Front Squats

I’m starting one of Chad’s Routines and I have a couple of questions about squats.

The program tells me to do ‘front squats’ but I’ve never done these before and looking at them, it might take me sometine getting used to them.

can I used use regular squats? and what exactly is the difference between the two?

thanks.

Front squats will keep you more upright, which will make them a much more quad dominant movement.

It’s like riding a bike; you’ll get used to them quickly.

i just started them as well. i feel more quad and less hamstring in front squats. my hammies are nowhere near as sore the next couple of days as they are when i back squat. atg, good form. I’m a rookie and would like to see where this thread goes, thanks.

http://images.t-nation.com/forum_images/./1/.1123075820607.dsquat.jpg

Front squats put most of the emphasis on the quads, but require your entire body to be tight through the whole movement. For me it is easier to get really deep in a front squat, but as I tire, I start to lean forward a bit.

I highly recommend the pads on the shoulders.

-folly

i don’t have anything technical to add.

but you won’t regret learning front squat.

Front squats are tricky to get used to-but its important that you develop the technical skills needed to become comfortable with this movement. In the majority of cases, people feel awkward when first attempting this exercise, which often results in them failing to include it in their routine.

This movement takes a certain amount of practice and there is a certain level of initial pain and discomfort which the body will adapt to over a period of time-just like when you first begin deadlifting-it takes time for the calluses to develop, but once they are there, you never think about it again-the same is true when you first begin performing the front squat.

The benefits of including the front squat in a training routine can be tremendous if performed correctly. However, many people have difficulty with its performance because of the stress that it can put on the wrists-Fortunately there are several ways to facilitate and work around this. Begin by approaching the barbell in the squat racks and get underneath the bar and place it across your clavicles, as close to the base of the neck as possible. You can use some padding across the upper chest or what seems to give some added cushioning and traction is to simply wear an extra heavy sweat shirt when doing front squats. Raise your arms up until the bar is resting on the groove between the front and middle deltoid. You now have several options for hand placement and support.

You can take a slightly wider than shoulder grip on the bar with the exact same position as if you were cleaning the weight from the floor. This is the best and most stable position, but it is difficult for those with very large arms, those with short arms, those who lack sufficient wrist flexibility, or those with a history of wrist and hand trauma. You will find that increased practice will increase the flexibility of your wrists and hands.

You may also want to practice actually cleaning the weight from the floor and then performing the front squat-doing this seems to set the bar into a natural position for most people. If you still lack wrist flexibility you can still support and balance the bar by keeping an open hand and just using the fingertips to steady the bar across the shoulders. Remember that you only need to support the bar with the tips of your fingers.

I use the three middle fingers of my hands to steady the bar and the top part of the phalanges only come in contact with the bar. If you will take a couple of weeks to practice the clean grip front squat, I promise that the movement will eventually feel completely natural to you.

Another trick is to take a pair of wrist straps and loop them tightly around the bar where your hands would normally be placed. Tie a knot in the end of the straps and then grab the base of each strap with the fists facing each other. This will put you into the same position as if you were using the normal front squat position. Keep your elbows high and parallel to the floor and you are ready to squat. The last method is to cross the arms across the chest, which is a popular method that bodybuilders use when doing front squats-this works especially well for those with thick development in the upper chest and shoulder region, but it is not as stable as the previous methods.

You will want to begin this exercise with relatively light poundage-You will not be able to handle as much weight in the front squat as you can with a regular squat. It will take some time and practice to get used to the balance and the feel of the exercise bar. Take a stance that is about shoulder width with the toes pointed either straight ahead or slightly out. Looking straight ahead, take a breath and tighten your back muscles.

When going down, you need to keep your knees lined up over the tops of your feet. Descend slowly all the way to the bottom position and without bouncing, start to release your breath and drive the bar back up. Keep your back muscles contracted and your elbows up during the entire movement. The real key is to hit rock bottom depth without any kind of bouncing or other ballistic activity. I realize that many fitness experts caution against full squat movements, but I feel that as long as the technique is correct, and there is no bouncing at the bottom, squatting rock bottom is the way to go.

If you are sick and demented individual (which narrows it down to the entire membership of this board) then consider doing a set of front squats-say for 8-10 reps, rack the bar and immediately put the bar on your back and do back squats with the same weight for the same number of reps!!!

Front squats will produce lower body strength, quad roundness and sweeps like no other exercise. The reason they are seldom performed is because they are so darn tough and demanding-but the results will be worth it!

Hope that Helps

Keith

Started doing fron squats in the smith - i know, i know slap me - but that was the only time i used the Smith. One day decided to try it on the power rackNow i only use the rack, Had to almost cut the weight i used to use in half, & as mentioned above get the technique right first and go nice and deep, it’s great on the quads! Do get some funny looks from the other gym users, dont think i’ve ever seen anyone else front squatt where i train, then again none of them have got quads like mine :wink:

[quote]Keith Wassung wrote:

Front squats are tricky to get used to-but its important that you develop the technical skills needed to become comfortable with this movement. In the majority of cases, people feel awkward when first attempting this exercise, which often results in them failing to include it in their routine.

This movement takes a certain amount of practice and there is a certain level of initial pain and discomfort which the body will adapt to over a period of time-just like when you first begin deadlifting-it takes time for the calluses to develop, but once they are there, you never think about it again-the same is true when you first begin performing the front squat.

