this is some weird technique i played around with tonight: - YouTube
i really liked how this technique felt, compared to my normal horrible deep squat. it helped me in a bunch of ways; basically i stayed much more upright, got down deeper, and didn’t shift the pressure to my forefoot very much, i sat back much cleaner.
anyway, i can see this helping people who suck going deep… of course deep box squatting is also a great exercise for fixing those problems, but this can be an added tool perhaps.
sweet. would one use this for learning proper technique or use it in actual training using heavy weights? I bet this really helps guys who have a hard time squatting.
[quote]jit07 wrote:
sweet. would one use this for learning proper technique or use it in actual training using heavy weights? I bet this really helps guys who have a hard time squatting. [/quote]
Not to take away from the band but a box is still the easiest safest way to teach someone how to squat right. The band would just teach them to lean back to much in squats and when they went to a bar they would A: fall backwards B: lean to far forward to compensate.
And as far as using heavy weight, that seems like a realy easy way to get hurt / fuck up equipment.
From what I have found once the flexibility is there then the only thing that hinders someones squat is there confidence to squat back onto their heels. I have a client that got the flexibility in like 3 sessions and is now free squatting ATG.
Great training tool but you can just use the rack for them to hang onto and lean back. If they can’t squat properly then I would not put any additional weight on.
Good idea though. innovative. Are you some kind of engineer or something?
It looks like something that can be done in a smith machine. Then again, it doesn’t restrict the bar path, making it better. Good thing you came up with that. Variety is a good thing.
Seems like a reasonable idea, but the band appears to pull on your upper back in the deepest position, which could translate to problems when starting to do the squats with the band. I think Avocado is right about most people’s limited flexibility- the right stretches will enable more comfort deeper in the squat.
i’m very bad at deep squats, so that weight is heavy for me at ten reps in the video (135). my sumo dl is 130 lb. higher than my max deep squat; that gives you an idea of how much i suck going deep. basically it felt very good with “heavy weight” (for me).
i agree, i love box squats. it is possible this would alter their squat mechanics… for someone who has problems squatting (say a beginner or just someone with problems), a boxsquat will teach them how to sit back and develop the proper musculature involved. i see this exercise as a way to help do the former, just strengthen the glutes/hams in that position. perhaps it will carry over after who knows how many sessions.
i really don’t see this “hurting you” though, especially if you alternate it with box squat or regular squats during the week… who knows.
if you place the band at around hip level, it doesn’t seem to pull you up much when you’re in the hole. if you place the band at up around chest/head level, then ya as you go down it will pull you up a little. that would kind of act like a reverse band at the bottom.
Not to take away from the band but a box is still the easiest safest way to teach someone how to squat right. The band would just teach them to lean back to much in squats and when they went to a bar they would A: fall backwards B: lean to far forward to compensate.
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I’d have to agree with N3wb’s point. Sitting back that hard against a band is going to teach bad habits. Take the band away, and you will have to relearn the squat.
If you can squat that deep with a band, then you can squat that deep without one. I’d focus more on learning the proper technique, even if it means using a lighter load initially.
Interesting idea, but you can look at the way you squat with the band to see that if you took it away - TIMBER!!! You will likely end up in your spotter’s arms or (if you don’t have a spotter) dumping the bar and possibly konking your head. Stick with the box squat.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Just out of interest, how many people here who are suggesting he learn how to squat by using a box actually used one themselves?
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I started using one 4 weeks ago to train for my next meet and I’ve gotta say it feels great on my knees.
Usually I had to do a ton of ice, foam rolling and mobility and flexibility work after squatting, but now I can go twice a week easily.
I still do the prehab work though, but more out of prehab than rehab necessity.
I’m undecided. I’ve recently been trying box squats out and no doubt they train your “squatting muscles”. What I’m unsure of is whether they train your squat.
As an assitance exercise no doubt they’re great. And for those in multi ply gear who need to sit back like they’re on a box they’re obviously good. But for raw/single ply guys I think you’d still need to do an actual squat cycle before going into a meet or your form will be all over the place.
Horses for courses… If you’re an athlete looking to be bigger/faster/stronger, then you don’t neccessairly need to peak your squat for a meet and as a result box squatting would be a good compromise since you’re hitting all the muscles.
My point is tho, training on a box doesn’t mean you’re learning how to squat liek you would in a meet. And of course the argument can be made that you don’t HAVE to know how to squat like you would in a meet if you’re not gonna do one.
