Front Squats vs Back Squats

[Mad Dog162]

Why does everyone swear by back squats, but ignore front squats (at least ignore relatively) when discussing training football players?

[TPAYNTER]

I do both, just on different day. No clue why people ignore them. My brother and I are the only two people in our school that do 'em.

[TwoFour]

I do both but am about to switch to just front, It seems to work me more, and back squats kill my lower back

[dgcoats]

Why does everyone swear by back squats, but ignore front squats (at least ignore relatively) when discussing training football players?

It's good to mix in, but back squat is a better lift IMO. I'm not sure if front squat works the quads harder or just isolates them better than back, but I do know back squats work the posterior chain much better.

[Fullback7]

Front Squats > Back squats. They are much safer, and a lot better exercise. I personally prefer back squats, and never do front, but fronts are better. Either way you should do both.

[Dom_88]

I prefer front squats by far. Started doing them not long ago and am a convert. My strength obviously is not the same, but it's going up. I can go a lot deeper with front squats, the margin for error is far worse also for back squats. Yeah, yeah technique is good 98% of the time, but that 2% can **** you up.

[dgcoats]

Front Squats > Back squats. They are much safer, and a lot better exercise. I personally prefer back squats, and never do front, but fronts are better. Either way you should do both.

I'll concede they are safer but how are they better?

[VICREP]

Back Squats work the posterior chain better IMO

[NFLBound_09]

Why does everyone swear by back squats, but ignore front squats (at least ignore relatively) when discussing training football players?

Do neither.

Box Squats.
Split Squats.
Lunges.

[zellers94]

I do BFS program and i'm doing front squats in place of box squats

[Fullback7]

I'll concede they are safer but how are they better?

Greater range of motion, and mobility in the hips.

[Fullback7]

Do neither.

Box Squats.
Split Squats.
Lunges.

? You can do front squats on the box as well.

[NFLBound_09]

? You can do front squats on the box as well.

True.

But I just feel for Atheletes whose goals are to be faster...I think Box Squats..Split Squats, Lunges, Box Jumps, etc..are way better then front and back squats.

[Fullback7]

True.

But I just feel for Atheletes whose goals are to be faster...I think Box Squats..Split Squats, Lunges, Box Jumps, etc..are way better then front and back squats.

I'm a big box squat junkie, but some things such as ATG, and front squats can have replicating factors.

[murali_biglee]

i feel that a football player needs to strengthen his lowerback and legs and hence given squats.

front squats places extra stress on the torso and might not help the player much.. Thats the reason why squats and lunges are prioritized

[SteR-]

i feel that a football player needs to strengthen his lowerback and legs and hence given squats.

front squats places extra stress on the torso and might not help the player much.. Thats the reason why squats and lunges are prioritized

A strong core is crucial for football players, so I'd say this is a positive thing.

[blindsideflank]

front squats keep you more upright taking stress off your back and you dont use your hips as much, in terms of sports, hip movement is your strongest and most explosive movement so should be your priority in training. its almost like a back squat is a more compound lift because front squats imo really only stress quads when i do them
in other words i just repeated what everyone said with the posterior chain

[swolepatrole]

Does anyone else have trouble maintaining a good 'grip' while front squatting? I've tried using different ways to hold the bar in place including:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd_WsfebYOg

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5yNwUSiYpA

(note the hands)

Every time i put a weight on that's heavy enough to get good work from my legs and trunk, it's too much weight for me to support on the front of my shoulders when crossing my arms (video 2), or my arms/wrists aren't flexible enough to hold my elbows in a high position (video 1). Any idea on ways to address and fix those problems? More than three word answers would be appreciated.

KTHXBAI!

[Govithoy]

Does anyone else have trouble maintaining a good 'grip' while front squatting? I've tried using different ways to hold the bar in place including:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd_WsfebYOg

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5yNwUSiYpA

(note the hands)

Every time i put a weight on that's heavy enough to get good work from my legs and trunk, it's too much weight for me to support on the front of my shoulders when crossing my arms (video 2), or my arms/wrists aren't flexible enough to hold my elbows in a high position (video 1). Any idea on ways to address and fix those problems? More than three word answers would be appreciated.

KTHXBAI!

