Front Squats: questions on the benefits and any form tips.

[ShamusTheFamous]

I've been doing front squats on and off for a while and to tell ya the truth i don't know alot about em. I usually do them right after squats and just do 3-4 sets of weight between 185-275.

First i'd like to know what they work. Atleast what they work differently from regular squats.
Secondly. I can't improve on them very well because of bar placement issues. If i but the bar to far out they hurt my shoulders and i lose balance bad. If i put then to snug then i get choked out on the way down. I tried the smith machine but i do a cross arms style and have trouble unracking the weight. So im just anoyed with them all together

Any suggestions or tips would be great. Thanks

[LiL USMC BBer]

front squats take more of the load off the hips/glutes/hammies and put more of a focus on the quads...

very good movement ESPECIALLY when done after back squats (atleast that's what I do).. some people do 'em first..


anyway.. it hurts at first.. but if you put enough mass on you it don't really hurt anymore... I always feel it in my abs though when I go a little heavier..

I approach front squats like a game.. its always a challenge and involves alot of concentration..

honestly I feel front squats are more brutal mentally/physically then deadlifts.

[bucsfan]

the ideal placement for front squats is across your anterior delts. Try and get the bar in a snug position where you do not need to hold your hands on it to make it stay. Once you find this spot it will be pretty comfortable.

[biggestdudeever]

unless your an olympic lifter then back squats are just fine, theres a reason why their called the king of all lifts.

[GoJu]

honestly I feel front squats are more brutal mentally/physically then deadlifts.

X2, compared to front squats deadlifts are like a day in the park , an evil one haha!

[johnny87]

I've been doing front squats on and off for a while and to tell ya the truth i don't know alot about em. I usually do them right after squats and just do 3-4 sets of weight between 185-275.

First i'd like to know what they work. Atleast what they work differently from regular squats.
Secondly. I can't improve on them very well because of bar placement issues. If i but the bar to far out they hurt my shoulders and i lose balance bad. If i put then to snug then i get choked out on the way down. I tried the smith machine but i do a cross arms style and have trouble unracking the weight. So im just anoyed with them all together

Any suggestions or tips would be great. Thanks

1)Try using a clean grip. Killer on wrist for first couple of weeks, but i found it much better then cross arm.

2) When you say you do 3-4 sets of them ranging from 185-275. It kind of sounds like your just lifting whatever you feel like that day. Id say stick to a rep/set/weight range wether its 5x5 or 3x8 and then when you can do all the sets at that weight add 5 lbs.

[GoJu]

1)Try using a clean grip. Killer on wrist for first couple of weeks, but i found it much better then cross arm.

2) When you say you do 3-4 sets of them ranging from 185-275. It kind of sounds like your just lifting whatever you feel like that day. Id say stick to a rep/set/weight range wether its 5x5 or 3x8 and then when you can do all the sets at that weight add 5 lbs.

good advice here

[SwagMorris]

Do machine hacks instead

/end thread

[LSU1]

unless your an olympic lifter then back squats are just fine, theres a reason why their called the king of all lifts.

or a bodybuilder who wants big quads and not a big ass and hips

front squats are a bb'ers best friend for quad development

[GoJu]

or a bodybuilder who wants big quads and not a big ass and hips

front squats are a bb'ers best friend for quad development

I think tom platz might disagree with you.

[LSU1]

I think tom platz might disagree with you.

why would he?

he had hyoooge hips and quads

he also did front squats.

whats your point? are you seriously debating the fact that fronts target the quads much more efficiently than back squats?

[GoJu]

why would he?

he had hyoooge hips and quads

he also did front squats.

whats your point? are you seriously debating the fact that fronts target the quads much more efficiently than back squats?

you just said someone who back squats will have big ass and hips while if you front squat you won't, that's really untrue.

no I'm not debating whether or not front squats target the quads more than backs (they do) but I'm saying unless your moving a lot of weight, I wouldn't be concerned about your hips and butt getting out of proportion.

