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Expert Warns This Go-To Squat Isn't Great for Glute Gains

In fitness, plenty of exercises get popular buzz but don't always deliver the results they promise. While most movements can have a place in your leg day, it's important to remember that not every exercise works the same for every body. Genetics, body proportions, and individual mechanics all play a role in how effective a certain exercise will be. Compound lifts like squats and deadlifts are proven builders for your lower body, but it's key to cut through the noise and focus on what really drives progress. Take box squats, for example. They're a popular choice, and you'll often see guys lifting way heavier with these than they do with traditional barbell back squats. It's impressive, sure, but that doesn't always translate to muscle growth. Exercise scientist Mike Israetel, Ph.D., explains that box squats limit your range of motion, which can hold back the gains you're after. "Box squatting literally misses out on that high tension at the deepest stretch, so it's the opposite of what you would want to do to enhance muscle growth," he said in a recent YouTube video. "And because the bands and chains, in addition to that, make that tension really high at the top but lower at the bottom, is not the way to put on muscle size best."That doesn't mean box squats don't have their place. Israetel explains they can be a valuable tool for lifters who are working through plateaus, recovering from injury, or training for specific strength goals, especially powerlifters looking to dial in squat depth and control under heavy loads. But if your main goal is glute or quad growth, you're better off choosing movements that allow for greater range of motion and consistent tension throughout the lift. "A full squat all the way to the bottom with a high-bar position, and that bottom part going as deep as you can and spending about two or three seconds extra at that super, super deep depth with the quad tension activated, that's probably how you get the most jacked from squats," Israetel says. Expert Warns This Go-To Squat Isn't Great for Glute Gains first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 7, 2025