Front and Back Squat Similar

Hi coach, i have a question if you have a spare moment!

My front squat is nearly as good as my backsquat (OL style), theres only a 10kg difference. This doesnt seem right to meand im wondering why my backsquat is so poor then. I have a feeling it may be due to strength weakness in the lower back or not being able to use my abs properly (in the front squat you have to activate them i feel because you have the bar on front). i wondered whether you had seen similar cases?

its strange because deadlift is my strongest lift so i thought i must have some lower back strength?

[quote]Chigishev wrote:
Hi coach, i have a question if you have a spare moment!

My front squat is nearly as good as my backsquat (OL style), theres only a 10kg difference. This doesnt seem right to meand im wondering why my backsquat is so poor then. I have a feeling it may be due to strength weakness in the lower back or not being able to use my abs properly (in the front squat you have to activate them i feel because you have the bar on front). i wondered whether you had seen similar cases?

its strange because deadlift is my strongest lift so i thought i must have some lower back strength?
[/quote]

If anything you actually need more lower back strength in the front squat. Most people who are equally efficient in both movements will have a back squat that is about 120% of the front squat.

But some people have bad levers for the back squat (long limbs) without being affected as much on the front squat. I had a training partner who was about equal in both (he was a good lifter, not a beginner).

So it’s either:

  1. You are not mechanically suited for the back squat
  2. You spend more time practicing the front squat
  3. You have relatively weak hamstrings

i personally have quite long limbs for my height and simply prefer front squat.

my front squat to back squat ratio is about 85-87% right now.

However i really want to get my back squat higher so im going to flip it and back squat twice as often as front squat for the next several weeks. as well as work my trap-bar deadlift to see if i can improve my back squat.

I’m tall and have long legs and my OL style back squat is barely stronger than my front squat. I just feel like I have more comfortable leverages in front squat.

However, I know that if I do a more powerlifting (low bar) back squat the ratio is about what Coach said: 120%.

Side note: I just did Layers with Front squat from the pins. Probably the hardest workout I’ve done all year.

[quote]recandy wrote:
Side note: I just did Layers with Front squat from the pins. Probably the hardest workout I’ve done all year.[/quote]

Agreed! Holy shit how bad(good) is that last HDL set!?
Did you do 'em bottom up, deadstart each rep style? reaching for the ralphing pail
I got the most amazing VMO pump doing these.

Hmmm… my PL style back squat is 140% of my front squat and I’m doing front squats as often as I back squat.

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Hmmm… my PL style back squat is 140% of my front squat and I’m doing front squats as often as I back squat. [/quote]

I was talking about olympic-style back squat, not powerlifting-style.

Okay, 125%. Much closer.

[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Okay, 125%. Much closer. [/quote]

On olympic-style back squat is essentially a front squat with the bar held behind your neck.

Agreed! Holy shit how bad(good) is that last HDL set!?
Did you do 'em bottom up, deadstart each rep style? reaching for the ralphing pail
I got the most amazing VMO pump doing these.[/quote]

Completely light headed by the end. I was doing it from complete bottom and I’ve never felt my glutes fire harder. I might try one notch higher next week to see the difference.