Started doing a few box squats recently, and was wondering what is proper depth on them? All the videos I have seen are parallel or higher, yet I’ve been using a very low box which goes as low as I can. I’ve been doing it for front squat and notice behind my knee some slight discomfort. Is it fine to use such a low box for squatting? I’m more narrow now also since I have a box to sit back on, possibly could be from changing my stance also. Not sure If I should change to a parallel box squat.
slightly below parrallel is really good for building power out of the hole anything above i believe is just working the upper part of the lift and speed i suppose
[quote]bignate wrote:
slightly below parrallel is really good for building power out of the hole anything above i believe is just working the upper part of the lift and speed i suppose[/quote]
I have not been doing slightly below though, I have been using like the lowest possible box to sit on so it looks like a full squat. Its pretty hard, which is odd since some people say there box squat is much higher then there regular which I don’t see how that is possible at all. Just curious since every powerlifter I have seen has used parallel and more often above parallel. Also the fact that behind my knee I have slight discomfort.
westside-barbell.com/Articles%20Top%20Ten/PDF.Files/04PDF/Box%20Squatting.pdf
Don’t know if you read it, might be of some help.
[quote]bignate wrote:
slightly below parrallel is really good for building power out of the hole anything above i believe is just working the upper part of the lift and speed i suppose[/quote]
yes ^ this ^ is the conventional wisdom and is what louie simmons recommends - slightly below parallel is the most bang for the buck. going atg on a box seems like it would be way to hard on the knees if you’re doing them properly and you would probably see more benefit doing pause squats at that kind of depth and just staying tight in the hole instead of releasing on a box. a high box is mainly used to work sticking points.
If you compete, then use a box that is at or a little lower than depth required for the federation you compete in. I have made the mistake in the past to squat high in the gym and do the same in competition.
Yeh thats what im saying, dont most gear lifters not need to use below // because the gear helps them out of the hole so maybe thats why u see alot of ppl using high boxes that and the ppl can be dumb haha
[quote]shizen wrote:
Started doing a few box squats recently, and was wondering what is proper depth on them? All the videos I have seen are parallel or higher, yet I’ve been using a very low box which goes as low as I can. I’ve been doing it for front squat and notice behind my knee some slight discomfort.
Is it fine to use such a low box for squatting? I’m more narrow now also since I have a box to sit back on, possibly could be from changing my stance also. Not sure If I should change to a parallel box squat. [/quote]
I do shoulder-width stance squats onto an 8" box. I think you’ll be just fine as it works well for me. Don’t ignore pain, though.
[quote]Phillip Wylie wrote:
If you compete, then use a box that is at or a little lower than depth required for the federation you compete in. I have made the mistake in the past to squat high in the gym and do the same in competition. [/quote]
I am also guilty of this. Super tight briefs sure don’t help!
I learned the hard way by not training below parallel. I was primarily competing in the APF/AAPF. Typically in the past if your squat was parallel it would be passed. I competed at APF Masters Nationals and bombed on depth due to stricter judging. I have competed at several APF/AAPF national level meets and parallels were normally passed.
I have taken a break from gear and will be competing raw. I started competing in the USAPL.
APF’s definittion of parallel is not the same’s as the USAPL or IPF’s that’s for sure. Gotta love the APF 
[quote]saps wrote:
APF’s definittion of parallel is not the same’s as the USAPL or IPF’s that’s for sure. Gotta love the APF ;)[/quote]
I think it is more of a matter of the enforced rule and not necessarily the definition. The APF rule says you have to break parallel and that’s rarely the case. LOL!