The Back Box Squat

By: Adam Boily, MS, USAW, MAT Jumpstart, BPS Level 1

The Back Squat
At Bommarito Performance Systems (BPS), the squat is one of our most
utilized exercises.  It recruits almost every muscle in the body and may be the “best”
lower body exercise.  There are many variations of the squat exercise depending on
the intention and goal of the athlete.   For example, BPS commonly prescribes a box
squat by using a standard Olympic lifting bar, cambered bar, safety squat bar and/or
a belt squat.  Traditionally and most frequently at BPS, the Olympic lifting bar is
used when an athlete does a squatting exercise.  The cambered bar is a good
alternative for throwing athletes because this bar may be used with less shoulder
extension/external rotation.  Thus, reducing the stress placed on throwing athletes’
shoulders during offseason training.  Furthermore, this same concept may be
applied to the advantages of using a safety squat bar.  Perhaps an athlete has a trunk
and spine issue and placing an external load on athletes’ shoulders is not desirable.
In this scenario, the belt squat may be the best option.  Typically, the intention or
GOTE (Goal Of The Exercise) of the squat exercise, no matter the variation, is to
increase lower body hypertophy, strength, and/or concentric power (and in some
cases – high speed eccentric loading).

BPS frequently utilizes the placement of a box behind the athlete when
performing the back squat (no box need for a front squat).  This box serves many
purposes such as providing a gauge for when the athlete should cease the eccentric
portion of the lift and either begin the concentric portion or execute an isometric
hold before initiating the concentric action.  The height of the box can be modified to
each athlete according to his or her height.  The height of the squat can sometimes
be determined by the off-season phase.  For example, sometimes we do very low box
squats, of the “Olympic Style”; especially when we’re trying to emphasize the knee
extensors more.  Other times it’s appropriate to execute “high box” squats – using
supra-maximal loading for changes in neural development.  In terms of just
analyzing what is appropriate for an athlete if you want to execute a typical box
squat just below parallel, it can be identified during a simplistic AROM (Active
Range of Motion Exam).  This is the point at which full control over the joints can be
maintained throughout the squatting range of motion (especially around the lumbo-
pelvic joints).

Most BPS exercises are accompanied by a tempo, which a coach may employ
to determine the time under tension for any exercise.  This tempo tells the athlete
the duration of the eccentric, isometric, and concentric portions of the exercise.  It is
important for a coach to control the tempo based on the GOTE.  For example, an
athlete performing the speed squat (traditionally used with variable resistance i.e.
bands or chains) with novice experience may have a 21X tempo (eccentric 2,
isometric 1, and concentric X or fast).  If the athlete is considered to have advanced
level experience and has followed a proper periodization, it would be beneficial to
employ an X1X tempo for the speed squat.  The isometric (1 second hold) is
executed when the athlete has his or her gluteus Maximus barely touching the box
placed behind the athlete.  The isometric phase of the speed squat is a crucial
training effect for minimizing the stretch reflex that occurs throughout sport such as
jumping or sprinting.

Another advantage of using an isometric pause on the box during the box
squat is it allows the lifter time to consciously drive or push his or her knees
laterally to avoid a harmful valgus moment, which is commonly experienced during
the squat exercise.  It is at this moment that the knee joint can become
compromised, as it is not in a stable closed-packed position.  The coach should offer
a coaching cue to the athlete with the intention of avoiding valgus knee moment.
The box allows the athlete to easily identify where he or she must isometrically
pause and wait for a loud “hit” command from the coach, which triggers the athlete’s
fight or flight response and helps to increase the athlete’s concentric power (the
GOTE).  In conclusion, it is this concentric power that can be enhanced with the
proper utilization of the box squat accompanied with the appropriate tempo.

Many examples of tempos:

311

212

21X

11X

X1X (usually done with low intensity, but very high variable loading)

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