Rosencutter Ultra Fitness & Performance

In my opinion, box squatting is one of the most effective ways to train the squat.  Squatting to a box allows one to sit back farther than they can with a regular squat.  This loads the hips, glutes, hamstrings, and low back very effectively, taking stress off of the knee joint. Pausing on the box breaks up the eccentric-concentric chain and if performed correctly, this exercise will develop starting, explosive, and absolute strength greatly since you go from static to dynamic when coming back up. This carries over well to many other movements such as jumping and deadlifts. 

One of the most brilliant strength coaches and lifters around, Louie Simmons, has taught many in the industry how to effectively incorporate this great exercise into training.   Another great benefit of this exercise is the fact that it teaches people how to squat correctly.  Many people have a hard time learning the proper movement pattern of a regular squat.  Having someone sit back to a box and then stand back up teaches them how to squat with correct technique much faster. 

To perform a box squat with a barbell:  Stand with the feet slightly wider than shoulder width, get your chest up high, tuck your elbows down and squeeze your lats; sit back to the box while pushing your knees out to the sides and spreading the floor with your feet; keeping everything else tight, relax your hips for an instant and then contract them to come back up while keeping the same position in your chest and back.  For beginners and different populations, these can be done with a dumbbell, plate, or bodyweight and work great to ensure proper squatting technique.  Whether you are training for max strength, explosive strength, or even fat loss, box squats are a great exercise to throw in a program from time to time.  To read more about them go here or here.