Front squats hurt my wrists?!?!

[sixPack_vJ]

Ever since I started doing front squats, my wrists seem to have become weaker when i bench and do other exercises. This is primarily because when i hold the bar on my shoulders (front delts), hands are bent all the way back to hold the bar.... is this supposed to be happening, or can someone show me another way to hold the bar?

[mjw8204]

Ever since I started doing front squats, my wrists seem to have become weaker when i bench and do other exercises. This is primarily because when i hold the bar on my shoulders (front delts), hands are bent all the way back to hold the bar.... is this supposed to be happening, or can someone show me another way to hold the bar?

Your shoulders should be holding up the bar enough that you don't need to rely on your wrists to do it. If you are racking the bar properly, your hands really only serve to help keep the bar in place.

[CYTX]

/thread

[NY Money Mike]

I ahve to stretch my forearms and my wrists still hurt during regular squats (and some time posterior delt cramps) If I take a wider grip it feels better but then my form breaks down.

I just felt like sharing

[DanCottle]

You will get used to it after awhile

[sunngodd]

I noticed less stress on the wrist when I tried them on the smith machine

[DamuPiru]

I noticed less stress on the wrist when I tried them on the smith machine

Smith Machines are a joke when it comes to squatting.

[Dr Clay]

You will get used to it after awhile

I've found the same thing. Once your wrist flexors get stretched back out (they are chronically tight in MANY people due to our typing lifestyle) you will probably feel no pain at all.

Best,

[laxer32]

How long have you been doing them with pain? About week 3 or 4 they started to hurt less. Although it was probably a combination of stretching and learning to keep the weight on my shoulders bettter.

[heidt410]

either cross your arms... or I prefer the method of wrapping lifting straps around the bar (as if the bar was a wrist) and holding onto the loose ends.

[GoJu]

clean grip is more stable than cross grip, just stretch your wrists along with your shoulders.

[crupiea]

You dont need a full grip on the bar. Just try balancing it with your first two fingers of each hand. It will stay there if you keep your elbows up and wont cause you any pain. The flexibility will come.

[HighRevinSi]

I've found the same thing. Once your wrist flexors get stretched back out (they are chronically tight in MANY people due to our typing lifestyle) you will probably feel no pain at all.

Best,

Excellent call. Agree 100%. Once the wrist/forearm flexors adapt to the active lengthening the grip during the Front Squat will become more natural and less painful.

[Mr.Runner]

clean grip is more stable than cross grip, just stretch your wrists along with your shoulders.

Yup. I'm always a little bit scared when I see a person inexperienced with front squats try the "cross grip" because they're inflexible.

[FuzzyMcWuggles]

You can do one way that a lot of football players do front squats. They cross their arms like an "X" and rest the bar on the inside of their elbos, where the arms curl. It builds tone to your delts and biceps plus gives you that great leg burn easily.