The Underrated Tool in Strongman Training: Why Strongman Athletes Are Neglecting the Box Squat
Strongman competitors often chase the biggest lifts—Atlas stone loads, yoke carries, log presses—while continuously pushing the limits of their strength and endurance. Yet, there’s one powerful training tool that’s overlooked by many athletes in the strongman community: the box squat.
The box squat has long been championed by powerlifters and popularized by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell, but its utility extends far beyond the confines of a powerlifting platform. Box squats have immense carryover to strongman events, especially when performed with specialty bars like the Safety Squat Bar (SSB) or the cambered bar. Despite this, strongman athletes tend to neglect the box squat in favor of more traditional back squats and deadlifts. This article will explore why box squats are a critical tool for strongman success, how they can improve performance in specific events, and why integrating them into a training program is essential for long-term progress.
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### Why Box Squats Are Essential for Strongman Athletes
The box squat is more than just a variation of the traditional squat. It’s a unique movement that builds explosive power, addresses weak points, and reduces injury risk—all of which are critical for strongman competitors. Unlike the standard back squat, which relies heavily on the stretch reflex to bounce out of the hole, the box squat forces an athlete to generate power from a dead stop. This eccentric-concentric chain break makes it an ideal movement for building strength that transfers to strongman events.
Box squats also allow athletes to squat to a specific depth, ensuring consistency in technique. They help lifters sit back into the squat, emphasizing posterior chain engagement, including the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. For strongman athletes, this is crucial because posterior chain strength is needed for nearly every event, from stone loading to yoke carries.
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### Breaking Down the Benefits of Box Squats
1. Reduced Joint Stress:
Strongman athletes endure significant wear and tear on their joints, particularly in the shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The box squat reduces upper body strain compared to straight bar squats, especially when performed with specialty bars like the SSB. This allows strongman competitors to build lower body strength without compromising joint health.
2. Posterior Chain Development:
Box squats emphasize the muscles of the posterior chain—the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. This is critical for strongman events like the deadlift, Atlas stone loading, and yoke carry, where hip and leg strength play a dominant role.
3. Explosive Power:
By breaking the eccentric-concentric chain, box squats teach athletes to generate force from a static position. This explosive power is essential for events that require sudden bursts of strength, such as stone loads and overhead presses.
4. Injury Risk Management:
Because box squats can be performed with various specialty bars, they provide a way to manage fatigue and minimize injury risk. Specialty bars alter the load distribution, making the movement more forgiving on the shoulders and wrists.
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### Box Squats and Specialty Bars: A Perfect Combination
Incorporating specialty bars into box squats adds another layer of benefit. Here’s how different specialty bars enhance box squatting for strongman:
- Safety Squat Bar (SSB):
The SSB shifts the center of gravity forward, increasing upper back and core engagement. This mimics the demands of events like the yoke carry and the log press, which require strong thoracic extensors and core stability.
- Cambered Bar:
The cambered bar introduces instability, forcing the athlete to stabilize the load actively. This instability mimics the unpredictable nature of strongman implements, making it a valuable tool for building dynamic control.
- Front Squat Harness:
The front squat harness allows athletes to focus on quad and upper back strength without the need for wrist flexibility. This is particularly beneficial for Atlas stone training and log pressing.
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### Event-Specific Applications of Box Squats
Let’s take a closer look at how box squats can improve performance in specific strongman events:
1. Atlas Stone Loading:
Atlas stone loading requires explosive hip drive and posterior chain strength. Box squats, particularly when performed dynamically, teach athletes to generate force from a dead stop, mimicking the movement pattern needed to lift a stone from the ground to the platform.
2. Super Yoke Carry:
The yoke carry demands core stability, upper back strength, and the ability to handle a heavy load in motion. Box squats with the SSB or cambered bar train these exact qualities by challenging the lifter’s balance and core engagement.
3. Overhead Pressing:
Whether it’s a log press, axle press, or barbell overhead press, strongman pressing events rely heavily on leg drive. Box squats teach athletes to generate power from their legs and transfer it through their upper body. Additionally, using a front squat harness or SSB during box squats mimics the rack position of a log or axle press.
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### Addressing Common Misconceptions About Box Squats
One of the reasons box squats are underutilized in strongman training is the prevalence of myths and misconceptions. Let’s address some of the most common ones:
- “Box squats don’t carry over to strongman events.”
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Box squats build explosive power, posterior chain strength, and core stability—all of which are essential for strongman success.
- “Box squats are only for powerlifters.”
While box squats are a staple in powerlifting programs, their benefits extend to any strength sport. The ability to control depth, break the eccentric-concentric chain, and build posterior chain strength makes them highly valuable for strongman athletes.
- “Box squats are dangerous.”
When performed correctly, box squats are no more dangerous than any other squat variation. In fact, they can reduce injury risk by allowing athletes to control their depth and manage joint stress more effectively.
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### Integrating Box Squats into a Conjugate-Style Program
The conjugate method, popularized by Louie Simmons, emphasizes rotating exercises and using various specialty bars to prevent accommodation and target weak muscle groups. This approach is ideal for strongman training, where athletes need to address multiple events and movement patterns.
Incorporating box squats into a conjugate-style program allows athletes to address specific weaknesses, build explosive power, and reduce injury risk. For example:
- Use dynamic effort box squats to build explosive power for Atlas stone loading.
- Perform max effort box squats with the SSB to improve upper back strength for yoke carries.
- Rotate in cambered bar box squats to build balance and stability for events like the farmer’s walk and keg carries.
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### The Westside Influence: Louie Simmons and Box Squatting
Louie Simmons revolutionized strength training with his Westside Barbell method, and box squatting was one of his key innovations. Simmons recognized that box squats allowed lifters to squat heavier, reduce injury risk, and build explosive power—all of which are critical for strongman athletes.
Simmons often said, “Strength is measured by your weaknesses.” Box squats, with their ability to target weak points and build power from a static position, embody this philosophy. For strongman athletes looking to improve their performance across multiple events, the lessons of Westside Barbell are invaluable.
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### Conclusion: A Call to Action for Strongman Athletes
It’s time for strongman competitors to stop overlooking the box squat. The benefits are undeniable: reduced joint stress, improved posterior chain development, explosive power, and direct carryover to strongman events. By incorporating box squats into your training program—especially with specialty bars—you can address weak points, improve performance, and reduce injury risk.
If you’re ready to take your strongman or powerlifting training to the next level, join my online coaching program at Team JoshHezza. Together, we’ll build a program that targets your specific needs, incorporating proven methods like box squats and specialty bar work to ensure you’re prepared for every event. Don’t let neglected training methods hold you back from reaching your full potential—start your journey with Team JoshHezza today.
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