The Westside Box Squat

At Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio, Louie Simmons built a dynasty of powerlifters using the box squat. The idea: squat down to a box, pause, then explode up. No momentum. No cheating. Just pure strength from the bottom.

The box teaches depth. It teaches patience. It teaches you to own the bottom position.

You don’t have to use a box forever. But if you can’t control the bottom, you don’t own the squat.