Barbell box squat

Muscles worked: Quads
Quads
🔧 barbell, box ↕ Squat 🏋️ kg × reps Difficulty:

Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.

How to perform

Position the bar just below shoulder level and adjust the safety stops right above knee height. Find a box set just above parallel and position 2-3 feet behind you. Place your pinkies on the smooth ring of the barbell. Get under the bar and position at the top of your rear deltoids. Unrack the bar, take 2-3 steps back and position your feet at shoulder width. Take a deep breath and keep your elbows in line with your torso. Descend by simultaneously pushing the hips back and bending the knees. Once your butt touches the box, begin to reverse the movement. Keep your abs braced and drive your feet through the floor. Finish the lift by exhaling as you fully extend the hips and knees.

Muscles Worked

Quadriceps
Secondary: Glutes, Hamstrings

Tips

Find your optimal toe and neck angle through experimentation. Pull the bar into your traps; try a thumbless grip if it reduces wrist/elbow strain. Drive through all three foot points: big toe, little toe, heel. Think “drop hips down toward heels,” not back. Allow knees slightly over toes, but keep tracking aligned (not caving in or flaring out). Keep traps tight and elbows drawn in as you rise. Low bar squat requires more hip sit-back and torso lean to load the posterior chain.

Similar exercises

Barbell back box squat Quads, Hamstrings, Back · 🔧 Barbell, Squat Rack, Plyometric Box 4/10 Box squat Quads · 🔧 box 2/10 Barbell squat Quads · 🔧 Barbell 4/10 Barbell pin squat Quads · 🔧 barbell, pins 5/10 Pistol box squat Quads · 🔧 box 4/10 Barbell front squat Quads · 🔧 Barbell 5/10 Barbell pin front squat Quads · 🔧 Barbell 4/10 Barbell half squat Quads · 🔧 Barbell 3/10
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