Why don't I feel like I'm targeting my quads when doing front squats?!?!

[SuperManDan8]

Lean bulking very gradually and here is my program

Add 5lbs per workout for pull-ups and bench
Add 10lbs per workout for squats and deads


Weighted pull-ups/chin-ups-5x5
Front squats-5x5
OHP/CGB/Bench-2x5/2x5/1x5
Dead lifts-5x5

I feel like I cover pretty much all muscle groups but when I do front squats I only feel it in my glutes and hamstrings
-however I really want to target my quads so I can have some killer wheels in 6 months time

Please help brahs

[Rasputin4]

I recently was noticing this myself. I had been front quatting atg for a long time (as low as low can go) and realized my glutes were doing most of the work getting out of the hole. Even though my quads were getting some work, I just didn't feel the emphasis going to them. I started front squatting to just a couple inches below parallel and immediately felt it a lot more in my quads. So, you might try that if you've been doing atg.

[Garage Rat]

Are you using a lifting shoe with a heel or heels on plates or a block?
This could help.
Anytime though you go deep in the hole your glutes and hamstrings will kick in big time.

[VmissileX]

post a vid

[SuperManDan8]

Are you using a lifting shoe with a heel or heels on plates or a block?
This could help.
Anytime though you go deep in the hole your glutes and hamstrings will kick in big time.

Awesome ill invest in a pair

Rather ill try putting a 5 lb plate under my heels like you instructed


Do you have any advice on foot width and which way I should point my toes?

[Rasputin4]

I've always wondered about people elevating their heels during squats, isn't that really bad on the knees? It seems like any time I've tried that it hurt my knees and I stopped immediately.

As for your last question, I take around a shoulder width stance and point my toes probably around 30 degrees outward. If you're taking a wide stance this will decrease quad activation.

[Get-n-fit]

Awesome ill invest in a pair

Rather ill try putting a 5 lb plate under my heels like you instructed


Do you have any advice on foot width and which way I should point my toes?

If you want to hit your quads, specifically the tear drop, you'll want a narrower stance, with toes slightly angled out.

[LadyLore420]

Awesome ill invest in a pair

Rather ill try putting a 5 lb plate under my heels like you instructed


Do you have any advice on foot width and which way I should point my toes?

Look at something that's been around for a while, Do-Wins are your best bet. If you budget one pair of lifting shoes every two years, you'll find some last so long you'll end up with more than a few pairs after a decade.

With front squats, the best width is probably 2 feet, no more than 2.5 feet apart. If you were to frog jump then land, or ideally, clean and land, the width of your feet on landing into your rack from the clean should be your front squat width. The closer your feet are, the more your toes can point out, the further out your feet out, the further forward your toes should be. Usually slightly out at 11 and 1 is just fine.

If you're lacking a burn, up the reps. Also it's very easy to let your PC take over during front squats, don't be scared to hop over to the smith machine now and then for front squats to eliminate your upper back sagging or PC taking over and losing form.

[Rasputin4]

If you're lacking a burn, up the reps. Also it's very easy to let your PC take over during front squats, don't be scared to hop over to the smith machine now and then for front squats to eliminate your upper back sagging or PC taking over and losing form.

Good point, if my upper back starts to sag on a rep, as far as I'm concerned, the set is over.

[LadyLore420]

Good point, if my upper back starts to sag on a rep, as far as I'm concerned, the set is over.

Sucks! My legs hugely overpower my upper body strength, and even something as simply as keeping tight on the upper back becomes impossible when the weight gets high. Sucks!

[SuperManDan8]

Great replies here!!

Reps all around

[36912]

Lean bulking very gradually and here is my program

Add 5lbs per workout for pull-ups and bench
Add 10lbs per workout for squats and deads


Weighted pull-ups/chin-ups-5x5
Front squats-5x5
OHP/CGB/Bench-2x5/2x5/1x5
Dead lifts-5x5

I feel like I cover pretty much all muscle groups but when I do front squats I only feel it in my glutes and hamstrings
-however I really want to target my quads so I can have some killer wheels in 6 months time

Please help brahs

Any chance of a vid mate so that we can get a better pic of your form?

[SuperManDan8]

No feely in quads with front squats? You must be do dem wong i tell yoo!
Seriously though man, that sucks and I totally know the feeling when you struggle to target a certain muscle group.
Try and get someone to spot you, ensure you're going deep enough to at least be parallel. Alternate rest periods, rep ranges and grips too, I find that resting the bar atop of crossed arms helps my target quads more.
To really feel a burn mix it up - I did this today, and my quads were on FIRE.

Back Squats - 5 sets with maximum rep goal of 8.
Front Squats - 3 Sets to 12, average pace, around 1 min rest. 1-2 sets to 12, a lot slower pace, 3-5 seconds down, 3-5 seconds up really focusing on time under tension. (A good finisher here would be to drop the weight for a final set of 20 deep reps or until failure)
Leg extensions - 2 x dropsets to 12/failure [whichever comes first] with 1-2minutes rest inbetween each dropset. I'd reccomend this one as a finisher if you didn't do the front squat finisher, but not both, or at least at the same volume/intensity - you want to work the quads, not murder them...

Hope that helps, obviously thats just based on my experiences with the exercises, everyone differs with regards to training methods. I'd definitely try playing around with number of sets, timings and rest periods, and see what works best for you! Let us know how you get on!

Thank you very much, your response was very helpful and I will try what you recommended ...repped!!

Btw...mirin avi!!

[SuperManDan8]

Any chance of a vid mate so that we can get a better pic of your form?

Not to sure how to upload one

Any pointers?

[SuperManDan8]

No problems, good luck!
RIP in advance to your quads

Lmao !!! Well see

[Garage Rat]

I would have you look at olympic lifters who all wear a shoe with a heel and go rather deep.
They have few knee injuries and for the most part pretty big quads.
For bodybuilding i would try non lockout reps until you can't anymore,pause take a few breaths and then rep out a few more regular reps.
So your only going to about 2/3 to 3/4 before lockout then back down and up to the same.
Do these under control with shoulder width or closer stance,feet at less than 45 degree angle.
If you don't feel these i don't know what to tell you.

[SuperManDan8]

I would have you look at olympic lifters who all wear a shoe with a heel and go rather deep.
They have few knee injuries and for the most part pretty big quads.
For bodybuilding i would try non lockout reps until you can't anymore,pause take a few breaths and then rep out a few more regular reps.
So your only going to about 2/3 to 3/4 before lockout then back down and up to the same.
Do these under control with shoulder width or closer stance,feet at less than 45 degree angle.
If you don't feel these i don't know what to tell you.

Thank you very much

[kanis999]

You definitely want olympic shoes over standing with your heels raised on a platform.

[SuperManDan8]

You definitely want olympic shoes over standing with your heels raised on a platform.

How come

[Rasputin4]

You definitely want olympic shoes over standing with your heels raised on a platform.

I squat barefoot.

[kanis999]

How come

One is connected to your body, one is just an object sitting on the floor. There's a really big difference in stability, both actual and perceived. Knee injuries are often blamed on squatting with heels raised on a board.

[jamalfudge]

OP, are you new to squatting? You might just have an imbalance between quads and hamstrings that will even out as you squat more.