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Exercise guide
Box Squat
A squat performed to a box or bench, which fixes the depth and teaches sitting back into the hips.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- gluteus maximus · quadriceps · erector spinae · gluteus medius · hamstrings
- Goals
- hypertrophy · strength
- Equipment
- Bench
- Category
- Strength
- Difficulty
- intermediate
Demonstration
Step 1
Step 2
How to perform the movement
- Stand in front of a box or bench, feet shoulder-width apart, with your arms extended forward for balance.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees, sitting back toward the box rather than straight down.
- Touch the box lightly with your glutes without collapsing onto it.
- Drive through your feet to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Use a box height that lets your thighs reach about parallel to the floor and lower it as mobility improves.
- Keep your weight through the middle of your feet — do not rock onto your toes.
- Touch and go: fully relaxing onto the box loses core tension and stresses the spine.