How to do the Box Squat
- Stand with a box behind you, bar on your upper back, feet comfortably apart.
- Break at hips and knees, sitting back towards the box in a controlled motion.
- Lightly touch the box with your rear – avoid rocking or dropping down.
- Push through your feet to stand up, keeping your hips and chest rising together.
- Finish tall, fully extending your legs and hips before repeating the movement.
Full technique — 8 steps
- Set a box behind you at the depth you want to reach, then position the bar on your upper back.
- Unrack the bar, step back into your stance, and place your feet where you can sit back comfortably.
- Tighten your stomach and upper back, keeping the bar balanced over the middle of your foot.
- Break at the hips and knees together, sitting back under control toward the box.
- Lower until you make a light, deliberate contact with the box without dropping or rocking onto it.
- Keep your stomach tight on the box and hold the same shin and torso angle.
- Push through your feet to stand up, keeping your hips and chest rising together.
- Finish tall with knees and hips extended before setting up for the next rep.
Common mistakes
- Crashing down onto the box
- Rocking backward to start up
- Losing stomach tightness on the box
- Knees collapsing inward
- Hips shooting up first
Form cues
- Sit back to box
- Touch, don't crash
- Keep stomach tight on box
- Drive up together
- Bar over middle of foot