[ozzybob]

or a bodybuilder who wants big quads and not a big ass and hips

front squats are a bb'ers best friend for quad development

x2
Which is why I am only doing fronts now!

[LSU1]

you just said someone who back squats will have big ass and hips while if you front squat you won't, that's really untrue.

no I'm not debating whether or not front squats target the quads more than backs (they do) but I'm saying unless your moving a lot of weight, I wouldn't be concerned about your hips and butt getting out of proportion.

well, it happened to me and many others so thats all the evidence i need. i still back squat from time to time, but i do it with an oly style and very narrow stance to emphasize the quads now.

you can look at the dynamics of the movement and figure out that the quads are not the mover in back squats. so it makes total sense that the hips and ass will be the most developed.

not saying back squats are bad, just that fronts are better for aesthetic quads.

[SwagMorris]

Some times when I sleep at night, I dream I'm in a blue lagoon, with thousands of sea horses tickling my balls, while I skeet skeet skeet all over the walls. Then GoJu dives in trying to tell me how awesome powerlifting is, and how ghey bodybuilding is. But before he gets to the part about compounds>isos he gets attacked by a Giant Squid. And then I wake up with a smile on my face.

[GoJu]

Some times when I sleep at night, I dream I'm in a blue lagoon, with thousands of sea horses tickling my balls, while I skeet skeet skeet all over the walls. Then GoJu dives in trying to tell me how awesome powerlifting is, and how ghey bodybuilding is. But before he gets to the part about compounds>isos he gets attacked by a Giant Squid. And then I wake up with a smile on my face.

I loled

LSU - it really depends on the stance, when I'm not using box squats all my back squats are olympic style and those really hit the quads well, not debating whether or not front squats hit the quads more and you have a point in saying front squats are better for aesthetics, I mean really you said you got bigger hips and butts from back squatting so it didn't work for your goals, so that's great you found what didn't work for you and you're doing what is and that's awesome, my only problem you're kind of coming off as if 'well hey it happened to me and a few guys I know so it must be true for everyone else' which won't be the case at all, gotta let people experiment.

[nads786]

what is the weight difference btw front squats and back squats?

[GoJu]

what is the weight difference btw front squats and back squats?

sometimes it can be around 20-50lbs, other times (this is more if you have an imbalance that should corrected) it could be over 100lbs.

[R.T.B.]

sometimes it can be around 20-50lbs, other times (this is more if you have an imbalance that should corrected) it could be over 100lbs.

i'd say it's usually at least 50

[johnny87]

sometimes it can be around 20-50lbs, other times (this is more if you have an imbalance that should corrected) it could be over 100lbs.

I thought i read somewhere that ronnies front squat was over a 100lb difference from his back squat.

Mine is in the 80lb or so range.

I think if its only 20lb difference then there is an imbalance.

[ozzybob]

well, it happened to me and many others so thats all the evidence i need. i still back squat from time to time, but i do it with an oly style and very narrow stance to emphasize the quads now.

you can look at the dynamics of the movement and figure out that the quads are not the mover in back squats. so it makes total sense that the hips and ass will be the most developed.

not saying back squats are bad, just that fronts are better for aesthetic quads.

I can vouch for this!
Back squats ATG's did less for my quads and more for my glutes. I love the exercise but must not use it often. Also it is easy on my lower back after the injury!
LSU for president

[LSU1]

I can vouch for this!
Back squats ATG's did less for my quads and more for my glutes. I love the exercise but must not use it often. Also it is easy on my lower back after the injury!
LSU for president

[Hack Squat]

or a bodybuilder who wants big quads and not a big ass and hips

front squats are a bb'ers best friend for quad development

x3

"Squats aren't so much a leg exercise as they are a gluteus maximus movement. It's best to substitute hack squats for standard squats or you'll wind up with wide hips and a big ass!" - Vince Gironda, 1972

I got nothing against back squats, it's a great move obviously if you like how your lower body develops with it. For a lot of people though, it's not good aesthetically which some people could care less about anyways.