The benefits of including the front squat in a training routine can be tremendous if performed correctly. However, many people have difficulty with its performance because of the stress that it can put on the wrists-Fortunately there are several ways to facilitate and work around this. Begin by approaching the barbell in the squat racks and get underneath the bar and place it across your clavicles, as close to the base of the neck as possible. You can use some padding across the upper chest or what seems to give some added cushioning and traction is to simply wear an extra heavy sweat shirt when doing front squats. Raise your arms up until the bar is resting on the groove between the front and middle deltoid. You now have several options for hand placement and support.

You can take a slightly wider than shoulder grip on the bar with the exact same position as if you were cleaning the weight from the floor. This is the best and most stable position, but it is difficult for those with very large arms, those with short arms, those who lack sufficient wrist flexibility, or those with a history of wrist and hand trauma. You will find that increased practice will increase the flexibility of your wrists and hands.

You may also want to practice actually cleaning the weight from the floor and then performing the front squat-doing this seems to set the bar into a natural position for most people. If you still lack wrist flexibility you can still support and balance the bar by keeping an open hand and just using the fingertips to steady the bar across the shoulders. Remember that you only need to support the bar with the tips of your fingers.

I use the three middle fingers of my hands to steady the bar and the top part of the phalanges only come in contact with the bar. If you will take a couple of weeks to practice the clean grip front squat, I promise that the movement will eventually feel completely natural to you.

Another trick is to take a pair of wrist straps and loop them tightly around the bar where your hands would normally be placed. Tie a knot in the end of the straps and then grab the base of each strap with the fists facing each other. This will put you into the same position as if you were using the normal front squat position. Keep your elbows high and parallel to the floor and you are ready to squat. The last method is to cross the arms across the chest, which is a popular method that bodybuilders use when doing front squats-this works especially well for those with thick development in the upper chest and shoulder region, but it is not as stable as the previous methods.

You will want to begin this exercise with relatively light poundage-You will not be able to handle as much weight in the front squat as you can with a regular squat. It will take some time and practice to get used to the balance and the feel of the exercise bar. Take a stance that is about shoulder width with the toes pointed either straight ahead or slightly out. Looking straight ahead, take a breath and tighten your back muscles.

When going down, you need to keep your knees lined up over the tops of your feet. Descend slowly all the way to the bottom position and without bouncing, start to release your breath and drive the bar back up. Keep your back muscles contracted and your elbows up during the entire movement. The real key is to hit rock bottom depth without any kind of bouncing or other ballistic activity. I realize that many fitness experts caution against full squat movements, but I feel that as long as the technique is correct, and there is no bouncing at the bottom, squatting rock bottom is the way to go.

If you are sick and demented individual (which narrows it down to the entire membership of this board) then consider doing a set of front squats-say for 8-10 reps, rack the bar and immediately put the bar on your back and do back squats with the same weight for the same number of reps!!!

Front squats will produce lower body strength, quad roundness and sweeps like no other exercise. The reason they are seldom performed is because they are so darn tough and demanding-but the results will be worth it!

Hope that Helps

Keith [/quote]

Great description on how to do them…but i was wondering if anyone knew the direct impact it will have on your performance. Lets say you were training for shorts bursts of explosive speed, ie middle linebacker,hockey. Will they help more than back squats for these type of movements.

I think that the acquisition of strength is just about always a good thing, with regards to athletic performance. However, I am not sure you are going to make a direct connection between front squats and short burst speed such as what you described. You would probably be able to improve your short burst speed, but doing short, burst speed work.

I think that trying to reduce “carryover” from one thing to another is very difficult-we know it happens as some level or another, but calculating the degree and timing of how it happens is very, very tough.

I have patients at our clinic who are always asking questions like "Is Vitamin ( fill in the blank) good for when you are sick, on a diet, etc and my standard response is "Look, regardless of what you are doing, Vitamin (blank) is something your body needs and probably does not get enough of, so yes, you should take it because of its overall benefit, not some specific benefit. ( did that make sense?)

best of luck

keith

[quote]Keith Wassung wrote:
I think that the acquisition of strength is just about always a good thing, with regards to athletic performance. However, I am not sure you are going to make a direct connection between front squats and short burst speed such as what you described. You would probably be able to improve your short burst speed, but doing short, burst speed work.

I think that trying to reduce “carryover” from one thing to another is very difficult-we know it happens as some level or another, but calculating the degree and timing of how it happens is very, very tough.

I have patients at our clinic who are always asking questions like "Is Vitamin ( fill in the blank) good for when you are sick, on a diet, etc and my standard response is "Look, regardless of what you are doing, Vitamin (blank) is something your body needs and probably does not get enough of, so yes, you should take it because of its overall benefit, not some specific benefit. ( did that make sense?)

best of luck

keith[/quote]

Kinda makes sense, but the only carry-over i see is huge quads are great for lap dances too.

ps

There is a carryover to the Clean.

[quote]panteasniffer wrote:
Great description on how to do them…but i was wondering if anyone knew the direct impact it will have on your performance. Lets say you were training for shorts bursts of explosive speed, ie middle linebacker,hockey. Will they help more than back squats for these type of movements. [/quote]

A muscle with better maximal strength has potentially more ‘explosion’ if you train it for that purpose. I think back squats would travel over to those sports better than front squats simply because of the extra stress put on the spine erectors and hamstrings, both would be beneficial though.