In the articles that mention box squats, they say to cycle a percentage of your max.
Do they mean your max squat or your max box squat?
Yes, I’m looking for a little bit of quick spoon feeding here, yes I’m aware that the answer is probably in an article/thread that I didnt read, no I dont think this is the most incredible question ever in the history of existance, I’m just looking for a quick answer to a quick, simple question.
If you’re asking this question you probably shouldn’t be box squatting. what is your goal of box squatting? Just to answer your question, it’s usually 50-60% of your max back squat.
[quote]bruinsdmb wrote:
If you’re asking this question you probably shouldn’t be box squatting. what is your goal of box squatting? Just to answer your question, it’s usually 50-60% of your max back squat.[/quote]
Why shouldn’t I be box squatting? Is there something inherently dangerous about the box squat as opposed to a regular squat?
[quote]CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
bruinsdmb wrote:
If you’re asking this question you probably shouldn’t be box squatting. what is your goal of box squatting? Just to answer your question, it’s usually 50-60% of your max back squat.
Why shouldn’t I be box squatting? Is there something inherently dangerous about the box squat as opposed to a regular squat? [/quote]
No, box squats are safe when performed correctly.
And your percentages are based on goals.
For the last couple weeks I’ve been using a high box and squatting very high % of my max. I plan on going over 100% of my best squat next week.
Dude, the question you asked is so general you can’t really answer it. Like Ghost22 said, it depends entirely on what you’re trying to do. My guess is that you read an article about speed squatting…
If you’re speed squatting, 50%ish is good place to start. This can be either of your box squat max or your free squat. The percentage may change based on gear and how long you’ve been training.
As a general rule though, use the heaviest weight you can that will still allow you to maintain speed and technique. If you slow down with a higher weight, take some off. The point of speed day is exactly what the name is… don’t worry about the weight.
Now for max effort squatting, percentages don’t really matter as much. You’re just trying to beat a previous PR. I’ve been told that you should try to get 3 lifts above 90%, something I usually try to do. (Most of the time when I’m trying for new maxes this just sorta happens. I wouldn’t sweat it too much).
If it was about something different than these two things, I have no clue.
Hope this helped.
[quote]georgeb wrote:
Dude, the question you asked is so general you can’t really answer it. Like Ghost22 said, it depends entirely on what you’re trying to do. My guess is that you read an article about speed squatting…
If you’re speed squatting, 50%ish is good place to start. This can be either of your box squat max or your free squat. The percentage may change based on gear and how long you’ve been training.
As a general rule though, use the heaviest weight you can that will still allow you to maintain speed and technique. If you slow down with a higher weight, take some off. The point of speed day is exactly what the name is… don’t worry about the weight.
Now for max effort squatting, percentages don’t really matter as much. You’re just trying to beat a previous PR. I’ve been told that you should try to get 3 lifts above 90%, something I usually try to do. (Most of the time when I’m trying for new maxes this just sorta happens. I wouldn’t sweat it too much).
If it was about something different than these two things, I have no clue.
Hope this helped.[/quote]
It was/is for speed squats. I was just unsure and didn’t know if I should try to figure out my 1rm box squat or just caculate off my best squat.
Thanks.
Uh I don’t wanna highjack, I’ve never box squatted before but is a person’s box squat higher than their regular squat…It seems that some ppl have higher box squats than regular squats. I don’t understand this? I was thinking of giving a shot, just to see where I stand.
You guys are misunderstanding the use of box squatting. Read articles by Tate and others.
[quote]bruinsdmb wrote:
You guys are misunderstanding the use of box squatting. Read articles by Tate and others. [/quote]
You still have yet to explain why I “probably shouldnt be box squatting”.
The use of box squatting is to improve speed on the deadlift by forcing you to be explosive at the bottom since you’re coming up from having stopped.
Am I wrong about that?
Again, is the box squat somehow more dangerous than other forms of squats?
[quote]bruinsdmb wrote:
You guys are misunderstanding the use of box squatting. Read articles by Tate and others. [/quote]
There are lots of uses for box squatting. I personally use the box squat as a ME exercise.
[quote]rasturai wrote:
Uh I don’t wanna highjack, I’ve never box squatted before but is a person’s box squat higher than their regular squat…It seems that some ppl have higher box squats than regular squats. I don’t understand this? I was thinking of giving a shot, just to see where I stand.[/quote]
Most people just have HIGHER BOXES!!
