Squat exercise
Box Squat
Teach the squat pattern and standardise depth across a squad.
- Equipment
- Barbell, rack, plates, bench
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 30X0
Setup
A box or bench set so your hip crease is level with or just below your knee at the bottom. Barbell on the back, or bodyweight to begin.
How to do it
- Sit your hips back towards the box with your shins staying fairly vertical, touch the box without relaxing onto it, then drive straight back up.
- The point is that you stay tight throughout - collapsing onto the box turns it into a different and less useful exercise.
- Do 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 5 reps.
- It is the first squat to learn and the right entry point for anyone with limited training age.
Coaching cues
- Sit back to the box, don't sit down on it
- Shins stay vertical
- Stay tight on the box
Common mistakes
- Relaxing or rocking on the box, which loads the spine in a slack position
- Setting the box too low before the pattern is competent
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 70 to 85% of 1RM | 3 to 5 | 3 to 5 | 3 min |
| Size | 60 to 75% of 1RM | 3 to 4 | 6 to 10 | 2 min |
Tempo 30X0: Take 3 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, no pause before the next rep.
Related exercises
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.
- Front SquatBuild quad and trunk strength in the upright posture the clean catch demands.
- Trap Bar DeadliftBuild whole-body pulling strength with a shorter learning curve than the conventional deadlift.
- Conventional DeadliftBuild maximal posterior chain and whole-body pulling strength.
- Rear-Foot-Elevated Split SquatBuild heavy single-leg strength with almost no spinal load.
- Split SquatLearn the single-leg pattern and expose side-to-side differences.