Want to squat more weight? Sit back. Using a bench or a box to squat is a great way to eliminate weaknesses at the bottom range of motion of the exercise. You'll stand in front of the box, and then lower yourself as if you were sitting down. When your butt touches the bench, push yourself back up. Since you're pausing for a count at the bottom, you can't take advantage of the stretch relax or the momentum that you get when you do a typical squat. That means you have to recruit the big muscles that run along the backside of your body—like your glutes and your hamstrings—to push you back up.

These are my favorite tips for performing the move with perfect form:

1. When sitting on the box, don’t rock forward to generate momentum to stand up. Instead, brace your core and press your body to a standing position.

2. Choose a box that’s short enough so that your hip crease is lower than your knee crease when you're seated.

selene yeager “The Fit Chick” Selene Yeager is a top-selling professional health and fitness writer who lives what she writes as a NASM certified personal trainer, USA Cycling certified coach, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off road racer, and All-American Ironman triathlete.

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