Box Squat vs Traditional Back Squat

The box squat is a tool commonly used in strength and conditioning rooms across the world. The box squat is simply performing a traditional squat with a box for the athlete to sit on at a predetermined height. A traditional back squat involves squatting as low as possible or to the depth prescribed by the strength coach, and then standing up to a point where hips and knees are in extension. Sadly, most coaches either love them or hate them. This article aims to explain the box squat vs traditional back squat adaptations, and how simple variations might change those adaptations. 

By Travis Mash

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Understanding the differences: Box Squat vs Traditional Squat

The box squat is used by coaches to give athletes a predetermined depth to reach. As far as technique is concerned, it depends on the coach. Some people will get into yelling matches online regarding box squats. Some will fight to the death that box squats must be performed exactly like Louie Simmons prescribed, which was using a wide stance, sitting back to maintain a vertical shin, forward leaning torso, and using a slight pause before exploding up in the concentric contraction. 

The truth is that the technique of the box squat depends on the coach. Some will teach athletes to use a more traditional squat technique controlling the eccentric portion before lightly touching the box and exploding up. Some coaches will teach a rock back on the box before rocking forwards and once again exploding up.

No matter what one’s preconceived notions are about the box squat, the fact remains that the technique can vary as much as the technique in the traditional squat. An athlete can sit back in the descent with a forward torso lean, or an athlete can sit straight down. They can take a wide stance or a narrow stance with feet pointed straight ahead or out to the side. Also, an athlete can pause in the bottom or simply squat down and up. As always, it depends on the coach and the athlete performing the movement.

So what are the differences?

The only two differences between the box squat and traditional squat are:

  1.  The box can stop an athlete at a particular preconceived height versus telling the athlete to pause at a particular height that is hard for them to gauge.
  2. An athlete can relax muscular around the hips, possibly limiting the stretch shortening cycle a bit more than just pausing.

Before we move on, I want to note the benefits of a full range of motion back squat. 

Now that we have established the differences between the box squat and traditional squat, let’s look at the possible benefits of the box squat. There are benefits and shortcomings at all the different range of motions that coaches prescribe for the back squat. However, athletes performing a back squat to full depth with the hamstrings sitting on the calves while maintaining a braced torso will maximize the benefits of the back squat. Here are some of those benefits:

  •  Full ROM squats will prioritize the health and stability at each joint due to maximizing synovial fluid release one of the main ways that joints receive nourishment
  • Improves and maintains mobility while maintaining stability in those joints
  • Maximizes tendon development and overall connective tissue
  • Maximizes elasticity and the neuromuscular elements of the stretch shortening cycle important to improving an athlete’s ability to store elastic energy leading to improvements in overall power development
  • Maximizes hypertrophy
Box Squat vs Traditional Back Squat image 1

Benefits of the Box Squat

Like I said, I have no dog in this fight. I have used the box squat successfully many times as a coach. The primary way that I use the box squat as a coach is for teaching athletes how to squat. The majority of the time, I prescribe for my athletes to squat to full depth for the reasons stated above. However, I must first teach them to squat with proper technique. 

Benefit 1: teaching tool

The box squat is a great tool for slowly improving an athlete’s ability to maintain a neutral spine minimizing spinal flexion while squatting lower and lower. The tactile feedback of the box is great for teaching athletes proper positioning. They don’t have to think so much about depth, so they can focus on maintaining the position of the knees in reference to the first two metatarsals. For me, I want my athletes to understand the proper positioning of the torso, knees, and hips when at full depth, and I want them to understand the importance of maintaining stability in the core during the entire movement. 

Box Squat vs Traditional Back Squat-Benefit-1-Teaching-Tool

Benefit 2: targeting a specific Range of Motion

In my article on the various adaptations from altering the range of motion, it’s clear that joints improve their ability to produce force specifically to the angles applied during training. Therefore, if you want your athletes to improve force production at the knee specific to sprinting, obviously squatting with less range of motion makes more sense. You can also read about this phenomenon in my last article of “Understanding the Principle of Specificity”.

The box allows the coach to be very exact on the depth of the squat versus trusting an athlete to stop on their own at a specific height. The athletes are able to handle more of a load when limiting the range of motion. This increased load allows the athlete to maximize the resistance causing the joint to strengthen. Normally, the final few inches of a squat are easy for the athlete, and therefore, the joint isn’t forced to adapt at those angles. I explain this topic in more depth in my article on external resistance. 

