Reverse Band Box Squat
Trains the Quads.
- Equipment
- A barbell, a rack, a box and a resistance band
- Mechanic
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Level
- Intermediate
How to do it
- Hang bands from the top of a rack and loop them under the ends of the bar, so they help the bar most at the bottom and least at the top.
- Set a box behind you at a height where the thighs will be parallel or slightly below.
- Take the bar on the upper back, unrack, and set the feet a little wider than shoulder width with the toes out.
- Push the hips back and sit onto the box with the shins vertical and the chest up.
- Pause on the box, fully braced, then drive up hard as the bands give less and less help.
- Lock out fully at the top where the bar is at its full weight.
Common mistakes
- Treating the bottom as easy. The bands take weight off at the bottom, but the pause on the box is still under load and the brace has to hold.
- Rocking off the box. The pause is a dead stop; rocking to get going is what the box is there to prevent.
- Slowing down as the bar gets heavier. The bar is at its full weight at lock-out, and the drive has to keep going through it.
- Hanging the bands so they never go slack at the top. Reverse bands are meant to help less as the bar rises; if they are still pulling at lock-out, the top is being cheated.