Spotlight On: Box Squat & Band Resisted Squat

In our current training cycle, we are utilizing a few accessory movements to compliment our main lifts. Here is an overview of a few of them:

BOX SQUAT

 

1. Box Height:  differs depending upon the goal, can slightly break parallel or right at it
2. Foot Stance: wider than shoulder width - think sumo - feet slightly toed out 
3. Low Bar: with a wider stance and and positioning, a low bar will help the bar stay over your heels as you descend back and down
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 - knees out keeps this position
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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BAND RESISTED SQUAT

(Purple thin bands pictured above)

Set Up

• Stance and position is the same as normal backsquat 
• Wrap bands of desired resistance around the bottom of the squat rack about 1 foot away from the rack 
• Bands can either be placed inside of the weights closer to the lifter or outside of the weights as plate security

Execution

• Descend into a squat normally - initiating the movement with your butt back, weight in heels, chest upright, knees out
• Resistance is greatest at top, reduces to zero resistance below parallel, and regains once you squat upwards above parallel
• In order to continue the drive on the way up, continue pushing your knees out 

Takeaways

• The band resisted squat is a speed training tool - in order to complete these squats effectively, the lift's speed will need to be continuous and explosive, especially once the bands start reaching maximal tension (at the top)
• This squat helps strengthen the sticky spot many lifters reach above parallel - the inner part of your quad and the center of your quad (vastus medialis and rectus femoris respectively) will be greatly engaged during this lift, due to the necessity to drive the knees out
• Keeping your chest up will be even more essential during this lift since there is a band physically pulling the bar down - any deviation forward will pull you forward 
• Safety: since there is a band physically attached to the bar, always use a spotter for this lift since dumping the bar is unsafe with a rubber band attached - there is a potential the bar could bounce and hit the lifter