Staley Training Systems-front squat to box 605x1

[CMBlifts1994]

I know its very late to comment on this, but for all who see this: Its better to front squat with a clean grip (like oly lifters) because it reinforces and strengthens your upright position (as well as give you massive flexibility.) It may be hard at first, but it keeps you from making your max back squats look like a demented good morning.

[somestupiddude1234]

BEAST!

[eyesack9]

what's your back squat PR? you could do 800 with ease i bet

[xAristaicx]

dude, you could squat a family!

[Randleman2]

squat deep or don't squat at all

[Ironjaw90]

@Randleman2 the purpose of a box squat is to eliminate all the stretch and elastic "bounce" as it were in the squat movement utilizing more muscle usage in the movement therefore helping out ...tho i do agree his box needs to be lower a bit

[mcnailler93G]

@Randleman2, this statement of yours shows what you don't know. Box Squats (Front or Back) are a completely different exercise compared to Free Back or Front Squats. If you are doing free squats parallel (powerlifting parallel) or full squat depth. If you are doing box squats the height of the box is determined by your posterior chain strength.

[Randleman2]

I am a college strength and conditioning coach and non of us know it all. I will admit I'm biased for training with athletes. I understand what the box squat is and what it's used for, it's just something I guess unless you're a geared powerlifter who competes, it really does nothing for those who are athletes. So my original statement was to squat deep or you're wasting your time for the most part.

[mcnailler93G]

@Randleman2, fair enough, to each his own.

DeFranco has his guys Box Squat. It's a good exercise for the posterior chain, but one can't neglect the quads (which in DeFranco's Westside For Skinny Bastards there is a lot of good assistance work). Without the quads you'll be in a predicament. I do Box Squats (Front or Back) every now and then to break the monotony of Free Squatting. But I do like Free Squats a lot.

[irishenforcer]

man it looked as if ya had a few more reps in ya lol

[LurigLuring]

What is the benfit with squating with a box? I used to do it in the beginning of my squatting career just to know when to stop but now I ususally go full ROM.

[rawelite]

i did this over a year ago. i've found that box squatting hasn't really transferred well to my raw competition squat. i dont' box squat anymore. i got really strong at box squatting though. too bad there isn't a box squat competition:)

[LurigLuring]

Okay, I guess I just keep going with my regular squats and front squats then. Thanks for the answer.

[rawelite]

i've gotten the best carryover incorporating band work. it allows one to add weight at the top or if set up reverse band, take weight off the bottom while still doing a full ROM movement.

[nikolatesla08]

@rawelite westside barbell only box squats. if it didnt transfer they wouldn't be the best

[howcanthishappentome]

holy shit strong as a ox

[BRETZERR]

How do you front squat that much without choking out your air supply. I just started squating about 3 months ago (so my squats suck - but I am going to fix that), but whenever I try front squats I find the bar chokes me out! Ha, ha...(literally)

I have hit 365 lbs on the front squat, but I had next to no air when I did it. Oh well, like everything...it's a work-in-progress.

Great vid.

[rawelite]

it really helps to develop mass on the shoulders and upper chest. i find that having large shoulders allows the bar to actually rest behind the shoulder near the neck. my hands are just up. i could actually do front squats without having my hands on the bar. but, it still chokes you some. it's just something you have to get used to. and as i said, the more upper body mass you have, the easier it is to perform.

good luck!!

[BRETZERR]

I hear ya...I agree the mass helps keep the bar in place.  I don't have an issue there. What I was trying to say was that when you get the bar locked in between your neck and your delts, I find I am losing my wind. I literally have to do the weight with half the wind I would normally squat with! LOL

Anyways...not your problem...it's mine. I'll figure it out. Thanks for the reply.

[Honken]

Practice with a clean grip. Yeah yeah, it's hard in the beginning, but so is everything else. Widening your grip helps even the most inflexible out there.

Good luck! :)

[WHOLETTHECATSOUTMEOW]

@BRETZERR try wrapping your fingers around the bar and just holding it in the palm of your hands so you don't choke yourself, or put a pair of straps around the bar and hold onto the loose ends when you're squatting.

[hellomynameis151]

@BRETZERR Squatting is an anaerobic activity, so oxygen is necessary but it helps unlike running or swimming which is aerobic and requires oxygen.

You can see this beast of a man working his breathing to get maximal oxygen in his system before he lifts the bar, your actually supposed to take a deep breathe in through the mouth and hold it, don't exhale until going up.

[powabuilda]

TOO EASY!!!

[bigpopsonswoll]

THAT GOOD OL BOY IS STRONG LIKE A MULE

[HeelusLIFTING]

Looks like your lift have 3 really distinct steps, racking, breath, press !

Horses are puss* compared to your strength !

[nichaaron]

HAHA i see what you did there LoL

[200kHomebasedbiz]

People still do boxes? Fuck.....no way!

Hell of a job though

[chumbulezco]

Damn shame your gym don't have a monolift,you could lift even more and been more safe.

[rawelite]

i would kill to train in a powerlifting gym. i feel like i'm cheating when i go to a meet and get to squat in a mono and pull with a Okee bar.

[Alectr0n]

I tried these with a measly 200lbs and it hurt my collarbone like crazy.

Do you need a lot of meat on your bones to do these?

[rawelite]

it helps to have a thick upper chest and delts. if you watch my setup, i choke myself with the bar and get it up behind the collarbones. also keep your arms high throughout the movement. you can also use a thin bar. that should help with the pain.

[allroundpower]

Either you can rack it and have flexibility in your arms , or you have meat on your shoulders and use the cross arm method. I'm at the intermediate stage. I guess I better stop those curls so I can bend my arms more!!!!

[hagoth2k6]

Wow you made it look like cake for being a new PR. Does front squatting irritate your lower back at all? Mine is screaming bloody murder after the first set.

[rawelite]

thanks!! actually i'm more comfortable doing a front squat than a back squat.

i don't do front squats to a box anymore though. they don't transfer very well to my raw back squat. i do them now to pins or just full ROM.

thanks!!

[71grandprix]

I would never have thought to do front squats on a box, wonderful lifting. Something new to try in the future for sure.

[rawelite]

thanks!!!  i'm pausing them on pins now. another great variation.

[ATking6]

savage front squatting, good to know that those aerobic step things can handle that kind of weight, thats all I have to do box squats on as well.

[rawelite]

yeah... i get a lot of people saying that they are suprised that the steps can handle that much weight, but the bases are really wide. i may have to break down and build some boxes though. straddling it has become a pain in the ass.

[AntiSpammerForceFour]

man you're just psycho :)

haha keep up the good work.

[rawelite]

the squat is the easy part:) it's the unracking and stepping back. after i step back, i'm hardly getting any air to start the lift. i'm having to take little sips of air. i guess i'll figure it out.

thanks bro!

[Matgic1]

Beautiful, you looked like you had some more in you as well.