Tues 9.4.12

BOX SQUAT BASICS

 

1. Box Height:  causes you to slightly break parallel when sitting
2. Foot Stance: feet slightly wider than shoulder width - wider than normal squat - feet slightly toed out 
3. Tight Upper Back: use a closer grip to ensure that your shoulders are completely retracted, pretend to pinch something between the shoulder blades so your chest stays vertical throughout the lift 
4. Hips Back: Initiate with the hips back - hamstrings extremely lengthened - and reach butt back as far as possible 
5. Shin Angles Vertical: this ensures that your glutes/hams stay as active as possible
6. Contact With Box: keep your chest up and continue to reach back until you are sitting, but not bouncing on the box - should be a controlled touch and go movement
7. Box Takeoff: drive through the heels and knees out - explode!

 

 

 

 

 Importance of the Box Squat

The box squat is a posterior chain exercise that powerlifters use to make gains on your deadlift and squat; it is an oftentimes safer version of a normal squat since it is much harder to round the lower back. The goal here is to have a completely glute and hamstring dominated squat - quads are eliminated. This is accomplished by reaching back as far as you can with your butt and keeping your knee from going over your toe.

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DEFICIT DEADLIFT

 

Set Up

• Place a plate (45lb shown here) beneath your feet
• Feet in regular deadlift stance
• Bar should be at ankles instead of mid shin

Execution

• Set your hips high, pull shoulders back, squeeze lats
• Take a deep breath into your belly and initiate the movement upwards by driving through the heels with your chest leading the movement
• On the way down, set the hips back and keep your shoulders pulled back and squeeze your armpits!

Takeaways

• The deficit deadlift works the initial pull off the ground
• Leading with your chest is extremely important in these lifts because if you are shooting your butt up first (stripper deadlift), it places an incredible amount of torque on your lower back

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Deficit Deadlift 3x5 

 

Box Squat 5x3 

 

GPP:

3 Power Cleans @ 80% 1RM Power Clean

50m Farmers Sprint (32kg) 

Rest 1 minute

Repeat 6 rounds

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 Josue's and Mitch's first time with box squats. Nice job, gentlemen. Notice that the box height is what makes the lifter slightly break parallel.

 Brian's first time with box squats and the screaming Braveheart face. D showing solid gains with his box squats as this session he squatted 20lbs more than the last. 

**Sorry, Reg, you were in the demo pic ;)