LiftSets / Exercises / Speed Box Squat
Speed Box Squat
Works the quadriceps. Helped by the calves, glutes and hamstrings.


Bright blue is the target muscle. Darker blue is helping. The app shows this as a moving demo.
Muscles worked
quadricepscalvesgluteshamstrings
How many reps
| Goal | Reps per set |
|---|---|
| Strength | 1-5 |
| Muscle size | 5-8 |
| Endurance | 8-12 |
Whatever the number, the set should end within a rep or two of the point where you could not do another with good form.
| Kit | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Intermediate |
What to think about
- Bar on the traps, not the neck. Elbows under the bar.
- Sit back and down, knees track over the toes.
- Drive up through the whole foot.
How to do it
- Attach bands to the bar that are securely anchored near the ground. You may need to choke the bands to get adequate tension.
- Use a box of an appropriate height for this exercise. Load the bar to a weight that still requires effort, but isn't so heavy that speed is compromised. Typically, that will be between 50-70% of your one rep max.
- Position the bar on your upper back, shoulder blades retracted, back arched and everything tight head to toe. This will be the starting position.
- Unrack the bar and position yourself in front of the box. Sit back with your hips until you are seated on the box, ensuring that you descend under control and don't crash onto the surface.
- Pause briefly, and explode off of the box, extending through the hips and knees.
Other exercises for the quadriceps
- Barbell Full Squat
- Barbell Hack Squat
- Barbell Lunge
- Barbell Squat
- Barbell Squat to a Bench
- Barbell Step Ups
- Barbell Walking Lunge
- Bodyweight Squat
Track it in LiftSets
Log Speed Box Squat with last time's numbers in front of you, a rest timer on your lock screen and a graph of your progress.
Coming soon to the App Store