Originally Posted by
atw_abn
That was my thoughts as well. I tried some last week and I thought they were OK. Definitely hard coming out of the hole.
I always kind of shy away from arguments like this, but I wonder how important harnessing the stretch reflex is for people who don't participate in powerlifting/weightlifting. I think to Rip's point you can use more weight through the same ROM by using the stretch reflex and therefore you should get stronger with squats vs box squats. However, you can also use more weight through the same ROM if you use a squat suit. You can also deadlift more if use bumpers and bounce your reps. I know these are not apples to apples comparisons, but it has been an interesting thought process for me lately. My friends with whom I've been having this discussion are all SOF operators and would say that nothing they do in their jobs resembles utilizing the stretch reflex the way that one would in a squat. They also say that box squatting still gets them strong and is easier to recover from for their other fitness training. Again, something to chew on.