Box squats and raw lifting

[cpinaire]

I've been following Westside for several years now and a vital component of that program is box squats. I've been reading other information, regarding this practice for raw lifters saying it is a useless lift. I set my box up at heights of 10", 12" and parallel or slightly below. I've seen great improvements from doing this but haven't done a regular squat in a few years other than rep work. What are the thoughts of other raw lifters regarding box squats and the reasons why or why not their effectiveness fro a raw lifter.

 

[usaplifter91]

I've always been a raw lifter. I've gone on and off of the westside method also. With that being said box squats can be beneficial but you need to go ATLEAST to competition depth in my opinion. You can also go a little bit past where you need to go for competition depth, this gas helped for me might not work for everybody. I would also try to do regular squats going heavy also. Box squats can help with your squat but you also need to be comfortable doing a regular squat for a competition.

 

[BrotherIron]

Personally, I feel squats and not box squats should be the staple in your regimen b/c at the meet your box squat doesn't matter. I didn't see much in terms of carryover.

 

[wesleyinman]

They have increased my DL and my overall squat. I do a touch and go version, I dont sit back and pause, I go down lightly touch the box, and fire right back up.

My thought process is also CNS related. I can tell you for a fact that box squatting super heavy for a few reps and then taking my normal ATG weights I work with.."I" always get more reps. For "me" it works.

The only people I find opposed to them, are people who have never done them. Mostly my friends who are bodybuilders only, they simply don't appreciate strength training at all.

People use to question me all the time and assume they don't work or say it's "cheating". Not one of these people are within 200lbs of my squat max. So I have a rule of thumb before anyone approaches me to question my box squat. Unless you can out-squat me, don't question what I do unless you are asking to learn

 

[porky little keg]

Free squats should always be the core of your training. Raw or geared.

But, the box squat is a great training tool.
I've had success using it for both raw and geared guys.

If you do it like westside does where you sit back on the box it can be a good hip and hamstring builder.
If you just go and tap the box without rocking back it can do a lot to take stress off of the groin and let you train super wide and raw.

I also do them a lot for athletes who have tweaked an adductor or hip - to a high box - just to let them handle some weight without putting as much stress on the injury.


The part that people miss about Westside using them so much is that Louis Simmons can judge his athletes based off of this and program for them or call numbers for them because he's Louis Simmons
Rick Hussey could do the same with reverse band squats for his lifters

Without westside coaching all a lifter can do is block periodization - it's not the same without that coaching base. Unless you have a team that can coach off of an indicator lift like that, and you have a good amount of experience already - stick with the free weight version.

 

[hawkeye]

Free squats should always be the core of your training. Raw or geared.

But, the box squat is a great training tool.
I've had success using it for both raw and geared guys.

If you do it like westside does where you sit back on the box it can be a good hip and hamstring builder.
If you just go and tap the box without rocking back it can do a lot to take stress off of the groin and let you train super wide and raw.

I also do them a lot for athletes who have tweaked an adductor or hip - to a high box - just to let them handle some weight without putting as much stress on the injury.


The part that people miss about Westside using them so much is that Louis Simmons can judge his athletes based off of this and program for them or call numbers for them because he's Louis Simmons
Rick Hussey could do the same with reverse band squats for his lifters

Without westside coaching all a lifter can do is block periodization - it's not the same without that coaching base. Unless you have a team that can coach off of an indicator lift like that, and you have a good amount of experience already - stick with the free weight version.

Spot on...PLK. Damn I miss Rick Hussey.

 

[porky little keg]

Spot on...PLK. Damn I miss Rick Hussey.

No doubt. He was a great man.

That crew is still killing big weights though. I was really impressed with them at both Relentless and at the last few UPA meets I've been at.

 

[N.O.V.]

Box squats can be a great tool, but full squats at max depth should be incorporated. In the cube method Brandon Lilly says always squat as deep as you can, that way when you're on the platform parallel is a breeze.