Re: Re: Check etc./Box Squats

[Guest guest]

<voice from peanut gallery>

I don't have any scientific research, but I can sure tell you box squats

have made my squat stronger. (465 to 605 in 15 months.)

Am I faster? I don't rightly know. I don't really care.

I'll put it like this.....It sure has worked for me.

Now I'll just sit back & let ya'll explain why.

<voice from peanut gallery>

Randy B.

Re: Check etc./Box Squats

> By the way, Dave, your articles that are up at www.testosterone.net

> are terrific! For those of you on this list who want the real

> skinny on how to do box squats or the congugate method used at

> Westside, I'd suggest you visit the site and look these articles up.

> Dave left no stone unturned.

>

> Rosemary

Again, the subject of box squats. I asked for any feedback on this

subject awhile back and received no response. Let me first say that I

am not looking at this from the aspect of developing power lifters

but from applying training to sports performance as I have seen a

number of claims regarding the benifits of box squats to sports

performance. For example, BFS claims that " Box Squats " are the most

beneficial to sports performance application. I read the above

article

and it was nothing more than glorified claims with no substantiating

research. The claim is it has " the added bonus of being able to

develop explosive strength " because " the box squat breaks the

eccentric/concentric chain " and " causes you to squat from a static

contraction to a dynamic concentric contraction " . I have always been

under the impression that when training for sports performance

(sprinting, jumping, etc) the development of this

eccentric/concentric

chain is critical, why break it? And how can you keep a static

contraction if you are breaking the eccentric/concentric chain?

The article also claims that box squats will " cause a great stretch

reflex out of the bottom of the squat " . How can you work with a

stretch reflex if you broke the eccentric/concentric chain?

I can see it having some benefit to the development of starting

strength if you sit down long enough to dissipate the stretch.

Basically, to me it looks like a method to keep people who like to

impress others in the gym with how much they can lift from cheating.

Am I missing something here?

Doug Schweigert

Bismarck ND USA

[Guest guest]

Doug wrote,

>

>

>Am I missing something here?

I think Doug asks some valid questions here. While I can't comment on the

research I can comment on some other things Doug does indeed appear to be

missing.

I haven't seen any research to back up claims from the box squats, although

I believe Mel Siff quoted from a study in regards to plyometric

(powermetric) benefits from box squats.

I'll copy your statement and make comments.

>Basically, to me it looks like a method to keep people who like to

>impress others in the gym with how much they can lift from cheating.

As done by the westside people you use between 50 and 60% of your 1RM for

8-12 sets of 2 reps. I don't see how this is cheating. Done properly you

cannot do as much in a box squat as you can in a power squat.

>The article also claims that box squats will " cause a great stretch

>reflex out of the bottom of the squat " . How can you work with a

>stretch reflex if you broke the eccentric/concentric chain?

>

>I can see it having some benefit to the development of starting

>strength if you sit down long enough to dissipate the stretch.

The stretch reflex lasts up to 2 seconds, I believe, while the 'sit' is

pretty quick. You still get benefit from the stretch reflex.

I've used the box squat to train high school wrestlers. I like it because

it teaches them the mechanics of a sound squat, they use a relatively light

weight and is specific to their sport both in terms of strength/speed

development and energy system training. Using the box squat my 3 wrestlers

made a gain on their vertical of just under 2 " average in 6 weks. This

wasn't a research study, but it did impress the wrestlers! My brother also

ancedotally noted an improvement in his burst in hockey which he attributed

to the box squat.

So I think it is a great exercise for developing speed and power in the

hips and posterior chain. Is it the only way? Nope. But it is a great way

for many athletes.

Hobman

Saskatoon, Canada

Grip it and rip it!