I’m new to front squats. So far, I have been going just to parallel. Should I go beyond parallel like back squats? How many of you out there go beyond parallel? Thanks
Yes you should go beyond parallel. If your having trouble going that low, lower the weight until you get the form down.
I would say just beyond parallel is probably fine for most people. I find it easier to go low on front squats than on back anyway.
I go down until I physically can’t do down any lower. Whether it’s front or back squats.
I can hit dead bottom really easy on front squats…getting back up is the hard part.
You should be able to get your butt to hit your calves, if not work on your flexibility in the hips (mine is horrible actually) and lower the weight.
Heavy ATG front squats will leave you walking like a penguin for days.
[quote]Ren wrote:
I can hit dead bottom really easy on front squats…getting back up is the hard part.
You should be able to get your butt to hit your calves, if not work on your flexibility in the hips (mine is horrible actually) and lower the weight.
Heavy ATG front squats will leave you walking like a penguin for days.[/quote]
Absolutely. Go down until you stop. Then go back up.
[video]207[/video]
-folly
Thanks everybody! And special props to Folly for the great video! Can’t wait to go to the gym today!
[quote]jackson44 wrote:
Thanks everybody! And special props to Folly for the great video! Can’t wait to go to the gym today![/quote]
Remember to let us know how you do with it.
-folly
Went well today! The only question is that my knees felt “wobbly.” Should I concentrate on “tighten” my knees when I go down? Does this make any sense to you guys? Thanks
[quote]jackson44 wrote:
Went well today! The only question is that my knees felt “wobbly.” Should I concentrate on “tighten” my knees when I go down? Does this make any sense to you guys? Thanks[/quote]
I think I know what you’re talking about. I get that feeling sometimes when I’m using hitting a PR. Just try to stay ‘tight’ throughout the lift. I do try to make an extra effort to tighten my thighs and feel the tension in my quads during the lift. It’s continual process. Just keep working at it.
[quote]folly wrote:
Ren wrote:
I can hit dead bottom really easy on front squats…getting back up is the hard part.
You should be able to get your butt to hit your calves, if not work on your flexibility in the hips (mine is horrible actually) and lower the weight.
Heavy ATG front squats will leave you walking like a penguin for days.
Absolutely. Go down until you stop. Then go back up.
[video]207[/video]
-folly[/quote]
Nice lift! I can’t tell from the video, but how wide do you normally front squate? I usually front squat with a narrower stance than my back squat (shoulder width or narrower). I finally hit 275 x 3, which had been a goal of mine for a long time. On to 315 now. 
[quote]Ren wrote:
Heavy ATG front squats will leave you walking like a penguin for days.[/quote]
That is for sure I got called a “waddler” by this huge women at costco…
Front squats are good stuff… I use a narrow stance and dont fully lockout to really tax the quads
[quote]AngryVader wrote:
Nice lift! I can’t tell from the video, but how wide do you normally front squate? I usually front squat with a narrower stance than my back squat (shoulder width or narrower). I finally hit 275 x 3, which had been a goal of mine for a long time. On to 315 now. :)[/quote]
Thanks. That was 355.
I generally go just over shoulder width for my stance. It’s easier for me to squat down between my legs and stay upright at the bottom.
I’m pushing on to 405. If you can get 275x3, you should be able to hit 315.
Get it!
-folly
I had the same question about front squat depth. I find ATG Front squats easier than parallel or just past parallel front squats. I almost feel like I am cheating when I go ATG on front squat.s
[quote]folly wrote:
Ren wrote:
I can hit dead bottom really easy on front squats…getting back up is the hard part.
You should be able to get your butt to hit your calves, if not work on your flexibility in the hips (mine is horrible actually) and lower the weight.
Heavy ATG front squats will leave you walking like a penguin for days.
Absolutely. Go down until you stop. Then go back up.
[video]207[/video]
-folly[/quote]
Agreed. Ass as low as your hips and ankles allow - and this will get lower as you get more flexible.
Just take that stupid belt off so your core can get strong enough to support the lift as well.
-SK
[quote]sifuinkorea wrote:
Just take that stupid belt off so your core can get strong enough to support the lift as well.
-SK[/quote]
I disagree here. I’d rather use a belt when going for a 1 RM. The lifts building up to that though, I’ll take the belt off.
[quote]carter12 wrote:
sifuinkorea wrote:
Just take that stupid belt off so your core can get strong enough to support the lift as well.
-SK
I disagree here. I’d rather use a belt when going for a 1 RM. The lifts building up to that though, I’ll take the belt off.
[/quote]
For me, this would be acceptable if training for or participating in a meet, but for GPP sans the belt.
But there is of course nothing wrong with using a belt for max singles only, in the long run, and when I gave the advice to drop the belt I was talking to those who wear the belt into and out of the gym, as if it were a garment. These are the folks who tweak their backs and wonder why.
Good lifting.
-SK
[quote]sifuinkorea wrote:
For me, this would be acceptable if training for or participating in a meet, but for GPP sans the belt.
But there is of course nothing wrong with using a belt for max singles only, in the long run, and when I gave the advice to drop the belt I was talking to those who wear the belt into and out of the gym, as if it were a garment. These are the folks who tweak their backs and wonder why.
Good lifting.
-SK
[/quote]
Don’t worry about me…my back is fine. Thanks for your concern.
Next time check before trying to use someone as an example.
-folly
Sorry if this is off topic… if so, shame on me…
Anyway, here’s a question about going beyond parallel at all on squats. I recently had some meniscus repaired. My doc said that once you get beyond the 90 degree point on squats, you have 10% of your cartiladge doing all the work. Therefore, going below parallel point is out for me from now on. I just wondered if anyone else had experience with this.
JF