Benefit 3: Post-Activation Potentiation

One of my favorite benefits of the box squat that a lot of you might not be using is for post-activation potentiation. Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon by which force production and the rate at which force is developed can be improved based on previous contractions.

PAP is still not fully understood by the researchers, but there is no doubt that it exists. The key is eliciting a high amount of force production with minimal fatigue. For example, an athlete performs a box squat with 105% of their 1RM to a high box several inches above parallel. Then after taking a short break, the athlete performs a vertical leap with several athletes being able to hit all-time heights using similar techniques. Remember, you need to minimize the fatigue from the PAP set. The box squat of 105% is more than the athlete is used to handling, but the short range of motion is easy to recover from. 

You could use this strategy for:

  • Improving vertical leap (high box squat paired with the jump)
  • Improving sprint times (high box squat paired with sprint)
  • Setting a PR back squat (high box squat paired with the traditional squat)

Some PAP keys to consider:

  • As soon as you are done with the heavy set, Potentiation will be at its highest but so will fatigue.
  • Normally 1-3 minutes is enough to maximize potentiation while minimizing fatigue.
  • Potentiation movement should be similar to the exercise or activity looking to be improved

Benefit 4: improving concentric Force Production

The final benefit of the box squat is potentially overloading the concentric contraction due to minimizing the passive force produced from the stretch shortening cycle. This is the benefit that’s up in the air. Wilson, Gregory J et al., 1991., made it clear that a pause of ~4 seconds is required to eliminate all passive force produced from the stretch shortening cycle. One second cuts the augmentation in half, and 1.5 seconds reduces the augmentation by 70%. 

Most coaches like to stop the athletes at parallel or slightly higher maximizing the load capability while targeting the athlete’s ability to create active force concentrically. The desired adaptation is improved acceleration from a static to dynamic contraction and maximizing overall force production. Strength athletes are also hoping to benefit with improved overall force production when the passive force from the SSC is added back in. In a perfect world, box squats will probably help improve an athlete’s active concentric force production, but the time of the pause makes a big difference. 

Using VBT to maximize Box Squat benefits

If you want to maximize concentric force production and maximize the effects from post activation potentiation, maximum intent is required. What is maximum intent? I’m talking about applying the athlete’s maximum ability into the barbell throughout the entire range of motion of whatever movement is being performed. Another name for this method is compensatory acceleration. I recommend reading my article on the subject if you haven’t already: Compensatory Acceleration Training

How does a coach ensure that his or her athletes are performing each repetition with maximum intent? That’s the easy one, velocity based training.

Velocity Based Training (VBT) to maximize intent

The box squat is great at improving starting strength, acceleration, and rate of force development. As long as VBT is applied, it’s easy to monitor improvements with specific loads. For example, it’s easy to monitor mean velocity at 70, 75, 80, or 85%. Is the athlete moving that particular load at a higher velocity today than yesterday? In the GymAware Cloud, it’s easy to look at Peak Force and Time to Peak Force for acceleration and RFD improvements.  
Immediate visual and audible feedback provided by VBT is the only way to maximize intent (Weakley J, et al., 2023). Therefore, if you want to maximize the adaptations from box squats, you are going to need VBT to give athletes a target to shoot for and exceed. I’m the same way. If you give me a number to exceed, I will get it done.

Shortcomings of the Box Squat

Used properly, the box squat is a great tool in the weight room, but there are a few shortcomings that would make the traditional squat or some other tool a better choice. If the goals are to maximize stability throughout a full range of motion, create strong tendons and overall connective tissue, maximize hypertrophy, and to maximize force production, the box might not work as the best choice of exercise. Let’s look at those shortcomings.

Not practical in a group setting

If you are coaching big groups with 3-4 athletes per rack, it’s hard to pick a box height that will work for each athlete. Even if you have athletes that are exactly the same height, their anthropometrics will still vary (long femurs, short femurs, long torsos, short torsos, short tibias, and long tibias). I would rather onboard an athlete with a box, and then immediately transition them to a full-depth squat. To be clear, I am not married to a back squat. I just want my athletes moving throughout a full range of motion because I want mobile athletes with strong joints that can move. 

