i was reading up on box squats, and the articles i read claim the box-squats are probably one of the best exersises for strength and power b/c they eliminate the elastic reflex and they also require less recovery time that reg squats.
So i was wondering how this exersises compares to squats and deadlifts for speed and power and strength development for speed athletes… would low box squats be the best option for a max effort exersises for someone that also does sprint training?
What are your goals? Which is more necessary–speed or strength? How close to the season?
If I recall, you play soccer? It seems a bit close to season to change things up, but maybe people have some other experiences here.
i swear by box squats, as i find that they are truly the best exercise out there other than the oly lifts. just make sure that you do them right. sit down on the box (as opposed to the touch and go) and make sure to drive your head up and into the bar, chest up, and drive the hips forward. change the height of the box every 3-4 weeks. good luck and give them a try!
AC
speed is my goal… i sprint 2x/week and lift once/weed doing a dead variation at 3x3 with heavy weigts followed by assitance exersises. So i was wondering if box squats would be better…
I should be doing at least some str training right?
Usually you want to incorporate exercises as early as possible (ie GPP and early off-season) as there will be an adaptation period where you may get more sore and/or tight than desired, which may temporarily hinder speed work.
so at this point i should refrain from changing my lfiting routine and keep all exersises constant so i won’t induce new soreness??
But i’ve heard that box squats tend not to leave you that sore at all. i am always sore after deads, tho.
Why is the elimination of the elastic reflex beneficial?
How often do you do deads or heavy pulls? If something is making you sore every time you do it you should probably do it more often.
Box Squats will work like any exercise for no more than 2 - 3 weeks when the nervous system then starts to fatigue from doing the same exercise, so you must switch the exercise e.g. move over to low concentric squats in the power rack. I completed 2 internships with Louis Simmons and he will also give you the same message.
Do you guys know if Ben did box squats?
I am pretty sure he just did half squats. (But i could be wrong).
IMO, box squats are great for learning how to squat properly.
Regardless all weight room exercises are general means for non-weightlifting sport athletes (ref. James Smith). It doesn’t matter too much what exercises you are doing as long as they are improving your sprinting/sport/etc.
he did mostly below parallel squats, some coach call them half squats, i’d call 3/4 squats:)
or parallel…
ok so i know this has probably been covered before…
Do you think its more beneficial for me (soccer player) to just work or speed training and not even bother witht the weight room at all?
I did some searching and there has beeen conflicting opinions… some say that you need to lift to truly see good speed results, some say that focussing on sprints is better because it will not onlyyeild better speed gains but also make you stronger.
Well you would always focus on sprints, but that doesn’t mean strength training is bad or that you shouldn’t do it as it well help the sprint training. You may be missing the point here. No single exercise with make you a better athlete or faster (except sprinting and sport specific practice, I suppose).
Think of things as a whole (strength + sprints + plyos = a synergistic result) rather than individual pieces that don’t fit together. If you focus hard on one element (like max effort lifting), it will effect what you can do sprint wise and sport wise. If you are doing max velocity work, that will effect what you can do in the weight room.
well i’m only lifting once/week ME… and during this workout i do one ME lower exersise at 3x3 each set between 90-100% of a 3rm but never to failure, and the rest of exersises ar assistance/supplemntal (ie single leg squats, GHR, etc)… then on my sprint days after sprints i do some sinlge leg pistols,GHR, overhead squats, and upper body movements.
Essentially my routine focusses on sprints more than lifting… from what i gather your’re trying to say that ME lifting is not a good idea when i’m trying to do spritns, but since i’m only doing one lower ME workout./week do you think this is ok?