Paused Squat or Box Squat

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
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Hey coach, I was wondering if the paused squat or the box squat translates better for athletes looking to develope explosiveness

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[quote]Rajeev Jadhav wrote:
Hey coach, I was wondering if the paused squat or the box squat translates better for athletes looking to develope explosiveness[/quote]

The only movements (for the lower body) that BY NATURE develop explosiveness are:

  • Jumps
  • Jump squats (jumping with a 20-30% barbell on you shoulders or a DB/KB in your hands)
  • Jump split squats (as as above but from a split position)
  • Snatch variations
  • Clean variations
  • Jerk variations

All other lower body exercises will build explosiveness due to the load (weight) and speed of movement used.

If you do a box or paused squat with a very heavy weight it will not directly improve explosiveness because the movement will move slowly.

Now… getting stronger WILL increase your potential to show explosiveness (power = force x velocity). HOWEVER what you are asking is more what will help you learn to show as much power as possible.

Passed the beginner stage, if you want to improve explosiveness you have to do exercises in which you are moving super fast.

Any squat can build power/explosiveness. It’s a matter of loading (weight used). If you use too much weight and you move up slowly, it wont transfer into much power gains. If you use a light/moderate load with which you can move fast, it will develop explosiveness.

Adding bands or chains to a light barbell will work even better.

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Thankyou for your time coach

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[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Adding bands or chains to a light barbell will work even better.[/quote]

Can adding bands or simply using bands alone be used long term without risking neural fatigue, as long as the load is light?

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[quote]thom59695 wrote:

[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
Adding bands or chains to a light barbell will work even better.[/quote]

Can adding bands or simply using bands alone be used long term without risking neural fatigue, as long as the load is light?[/quote]

With bands it’s not the neural fatigue that worries me, it’s muscle/tendon recovery. Bands dramatically increase the eccentric stress of a strength movement. I’ve had band sessions that caused soreness that lasted for up to 12 days!

Chains do not have that effect on eccentric loading so they can be used for longer. Bands I wouldn’t use for more than 3 weeks in a row.

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Even when the load is light when doing light work the bands can be problematic if used for too long… they still provide a significant downward “acceleration” that must be countered and that increase eccentric loading exponentially.

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I can’t thank you enough for the awesome information you consistently provide coach you’re the best