Single leg squat variations would take the athletes to a full range of motion at the knee, ankle, and hip. I can make small variations to maximize movement at whatever joint I intend on targeting without a box stopping the athlete at an arbitrary depth. Of course, accessory exercises can be used to target max ROM if time permits.

Stored Elasticity isn’t maximized

Elastic energy is the biggest key to maximizing athletic force production. The stretch shortening cycle is the gateway to all things fast and powerful along with the elastic elements found in connective tissue and muscle. For the same reason that a box squat can help to improve active force production in the concentric contraction, the box squat disrupts overall force production. Put simply, the SSC is maximized with eccentric velocity, eccentric force, and eccentric amplitude. Muscle spindles run parallel to muscle fibers, and they are responsible for picking up the amplitude and magnitude of muscle fibers being lengthened. They create a reflex causing the muscle fibers to contract equal to the magnitude and amplitude of the stretch they are experiencing. Muscle spindles are also responsible for inhibiting antagonistic muscles, which is the desired relationship for athletic performance. 


Also, golgi tendon organs (GTO) are found in the tendons, and they pick up on force being applied to the tendons. Their job is to inhibit muscle contractions to avoid tendon tears. Unless movements are progressively overloaded at a full range of motion, GTOs will inhibit muscular contractions, and therefore minimize overall force production. The SSC is crucial to maximum force production, and maximizing the rate at which force is produced. Traveling throughout a full ROM will not only improve those qualities, but it will also improve motor unit synchronization and coordination. You can read more about all of this in my article on “The Size Principle”. You can read more about the other elements important to this stored elastic energy in my article, “Adaptations from Eccentric Contractions”.

Common misconceptions about the Box Squat

There’s only one way to perform a Box Squat

I find this one to be almost funny. There are coaches online that will argue to the death that all box squats should be performed exactly like Louie Simmons prescribed: wide stance, sit back with the hips, vertical shins, pause or slightly rock back on the box, and explode up. Yes, this type of box squat will strengthen the posterior chain more than a typical squat due to simple biomechanics. However, this technique will almost take the quads out of the movement, and it will limit the range of motion of the athlete at the knees and ankles.

Is that the goal? Maybe, if you have an athlete that has weak hip extensors or weak spinal extensors, this is a great way to possibly strengthen weaknesses. However, it’s probably not the best way to strengthen an athlete’s 1 rep maximum back squat. Why make it harder on the back and hips? Allowing the knees to drift forwards over the first two metatarsals will incorporate the quads a bit more, taking the load off of the hips and back. For most athletes, this will optimize mechanical advantage at all joints allowing for the greatest overall load. 

Finally, a wide stance plus sitting back will make it impossible to maximize depth. The range of motion will be maximized at the hips, but it will be minimized at the knees. The best way to improve the mobility of an athlete is to never allow them to lose mobility. How an athlete performs a box squat depends on the desired adaptation.

Box Squat vs Traditional Back Squat: Misconceptions - There’s Only One Way to Perform a Box Squat

The Box Squat eliminates the Stretch Shortening Cycle

Wilson, Gregory J., et al., 1991., showed us that unless there is a significant pause, at least 1-1.5 seconds, the SSC will still provide significant passive force. Most athletes barely pause at all. If there’s a rocking back added on the box, the athlete will actually gain a significant SSC at the hips. To completely eliminate any form of SSC benefit, the athlete would have to pause ~4 seconds which is a rarity in the weightroom. 

Therefore, if the coach wants to minimize passive force production due to the SSC, the athlete will need to pause each repetition at least 1-1.5 seconds without rocking back at all on the box. Yes, this will put more of a focus on the concentric contraction potentially improving rate coding and high threshold motor unit recruitment. However, as you can see, it’s not as simple as just using a box.

The Box Squat strengthens the Posterior Chain better than Traditional Squats

McBride JM, et al., 2010 looked at the kinetic variables and muscle activity differences between the box squat and traditional squat. They found very little difference in the two squat variations. As a matter of fact, the biceps femoris (one of the hamstrings) was activated more with the traditional squat, but still statistically insignificant. Yes, if an athlete sits back, there will be more of an emphasis on the hamstrings, glutes, and the spinal extensors due to an increased external moment arm (perpendicular distance between the line of force of the barbell and the joint). All you have to do is look at image 3 above to see which muscles are emphasized depending on the performance of a back squat. 

