Box Squats – Leg Exercise
Primary Muscle: Quads
Secondary Muscles: Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Equipment Needed: Squat Rack, Barbell, Box
Mechanics Type: Compound
About: Box squats and box squat variations are a staple in FSS program. I love box squats for beginners and veterans for different reasons. First of all when you are working with a beginner the box squat is the easiest way to teach them how to squat and to prepare them for the more demanding back squat. Also because their confidence at this point sucks they feel more comfortable with a support structure underneath them. As for the coach it takes a ton of the frustration out of teaching young weaklings how to move.
When it comes to more advanced lifters the box squat shifts from being a technique and strength builder into a Super Speed and Power exercise. This is due to the fact that when you box squat the demand on static to dynamic strength increases. Essentially you need to generate enough power to get off of your ass from a low box with massive amounts of weights on your back. This can also be done with lighter weights for speed.
The box squat develops hip, glute and hamstring strength without the typical soreness associated with back squats. So, this means that you can go heavy on squat day and still have enough energy to give 100% in practice the next day. Below are pictures and descriptions with the essential cues that you must master in order to get your body squatting BIG.
Technique:
*Stance – With the box squat you are going to use a high box (thighs above parallel) or a low box (thighs below parallel) depending on the strength and flexibility of your athlete. Also, you may want to design boxes of various heights (18-21”) for shorter or taller athletes. Before I had a box like to one in the picture I would simply use a bench. Just remember that safety is paramount and that you use a sturdy structure.
This picture is a bit misleading and doesn’t tell you the whole deal. Here is what you need to know: in my opinion it is best to squat and box squat in a squat rack. Because I couldn’t get a good shot for you in the rack I took it out. Now, with this type of squat I prefer the power lifting stance, this is with your feet a bit wider than shoulder width and toes pointed slightly out. Also, your knees should be spread open- like your showing your crotch! Athletes with weak glutes have a tendency to let the knees buckle in, you correct this by cueing them by saying “show your crotch” or spread your knees.
* “Butt Out & Chest Up” – Ok, once you’ve lifted the bar off of the rack you will need to take a few tiny steps backwards and position yourself in front of the box. The heavier the weight gets the less you are going to want to move back towards your box so make sure that it is basically situated right behind you or your athlete.
Here is when you begin the decent of the squat movement. You are going to want to keep your eyes straight ahead, your chest up or “spread” and stick your butt out like a chick in an MTV video. This will ensure that your back remains tight or in a “C” position.
It’s very important that you stress proper form with this exercise. An athlete that is too weak to keep his chest up or stick his butt out is going to have a hard time handling heavier weights. Make sure that you can perform this movement properly for several reps with the bar alone or even with just your bodyweight before you begin to add weight. Once you get the form right ½ the work is done, your nervous system will begin to adapt to the new movement and your strength will go up very quickly – but don’t rush!
Another thing, your feet should remain flat on the floor. ALL of your foot should receive the same amount of weight-distributed trough out it. Most young or weak athletes will end up on their toes with their heels lifted as well as placing too much weight on the insides of the feet. More often than none I have to tell the athlete to press the floor with the heels and outsides of their feet.
As far as hand and elbow position is concerned, I tend to have my athletes grip the bar about 6 –8 inches outside their shoulders. Many coaches and power lifters have them grab the bar wider but I feel that the closer grip forces the athlete’s shoulders into external rotation especially if the elbows are tucked under or pointing down. This is important because most young athletes have poor posture and tight pecs; my technique exposes this weakness so that it can be corrected. I’m not saying that the others are wrong, just that this is what works for me. The cue I use for this is “Tuck your elbows.”
“Sit back on to the box & show your crotch.” – At this point in the movement you should be reaching your ass out or sitting back onto the box while keeping your knees spread. I know is sounds like I’m giving you a ton of different phrases and cues for each of these movements but sometime one cue works for 90% of your athletes and another for the 10% that didn’t get the first one. Sometimes I spend weeks trying to coach someone a move and one day they finally get it, so I ask them… “What made it click today?” and he’ll tell me “It was when you said BLANK____.” All it takes is the right descriptive term and someone who is hard to coach becomes your best student when you repeat the magic phrase.
Anyway, sit back onto the box without crashing down onto it. This is important, as many athletes will think of sitting on the box as a rest when it couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact you want to keep some tension in your legs and your feet firmly grounded when you are sitting on the box.
From this position you then want to push your feet into the ground and stand up tall. I say “tall” because many athletes will only come up partially and keep their hips flexed. I want to you explode off of the box and stand up tall. A good cue to use is to tell your athletes to imagine that there is a rope attached to the top of their head and it is pulling them up towards the ceiling. This will keep them tall throughout the entire movement. Stand tall and then repeat.
