What is hard is to deny the simple logic here. Box squats are performed at about 75% of the RM for unpaused squats, because of the removal of the stretch reflex. One cannot achieve 95% of his strength potential by doing an exercise that permits only 75% of his potential force production. GF or not, you cannot get as strong on box squats as you can with squats, because you cannot squat as much weight using them.
Of course not. Quarter squats are obviously an example.
The push press ROM uses the hips to get the bar up to the top of the head before pressing even starts. Skilled push pressers can use 30% over their strict press.
It's, ah, nuanced. Will you agree that an exercise should have a defined ROM? And that a below-parallel squat with a stretch reflex is a full ROM squat? And that a box squat is made harder over the same ROM by the omission of the stretch reflex? And that a push press is not a full ROM press for the pressing muscles? Look, if you want to push press and box squat, bounce your benches and deadlifts, go ahead. I'm just sayin that you'll get stronger if you squat and press.
Sure. Thanks for the questions.
But, they gave it as a reason for why they don't need to squat, which seems to imply that indeed they are saying that, no?
Like, "we don't regular squat because nothing in our jobs utilizes the stretch reflex from a normal squat".. that means that the fact they don't utilize that percise movement in their jobs is the reason why they don't think they should need to do the exercise. You're not squatting to practice the stretch reflex.. but their opinion seems to imply that they believe that, and since they don't need that practice, they therefore don't need to squat.
The point is just that it's the best way to lift heavier and get stronger. The stretch reflex is part of what allows that to be the case; it is not the thing we are practicing. It's the mechanism by which we practice it.