To the OP… I’d go with 50-60% of your best box squat if I were you. Purely because when I tried to box squat with 50-60% of my back squat I wasn’t in any way explosive.
If you’re trying to do dynamic effort work then barspeed should over ride all. If 50% is slow then drop to 45. If that’s still slow then go to 40% and work up to 50%.
[quote]bruinsdmb wrote:
You guys are misunderstanding the use of box squatting. Read articles by Tate and others. [/quote]
BAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA that’s funny.
If I wanted to read articles abotu box squatting I’d read what Louie has to say.
Dave certainly knows his stuff, but why go to the monkey when you can have the organ grinder?
In future before you try and show how much more sophisticated and knowledgable you are than everyone else at least pick the best source possible to direct them towards.
[quote]CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
bruinsdmb wrote:
You guys are misunderstanding the use of box squatting. Read articles by Tate and others.
You still have yet to explain why I “probably shouldnt be box squatting”.
The use of box squatting is to improve speed on the deadlift by forcing you to be explosive at the bottom since you’re coming up from having stopped.
Am I wrong about that?
Again, is the box squat somehow more dangerous than other forms of squats?
[/quote]
I’m sorry, I mean to say “improve speed on the squat”
Brainfart.
Just remember to sit on the box and not to plop on the box. Plopping will add more spinal compression, which could lead to an injury.
Next, if someone claims to have a higher box squat than a regular squat then the box is probably higher than parallel and they are probably not sitting on the box. They are probably doing a touch and go.
[quote]Pemdas wrote:
Just remember to sit on the box and not to plop on the box. Plopping will add more spinal compression, which could lead to an injury.
Next, if someone claims to have a higher box squat than a regular squat then the box is probably higher than parallel and they are probably not sitting on the box. They are probably doing a touch and go. [/quote]
Thanks for the advice, I’ll keep it in mind.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Dave certainly knows his stuff, but why go to the monkey when you can have the organ grinder?
[/quote]
LOL. tate is still a pretty smart monkey though 
but i get your point
[quote]robo1 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
Dave certainly knows his stuff, but why go to the monkey when you can have the organ grinder?
LOL. tate is still a pretty smart monkey though but i get your point
[/quote]
I thought he was a “retard”?
Hahaha YES I’m joking everyone. Please don’t get your knickers in a bunch!
I want to incorporate Westside protocol - and the original question is a good one.
In terms of Dynamic Method for Squatting - to improve my explosiveness/speeed - I’ve been reading through the various Elite and Louie Simmons articles, and I have read different statements - one article talks about using 50-60% of max back squat - then another talks about 75-85% of max box squat. Which one is correct or do both equal out to the same weight? Some articles simply state to use 50-60% of 1RM, but don’t state 1RM of which exercise?
Also, if using bands, is this in addition to the bar weight? Thanks.
The percentage of bar weight is totally dependant on your speed under the bar. If you already know your one rep max on free squat or you can use box squat, mine are about the same, start out w/ 50% of that one rep max to do your 8 sets of 2 for speed work or DE work. If you find your moving the bar crazy fast (w/ perfect form) then go up abit to 60% of the recorded 1rm.
If you still think you moving to fast then double check your 1rm record by taking a weight. You can do this on ME day or DE it up to you. Every 12 weeks or so work up to a single heavy rep at the end for a new record and keep building it from there by using 50 to 60 percent of that #.
Now if you want to do Circa Max on speed day, that is a whole different plan. One which you should avoid until you figure out your DE or speed workouts w/ no confusion. Now you shouldn’t be hitting 80% during your speed cycle unless it like the last rep and you just wanted to, for the good of all weightliting.
The Westside style works great for squat work. Just monitor your recovery during the week following and see if your healing up or not. If not drop the weight back down to a lower percentage, but no less then 50% or your just wasting your time.
Oh and as far as bands and chains go, they are supposed to be calculated in addition to the weight to get the 50 to 60%, so the bar weight will be less than normal. If you feel like they aren’t getting you any work then add a plate and roll, just remember to cycle them like any exercise. No more than 3 weeks then deload to straight weight for a week then start over the next week. If you believe in deloading.