Are you sure it's not lacking flexibility in your rotator cuffs? What position/sport do you play? What's your bench max vs. row max, and do you get in a good ratio of pulling exercises and pressing exercises?


http://stronglifts.com/how-to-front-...per-technique/
Awesome article on front squatting technique from the guys at Stronglifts.


Front squats have more athletic carryover since the weight is loaded in the front, a great front squat (especially a strong bottom position) is going to contribute loads to a player's ability to generate power off the line. Back squats allow you to push more weight, but TBQH front squats have more value for athletes and should probably be emphasized over back squats.

EDIT: Also, the solution to a problem like "I'm not flexible/mobile/strong enough to do this" isn't finding an easier method, it's fixing those mobility and flexibility problems that prevent you from doing it right. /edit

[Fogol]

Ive always prefered front squats over back squats and was always led to believe they were better. I guess everyone has different opinions ( as you can clearly see in this thread) but thats the problems. I think people are saying what they like is better than the other just because they like it, not because its better.

[swolepatrole]

Are you sure it's not lacking flexibility in your rotator cuffs? What position/sport do you play? What's your bench max vs. row max, and do you get in a good ratio of pulling exercises and pressing exercises?


http://stronglifts.com/how-to-front-...per-technique/
Awesome article on front squatting technique from the guys at Stronglifts.


EDIT: Also, the solution to a problem like "I'm not flexible/mobile/strong enough to do this" isn't finding an easier method, it's fixing those mobility and flexibility problems that prevent you from doing it right. /edit

I read through the article, and it pretty much confirmed what I was thinking was the problem. It boils down to flexibility in my triceps, forearms, and wrists.

Unfortunately, I play rugby as a forward and am closing in on the end of the season, with playoffs soon to follow. I'm well into an in-season lifting schedule that doesn't include front squats. I'll most likely wait until the season is over before I really dedicate time to correcting my technique and including it in a lifting schedule.

[SteR-]

I still don't see why doing them with crossed-arms is frowned upon.. I can understand it's easier for the weight to roll off but I'd rather do it this way than skip them out completely because I don't have the flexibility in my arms to hold the bar another way..

[swolepatrole]

The only problem I usually run into when holding it like that is when I put 225+ on the bar it HURTS my shoulders; more specifically the bone on the top of my shoulder joint where the collarbone meets it.

[BobisMighty]

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_...hbusters_vol_1

There's an article there on the "myth" that back squats are better than front squats. I think both have a place in the gym. Front squat seems more pertinent in the realm of, say, olympic lifting. I'm going to try subbing in front squats for back squats next week as I think it helps me with my back squat form.

[BobisMighty]

The only problem I usually run into when holding it like that is when I put 225+ on the bar it HURTS my shoulders; more specifically the bone on the top of my shoulder joint where the collarbone meets it.

I have the same problem when I try to cross my arms underneath the bar. but when i hold it with my arms, like at the end of a power clean, i don't really have that problem.

They do make a front squat harness:
http://getstrength.com/Front-Squat-H...-products.html

but i feel that you stand to benefit more from incresing the flexibility of your wrist and hands by not using that.

[jgood]

Back squat improves your max strength in the lift and thats important to people. Front squats are a great thing if you have a lighter day because the weight is about what you should use for front squats.

[heardy10]

Front squats don't have the same posterior chain benefits though, correct? Quads are important for acceleration, I'm not debating which is better. I just know that my posterior chain is pretty weak and needs some improvement.

[guuuucccci]

when i was playing football the coaches made us too both front and back squats.

[notamuppet]

Front squats don't have the same posterior chain benefits though, correct? Quads are important for acceleration, I'm not debating which is better. I just know that my posterior chain is pretty weak and needs some improvement.

Exactly, the front squat isolates the quads more while the back squat works hamstrings and glutes (which are more important for football) and targets more areas.

Not to say front squats don't have their place.


I don't even do back squats myself, it's all split squats and deadlifts for me

[SteR-]

Front squats don't have the same posterior chain benefits though, correct? Quads are important for acceleration, I'm not debating which is better. I just know that my posterior chain is pretty weak and needs some improvement.

AFAIK you're correct. Front squats don't hit the posterior chain as hard due to the limited load you can use (you should be able to handle a lot more weight on regular squats) and the fact that front squats don't hit the hamstrings anywhere near as hard..