Human beings, being the resourceful devils that we are, always work to find ways to make things easier. We invent gadgets to cook, clean, and organize things faster. We use email to save us the time of actually going to meet people. We use a thousand shortcuts every day to save us time in a million ways. We’re masters at striving for efficiency. However, as a result, we often end up short-circuiting those gains which are derived from completing actual hard work.

Standard squats can be highly beneficial for making gains – not only for the legs, but for overall muscular development. It also helps add to the quality of cardiovascular conditioning. However, standard squats are extremely tough to do. We may have the best of intentions, but when we get in the gym, and we begin completing heavy squat repetitions with that barbell on our back, it’s very likely we’re going to search for efficiency. It shouldn’t be called cheating. We’re going to stick with it, and do our sets and reps. However, when training alone, it’s very common for bodybuilders completing squats to complete some repetitions which are of “less than perfect” range. Blame exhaustion, blame delirium, or blame that survival instinct which we all have. Whatever the reason, most bodybuilders tend to try to hurry through the last several reps of a highly intensive set of barbell squats. As our range of motion become shorter, the chances of injuring the knees become greater. The gains become lesser, as all muscle fibers of the quadriceps are not being stimulated as they should. You short-circuit your efforts to save yourself from a bit of pain. It’s wrong, but it’s a natural defense mechanism.

Box squats are one exercise which can help to prevent such cheating. You have two positions in the box squat – standing and sitting. There is no ability to cheat in the box squat, as standing and sitting are absolutes. There isn’t a fuzzy gray area where you “pretty much know you were breaking parallel” when in reality you were only completing quart-rep squats.

They’re easy to complete. Grab a box that’s 15 or so inches tall. Place it about 18 inches behind you, where your butt will land when you break parallel on squats. Practice and measure with an empty bar first – you don’t want to miss the landing with 225 on your back! Start in the standing positions, and slowly lower yourself as if you were doing a regular squat. When you reach the box, sit down for one solid second. Then, stand up and return to the standing position.

Once you try them, and see the results that follow, you’ll likely make them part of your regular rotation. Your glutes, quads, and hamstrings will ache like they never have before. You’ll discover that boost required to move form a sitting to a moving upward position required a great deal of leg resources – prepared to be sore the next day! Give box squat a shot – chances are, you’ll love them!

If you like this article, click here to share: