How many reps of the squat to shinbox should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 sets of 4 to 5 reps per rotating side, using a light hand touch on the floor during the descent if you need it. Remove the hand assist before adding a third set.

How do I make the squat to shinbox easier or harder?

If the transition feels unstable, keep both hands lightly on the floor through the descent and the stand-up until your hips learn the rotation. To make it harder, cross your arms over your chest for the whole rep, or pause for two breaths in the shinbox seat before standing.

What is the squat to shinbox good for and when is it a poor choice?

It trains the controlled, eccentric path to the floor that most people have lost, building rotary hip and knee control right where you sit down and stand up. It is a poor choice while a knee is acutely irritated, since the rotation and deep squat both load it through end ranges.

Intermediate

Squat to Shinbox

This trains the eccentric, controlled path to the floor that most people have lost. From a deep bodyweight squat you lower the hips and rotate the legs into a shinbox seat, then reverse to stand. It builds strength and rotary control right where you sit down and get up, so it is excellent mobility and durability work for the hips and knees.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes, Thighs
Type: Functional
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Adductor Magnus
Browse by movement: Squat

How to do it

1
Stand with feet about shoulder width and sink into a deep squat with heels down.
2
From the bottom, guide your hips toward the floor and rotate both legs to one side.
3
Settle into a 90/90 shinbox seat with both knees bent near ninety degrees.
4
To return, rotate back to face forward and gather the feet under you.
5
Drive through both feet to stand back up out of the squat.
6
Alternate the side you rotate toward each repetition.

Tips

Lower yourself into the shinbox with control instead of flopping down.
Keep the chest tall as long as possible on the way to the floor.
Use your hands lightly at first if you need them, then progress to hands-free.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees stay stacked evenly instead of rotating apart into the 90/90 shape, so the seat ends up twisted instead of settled square.
On the way back to standing, the feet gather in slowly and the knees take a moment to line back up, losing the smooth reversal of the squat.
The chest tips forward and down before the hips even start lowering, trading the tall-chested descent for an early forward fold.
Rotating toward the same side every rep instead of alternating means one hip does all the mobility work.
The trailing foot catches under the body on the return instead of clearing freely, snagging the stand-up halfway through.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the squat to shinbox should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 sets of 4 to 5 reps per rotating side, using a light hand touch on the floor during the descent if you need it. Remove the hand assist before adding a third set.
How do I make the squat to shinbox easier or harder?: If the transition feels unstable, keep both hands lightly on the floor through the descent and the stand-up until your hips learn the rotation. To make it harder, cross your arms over your chest for the whole rep, or pause for two breaths in the shinbox seat before standing.
What is the squat to shinbox good for and when is it a poor choice?: It trains the controlled, eccentric path to the floor that most people have lost, building rotary hip and knee control right where you sit down and stand up. It is a poor choice while a knee is acutely irritated, since the rotation and deep squat both load it through end ranges.

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