Front Squat Leg Exercise
Primary Muscle: Quads
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Back
Equipment Needed: Barbell, Squat Rack
Mechanics Types: Compound
Proper Technique:
Step into the squat rack and adjust the pins so that the bar will rest at about shoulder-height. Cross your arms in front of your body so that they are parallel to the ground and rest the bar across the front of your shoulders. Lift the bar off of the pins and take a small step back. With your feet spaced shoulder width apart, toes pointing slightly outward, back flat, abs tight and head up, begin the movement by squatting down toward the ground. Continue lowering yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Once you reach the bottom, drive the weight back up until you are back in a standing position. When you have completed your desired number of reps, walk back to the pins and re-rack the bar.
Tips: Front squats are a very awkward exercise to perform at first so make sure you start out with light weight in order to get a proper feel for the lift. Make sure that you maintain proper form at all times by keeping your lower back arched and by avoiding jerky motions or body momentum. When you are in the standing position, remember to not lock your knees out as this will keep the stress on your quads and minimize the stress on your joints. Taking this exercise to all-out failure can be potentially dangerous and because of this I would recommend that you stop your set one rep short of failure and safely re-rack the bar.
Dead Lift Leg Exercises
Primary Muscle: Quads
Secondary Muscle: Glutes, Lower Back, Back, Calves, Hamstrings
Equipment Needed: Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
Proper Exercise Technique: Think of a deadlift as a squat, only the bar is in your hands rather than on your back.
The Stance: Approach the loaded barbell and assume a stance about as wide as your own shoulders while gripping the bar such that the inner aspects of your arms are slightly outside of your thighs. Another way to determine your optimal deadlift foot placement is to jump down from a box which is half your own height and “stick” the landing. Now look at your feet…this will approximate your ideal stance width and degree of foot turn-out.
Feet and Shin Position: Feet should point straight forward or turned out to a 25 degree angle at most. The best foot angle is one which provides the least amount of hip and knee restriction when you lower the hips in preparation to lift, so dont be afraid to experiment a bit. The shins should be two to three inches from the bar and then when you actually bend down and lower your hips in preparation to lift, the shins will touch the bar. Most of the weight will be on the heels of the feet. This facilitates maximal contribution of the glutes and hamstrings. During the ascent, the bar will travel as close to the leg and shins as possible. Ideally, wear cotton sweat pants or track pants with long socks to protect your shins.
Hand Position: A reverse grip should be used when deadlifting. This means that one hand will be supinated (palm faces you) and the other pronated (palm facing away). This will help keep the bar in your hand. If grip strength is not one of your training targets, feel free to use wrist straps with a conventional grip. Hold the bar high up on the palm to compensate for any roll of the bar when pulling the weight up. Generally, the grip should start with the index finger and the little finger bordering the knurling in the middle of the bar.
Head Placement and Eye Contact: The entire spine should remain neutral, which means you look neither up nor down, but instead, the head follows the body, almost like youre wearing a cervical cast on your neck. Its OK for the head to be SLIGHTLY up (this tends to improve muscular contraction of the low back muscles) but in all cases, the lift must start with the hips down, the entire spine neutral, and the feet flat on the floor.
The Ascent: As you stand up with the weight, imagine pushing the earth away from you with your feet. When viewed from the side, your hips and shoulders should ascend together; if the hips rise before the shoulders, it means youre using your back rather than your legs. If this happens, reduce the weight until you can perform the lift correctly and add more specific quad-strengthening exercises to your program.
The Lockout: Competitive powerlifters are required to demonstrate control over the weight by standing up and then extending the hips forward in an exaggerated manner. If youre NOT a competitive lifter, simply stand up with the weight without this exaggerated maneuver.
The Descent: Simply return the bar to the floor, under control, by reversing the technique you used to lift the weight.
Barbell Squats Leg Exercise
Primary Muscle: Quads
Secondary Muscles: Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Equipment Needed: Squat Rack, Barbell
Mechanics Type: Compound
Proper Exercise Technique:
Step into the squat rack and adjust the pins so that you can easily un-rack the bar. You should also make sure that the safety catches are in place in case you reach failure and can’t lift the weight out of the bottom position. Space your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing slightly outward and rest the bar on your lower traps and rear shoulders. Grip the bar with your hands spaced evenly apart and clear the bar off of the pins. Keeping your head up and abs tight, take a step back. Make sure that you are in a secure position with the bar balanced and with a solid base. Start the movement by bending at the knees and squatting down toward the floor. As you squat down make sure that your head is up, your abs are tight and your lower back is arched. Continue to descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Once you reach the bottom, drive the weight back up until you are in a standing position. Continue until you have completed your desired number of reps and then re-rack the bar.
Barbell Squat Leg Exercise Video
Tips: Squats are a big power movement and it is important that you use good form at all times. If you get sloppy by using momentum or twisting and jerking around you will be at high risk for an injury. Make sure that your abs are tight at all times and that your head is up. Your lower back should also be arched throughout the exercise rather than rounded out. When you reach the standing position, don’t lock your knees out as this will stress the joints. I wouldn’t recommend taking this exercise to all-out failure since you could easily hurt yourself. You should simply continue the exercise until you are one rep short of failure and then re-rack the bar. You should start out by using very light weights until you get a good feel for the lift and can execute it with perfect form.
