 8

Split Stance DB RDLs, 4x6-8 RPE 8

Weighted Plank, 3x:30-:60, RPE 8-9

Feel free to contact me with any questions! You can contact me on my website, or my instagram.

-Alyssa

References:

Brown, L. E. (2003). Performance Box Squats. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 25(1), 22-23.

Escamilla, R. F., Fleisig, G. S., Lowry, T. M., Barrentine, S. W., & Andrews, J. R. (2001). A three-dimensional biomechanical analysis of the squat during varying stance widths. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 984-998.

McBride, J. M., Skinner, J. W., Schafer, P. C., Haines, T. L., & Kirby, T. J. (2010). Comparison of kinetic variables ad muscle activity during a squat vs. a box squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3195-3199.

Swinton, P. A., Lloyd, R., Keogh, J. W. L., Agouris, I., & Stewart A. D. (2012). A biomechanical comparison of the traditional squat, powerlifting squat, and box squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(7), 1805-1816.