I’m going round in circles but hopefully people get what I’m saying.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Just out of interest, how many people here who are suggesting he learn how to squat by using a box actually used one themselves?
[/quote]
I use one every week for DE work and every 2nd or 3rd week for ME. I free squat the last few weeks if peaking or going in full contest gear. Even when I was a raw lifter my form didn’t go to shit when the box was taken away and I was able to maintain a fairly wide stance, so I’d have to say it can be used effectively by the raw crowd. However, I would say for a raw lifter alternating box/no box during a training cycle might be the way to go.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Just out of interest, how many people here who are suggesting he learn how to squat by using a box actually used one themselves?
[/quote]
Box Squats are one of my three primary ME movements, along with my PL Stance Squat and a Conventional DL. They not only help my Squat, but have also helped bring up my DL. I don’t use any gear other than a belt.
I wouldn’t use them as my only squat, but I think they are a great exercise if done properly. They teach you how to sit back, how to be explosive off the box, and can be useful in learning to hit proper depth.
going back to the video adarqui posted up I think its an interesting idea for groving the movement of the squat but not for strength training
when i warm up i grab the rack and squat down (no bar) to stretch the hammies, keep the lower back tight and tighten up the hip flexors… based on this i would imagine you’re bungie cord is doing the same thing. Keeping this in mind i would be some hip flexor strength would go a long way in your case, full sit ups (not crunches) as well as leg raises should help. I would agree with everyone who has mentioned stretching too
since you have the inovation and set up may as well try and use it keeping the weights low and reps high till you feel comfortable going heavy and low w/o the bungie
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Just out of interest, how many people here who are suggesting he learn how to squat by using a box actually used one themselves?
[/quote]
I taught my self basicaly how to squat with a box, wasnt until I read some Dave Tate articles that I realy got it tho. My form still isnt that great to be honest…
I see new squaters almost every day, its realy is way easier to teach them a proper box squat than a normal squat.
I’m undecided. I’ve recently been trying box squats out and no doubt they train your “squatting muscles”. What I’m unsure of is whether they train your squat.
As an assitance exercise no doubt they’re great. And for those in multi ply gear who need to sit back like they’re on a box they’re obviously good. But for raw/single ply guys I think you’d still need to do an actual squat cycle before going into a meet or your form will be all over the place.
Horses for courses… If you’re an athlete looking to be bigger/faster/stronger, then you don’t neccessairly need to peak your squat for a meet and as a result box squatting would be a good compromise since you’re hitting all the muscles.
My point is tho, training on a box doesn’t mean you’re learning how to squat liek you would in a meet. And of course the argument can be made that you don’t HAVE to know how to squat like you would in a meet if you’re not gonna do one.
I’m going round in circles but hopefully people get what I’m saying.
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I used to box squat westside style, I got up to 500x7 off a box that was very very slightly above paralel, but when I went to do normal squats there was no way in hell I could do that without a box. The wide stance box squating had almost no cary over to my deadlift either.
But it strengthens the muscles that need to be strong to preform a proper squat, it teaches you to sit back and push your knee’s etc. Most people if you just tell them to squat will squat quad dominant, box squats will fix all of this and will help them learn regular squats much quicker when the time comes.
i like box squats, they’ve helped improve my free squats esp out of the bottom. it also helps DL some. However when i do box squats i typically do them with a little wider than shoulder width stance down to an 11 inch box, sometimes 14 with around 15 being to parrelel.
have someone doing box squats, then without them knowing, take the box out from beneath them… timber?
haney you made some good points thnx. i have seen some experienced performance coaches firsthand use only the box squat, for their squat training, primarily as a method like you said, to shift more emphasis on the posterior chain when squatting; by getting the right depth and sitting back further.
if you have a client come to you, and he has 8 weeks to get ready for some event/testing situation, and you want him squatting deep, yet his free deep squat needs a bunch of work, i would have him box squat right away. if the box squat didn’t exist, would this type of squat work similarly?
regardless of the band there’s one major difference to this lift than the box squat; there’s no loss of muscle tension between the eccentric and concentric phases of the lift. i would think that would be beneficial regarding athletic performance. you could now even put small iso’s in between the ecc/con while maintaining maximal muscular tension.
could this lift be utilized the same way a box squat would be utilized regarding athletic performance? i didn’t really think so in the beginning, but now im thinking it could be possible.