Therefore, it’s not the box that causes more or less activity of the hamstrings, quads, glutes, and spinal extensors. Straub RK, Powers CM., 2024 demonstrated clearly how technique affects joint loading and muscular demands. It has nothing to do with the box, but instead, it has everything to do with the actual performance of the box squat or traditional squat in the following ways:

  • The total range of motion
  • If the knees travel forwards, more quad activity is required
  • If the hips move back and torso inclines, more glute, hamstring, and spinal extensor activity is required.

Assessing potential risks of the Box Squat

As with most exercises, the risks are mitigated by proper coaching. The box squat and the traditional squat share all but one potential risk. If the descent of the box squat isn’t controlled, the compressive force experienced at the intervertebral joints of the spine are increased, potentially causing increased spinal flexion at the lumbar spine. Straub RK, Powers CM., 2024 explained that spinal flexion leads to decreased tolerance of spinal compression. This is the only extra potential risk from using the box squat variation.

Mitigating risks: best practices for coaches and athletes

A controlled descent is required when performing the box squat. Potentially adding an eccentric tempo such as 3-4 seconds could decrease the potential risk. Using the GymAware RS or FLEX unit would allow the coach and athlete to monitor eccentric tempos and velocities. Some coaches have suggested adding some type of padding to provide tactical feedback that the athlete is near the box. The padding would also minimize the overall compression created by the spine becoming compressed between the barbell and the box.

Conclusion

The one thing that you can count on from me is a lack of absolutes. It would be easy to be a coach that used several absolutes to dictate the way I coach my athletes. However, I don’t want an easy approach, but rather the best approach for the individual athlete. The box squat is a tool that I use when the desired adaptations call for it. 

The box squat is a great tool for the following reasons:

  • To teach an athlete how to squat
  • Strengthening a potential range of motion
  • Potentially emphasizing the concentric contraction of the hips and knees

Once again, absolutes are rare in this industry. There are athletic qualities needed for individual sports. Each athlete comes with athletic attributes that need to be improved. My goal of writing these articles is to give you the tools necessary for overcoming these deficiencies. At the end of the day, I want what’s best for the athlete. I want all of you to understand how to stimulate the adaptation needed from each of the athletes you coach. Simply put, I want to add the tools in your toolbox, and teach you when to use those tools.

References

  1. WILSON, GREGORY J.; ELLIOTT, BRUCE C.; WOOD, GRAEME A.. The effect on performance of imposing a delay during a stretch-shorten cycle movement. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 23(3):p 364-370, March 1991. 
  2. McBride JM, Skinner JW, Schafer PC, Haines TL, Kirby TJ. Comparison of kinetic variables and muscle activity during a squat vs. a box squat. J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Dec;24(12):3195-9. doi: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181f6399a. PMID: 21132859.
  3. https://precisionpowerlifting.com/2022/06/21/misunderstanding-specificity-and-the-long-pause-bench-press/
  4. https://simplifaster.com/articles/bigger-faster-stronger-box-squat/
  5. Brown, Lee. (2003). Performance Box Squats. Strength and Conditioning Journal – STRENGTH CONDITIONING J. 25. 10.1519/00126548-200302000-00003. 
  6. Straub RK, Powers CM. A Biomechanical Review of the Squat Exercise: Implications for Clinical Practice. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2024 Apr 1;19(4):490-501. doi: 10.26603/001c.94600. PMID: 38576836; PMCID: PMC10987311.
  7. Lorenz D. Postactivation potentiation: an introduction. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2011 Sep;6(3):234-40. PMID: 21904700; PMCID: PMC3164001
  8. Weakley J, Cowley N, Schoenfeld BJ, Read DB, Timmins RG, García-Ramos A, McGuckian TB. The Effect of Feedback on Resistance Training Performance and Adaptations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2023 Sep;53(9):1789-1803. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01877-2. Epub 2023 Jul 6. PMID: 37410360; PMCID: PMC10432365.
Coach Travis Mash

Travis Mash

Being a World Champion in powerlifting, Travis competed at a world-class level in Olympic weightlifting and has coached professional Olympic weightlifters alongside Don McCauley and Glenn Pendlay at Team MDUSA. Now Travis coaches the most successful weightlifting team in the USA.