Box Squat Vs ATG Squat

Anyhow just curious on your guys opinion as to how bad it would be if i just substituted box squats in for ATG squats. Yesterday on my deload, I tried box squats at the end of my ATG squats just to try it out and i was able to easily do the same amount of reps for about 100 pounds more (given it was slightly higher, still parallel though) and i felt it in my glutes and hips like i never have in ATG squats. Is a box squat in your guys opinion by itself no good?

I would advise box squats for explosive concentrics or bands, but during regular squats I'd always go as low as possible and allow my hamstrings to work harder.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I would never substitute. Depending on your routine you can change them out on different days, but you should still have back squats in your routine somewhere.

Most people who do box squats use a box that creates a 1/4 squat and just loads on the weight. Please dont be one of those people.

So I suppose it really depends on how you execute them, whether you actually sit down or touch and go, height and weight etc...

I think they can be useful, but not a complete replacement.

Edit** Jane said what I was trying to. There their to assist your squats, not replace them. :P

6'3"  @213

Squat 1x20x275

press:200, Deadlift:475, Bench:300, P.clean:235, Squat:385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

A lot of people (not saying you do) use box squats to cheat. Meaning during the eccentric action they'll let gravity do most of the work and just practice on the concentric action taking a lot of the hamstrings and adductor work out of the whole equation.

I'd stick with ATG squats and maybe even do both if you do squats frequently.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

damn n$ your new avatar is bada*s.  when you cut up you're gonna look f*cking brutal!

sorry to get offtopic.

They aren't replacements at all..2 fairly different variations of squats.

Goals by end of 2009:
Bench 205
Squat 255 ATG
Squat Clean 185

"There is no elevator to success, you must take the stairs."

Hmmm, most people I know that do box squats regularly do them with proper depth, meaning they get below parrellel, hips below knees.  The reason some people use a higher box is if they have a sticking point mid way up their squat, this breaking of the eccentric concentric chain can help build massive power in this particular spot, same thing works using boards for bench, once I started doing 2 board presses, that training helped to remove a sticking point for me.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

Also a box squat is a lot harder than a below parrellel squat, especially if you do a proper break rather than using it as a check point for depth.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

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Also a box squat is a lot harder than a below parrellel squat.

I disagree with that, sorry. I believe deep squats like ATG are much harder.

As mentioned, most people generally let gravity do the work during the eccentric phase with box squats taking away from the hamstrings, which is the eccentric stabilizer.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP

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Also a box squat is a lot harder than a below parrellel squat.

I disagree with that, sorry. I believe deep squats like ATG are much harder.

As mentioned, most people generally let gravity do the work during the eccentric phase with box squats taking away from the hamstrings, which is the eccentric stabilizer.

I don't see how people let gravity do the work, it isn't like they jsut fall on the box, that would compress their spine, so would spending too much time on the box.  You also can't get your ass to your heals with a really wide stance, and most videos I see of people claming something is an ATG squat it isn't really one or any lower than what I box squat. 

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

During the eccentric phase, they let gravity do the work by just falling onto the box, of course you can still do it properly but the hamstrings are required to cause the bottom to stop at the bottom of the load. A Rippetoe squat would be even more difficult to execute with a box seeing it's about hip drive and keeping your feet out to recruit more of the adductor magnus.

I agree the term "ATG" is overrated and misused and I even wrote an article on how people now are considering "ATG" parallel and "parallel" nothing more than a half squat. You can only take "ATG" for it's real meaning however which would be letting your hamstrings touch your calves. Those type of squats are the hardest to replicate and generally cause the stabilizers to work harder.

As mentioned, box squats are mainly a tool. When I use box squats it's usually with much more resistance than conventional ATG. The box I use is directly below parallel for my height. I feel much more contraction with my hamstrings, glutes and adductors when I squat as low as I can and drive the weight up with my hips.

The movement becomes awkward for me especially trying to keep my toes out when utilizing a box. Box squats, IMO, are a tool to practice explosiveness or band squats.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

I don't think you can nessicarily say one is harder than the other, there are to many things that go into it, box height, how you do the box squat (touch and go type, or actually pausing to sit on the box etc.) how low people consider atg. But for me when I have done box squats, it has been low box squats (8-14 inches I have it set up so it can either be 8, 11, or 14) I have been using around 30 lb. less than with ATG squats.

Goals by end of 2009:
Bench 205
Squat 255 ATG
Squat Clean 185

"There is no elevator to success, you must take the stairs."