View Full Version : Box squatting and sitting back
T unit
03-02-2009, 09:29 PM
I here a lot about sitting back and such while box squatting but I'm not really sure what is meant by it. Today I hit a goal of mine to box squat 315 from a parallel box but I think I might have cheated.
Is it OK to sit back on the box and then come forward for momentum? This just kind of seems natural to do. What is OK and not OK as far as this goes sorry if I'm being to vague its hard for me to describe.
Sitting back means sticking your butt out for the entire lift and not sitting down. If your knees are perpendicular to the floor, you sat back. If they are forward, you didn't do it.
The purpose of box squats is to mimic regular squats as closely as possible. As a raw squatter you're probably not going to have your knees perpendicular to the floor so if you "cheat" a bit, or don't do it right, I don't think it will have a negative impact.
Samsuperjew
03-02-2009, 09:48 PM
^whats your view for equipped lifters (what i aspire to be in the next year)?
i sit back pretty far on squats (pic included for reference)
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/samsuperjew/DSCI0004.jpg
what would wearing a single ply suit+ 2m knee wraps change
president_fad
03-02-2009, 09:55 PM
wearing gear is the reason they emphasize sitting back, the more u sit back the more u stretch the material and the more u get out of your gear. The thing i try to think about when im squatting is keeping my knees in the same position as when i start and try to keep pushing my butt back and down.
Samsuperjew
03-02-2009, 10:07 PM
What is the deal with "opening the hips?
can you really practice that raw?
What is the deal with "opening the hips?
can you really practice that raw?
Do you mean knees out? It places the emphasis on your hips which is where your power comes from. Yes, you can practice that raw.
Although fad is right about the gear, sitting back more does place a lot of stress on the right muscles too. Since you're a powerlifter you have to figure out what works for you and what doesn't. The powerbuilders should probably stick to the true, Westside way.
B.Money
03-02-2009, 10:17 PM
Interesting--good thread.
Do guys that compete RAW ever even use box squats??
adelman337
03-02-2009, 10:26 PM
Interesting--good thread.
Do guys that compete RAW ever even use box squats??
Just my opinion, but I would think so. Box squats help me out a ton.
ang.1
03-03-2009, 03:11 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue_GrU4mhqc
always a good watch, theres a part 2 as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t156u5VuBTw
his shins go passed perpendicular, would that be used to further strengthen the posterior chain?
Yeah, true Westside style box squats go perpendicular to a bit past it.
oso0690
03-03-2009, 12:05 PM
I can never keep my shins perpendicular. In the first video, it seems that he loses his balance and falls on the box because his shins go past perpendicular. Shouldn't you be able to take the box away and not rely on the box being there? I just don't understand how the shins could be past perpendicular and you are still able to balance yourself without having to fall back.
I can never keep my shins perpendicular. In the first video, it seems that he loses his balance and falls on the box because his shins go past perpendicular. Shouldn't you be able to take the box away and not rely on the box being there? I just don't understand how the shins could be past perpendicular and you are still able to balance yourself without falling back.
No, you're wrong, you shouldn't be able to take the box away. That's the whole point of the box you can squat in a posistion you couldn't without it there.
B.Money
03-03-2009, 12:45 PM
Just my opinion, but I would think so. Box squats help me out a ton.
Yeah they work well for me too, I am just curious if someone was looking to lift raw, would they need to use more quads to maximize the weight since they dont have a suite to sit back into
Smack
03-03-2009, 01:45 PM
Interesting--good thread.
Do guys that compete RAW ever even use box squats??
I am currently using them, as per the Simple Power Based Routine. I don't see why they wouldn't, or why box squats are only for people who compete in powerlifting with a squat suit. I'm finding them excellent for building posterior chain strength which will no doubt help my regular squats, and also for helping my regular squat form (I used to not lean back enough and knees were way past the toes).
Rafter
03-03-2009, 02:15 PM
you have to remember that getting your shins past perpendicular is really only applicable to somebody who's wearing briefs or a suit (or a combo). You'd almost have to try it out to understand what it feels like.
I dont believe this at all. My training partner never wears briefs or suit and he sits back on his box squats. The carry over to his regular squat has been tremendous.
oso0690
03-03-2009, 02:53 PM
No, you're wrong, you shouldn't be able to take the box away. That's the whole point of the box you can squat in a posistion you couldn't without it there.
Yeah I watched the vid again and understand what he was saying. And I am figuring that I can't get perpendicular without falling back because of my hamstring tightness. Is that correct?
jjh5001
03-03-2009, 03:34 PM
I dont believe this at all. My training partner never wears briefs or suit and he sits back on his box squats. The carry over to his regular squat has been tremendous.
I should have clarified...what I wrote correspsonds to a free squat with gear. I was more or less directing my statment to the issue of shins being past perpendicular.
I never said that box squating did not have great carry over to free squating (with or without gear). WIth that said, I would be surprised if someone could free squat with their shins past perpendicular without gear on.
But I'll stop giving advice becuase I'm not strength verified.
president_fad
03-03-2009, 05:44 PM
i dont ever see guys squatting where their knees are behind their ankles, if thats what you guys mean by past perpindicular, i dont think thats possible under and circumstances.
T unit
03-03-2009, 07:11 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue_GrU4mhqc
always a good watch, theres a part 2 as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t156u5VuBTw
his shins go passed perpendicular, would that be used to further strengthen the posterior chain?
That seems completely natural going to far perpendicular makes it hard to sit up even without weight. I just hate the feeling personally. Thats just me though Im sure it works out great for allot of people.
jjh5001
03-03-2009, 08:01 PM
i dont ever see guys squatting where their knees are behind their ankles, if thats what you guys mean by past perpindicular, i dont think thats possible under and circumstances.
Yeah not way past, I think thats impossible too. But there are a few guys I train with that can do it a little past perpendicular or it looks real damn close.
I met jjh in person, I can vouch for his #s/experience.. He's not some teenager talking about something he's never done. He trains at a top level PL gym.
jjh5001
03-03-2009, 08:09 PM
thanks Joe, I'm still going to stop speaking though, haha, because i can't seem to explain well enough what I mean.
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