Front Squats really suck!!!

[jsmircich]

I like front squats. It took several tries and lots of looking like an unbalanced fool in the gym to get my grip right, but once I figured it out they were great. I don't do them all the time, but do throw them in occassionally.

[Arlecchino]

I did a crap load of zerchers to get ready for a stone carry that wound up not happening. I like them but you really have to be willing to a) take the pain and b) explain to the people at work why you have these wierd bruises and scrapemarks on your forearms.

Just Zercher squats or Zercher deads as well?

[gbg]

Front squats rock!!.....in my book

[B Campbell]

I've been doing sets of 10 with 185 and feel like a weenie. Maybe that's why I'm doing them...must be a weak spot I need to improve upon!!!

[free816]

its the only squat i do know, dont use too much weight, get coordinated im sure you will begin to like them lol

[SR800]

Great exercise, I prefer the crossed arm grip if only doing the squats, obviously have to use regular grip when doing power or full cleans.

[namtrag]

I've been doing sets of 10 with 185 and feel like a weenie. Maybe that's why I'm doing them...must be a weak spot I need to improve upon!!!

185???

I can't even do them at 115.

Can back squat ATG 265 x 6

[gbg]

Great exercise, I prefer the crossed arm grip if only doing the squats, obviously have to use regular grip when doing power or full cleans.

me too,my wrist ends up in the crapper when I do them the other way.

[Arlecchino]

Clean grip FTW!!!!

Keeps my upper back tighter, and if I need to dump it, I just push the bar away.

[gbg]

Clean grip FTW!!!!

Keeps my upper back tighter, and if I need to dump it, I just push the bar away.

Teach me,teach

[Arlecchino]

Teach me,teach

http://books.google.com/books?id=iHQ...um=3&ct=result

Sometimes to work on flexibility, I have some people load up more weight than they can lift, and just work on pushing the elbows up. The key to maintaining this grip is that the elbows follow everything else on the way down, and proceed everything else on the way up. If that makes any sense.

[Bamma]

If you ever want to try a just plain out nasty leg workout that includes front squats and high reps, give this a shot. I tried it a few weeks back, and if I would have a gun handy, I may have just put myself out of my misery halfway through. And before anyone asks, no, I did not complete the workout.

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

[BuckSpin]

Front squats rock!!.....in my book

x2. Love them. Much less stress on the spine/lower back than full squats (which can be a concern with the O35), plus the added quad activation and also that these REALLY hit the abs hard! A very underrated ab exercise, and also one that will really hit the CNS hard.

Strength/power coach Robert dos Remedios, MA/CSCS calls them "the King of all lower body exercises".

FWIW I do DB Overhead Squats as well, and they are a KILLER! Activates about every muscle group you have, plus they are a GREAT way to start off Shoulder Day with a full body lift that will have branding irons in your shoulders & get "Ol Testy" flowing!

[grace_ou]

me too,my wrist ends up in the crapper when I do them the other way.

This is well worth learning. If it hurts your wrists generally that comes from a flexabillity .. work on stretching and warming up before hand. For faster felx in this stance you can practice with the smith bar by just rolling the weight into clean postion hold and roll back or a bb. Rember to keep your elbows out almost paralle to the floor then sligthly pull then in toward each other. Also it helps to tigthen and pull the lats in. This a great link for learning front squats.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-front-...per-technique/

[gbg]

This is well worth learning. If it hurts your wrists generally that comes from a flexabillity .. work on stretching and warming up before hand. For faster felx in this stance you can practice with the smith bar by just rolling the weight into clean postion hold and roll back or a bb. Rember to keep your elbows out almost paralle to the floor then sligthly pull then in toward each other. Also it helps to tigthen and pull the lats in. This a great link for learning front squats.

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-front-...per-technique/

Thanks babe but it's not form that's my problem, I have Tendonosis in my wrist and the position eventually leads up to a flare up.

[grace_ou]

Thanks babe but it's not form that's my problem, I have Tendonosis in my wrist and the position eventually leads up to a flare up.

Oh.. in that case I'd use the cross arm grip.

[GnomusMaximus]

Just Zercher squats or Zercher deads as well?

I'm not that much of of a masochist. Well, maybe if you do them...Am I allowed to use the bar pad?

[Arlecchino]

I'm not that much of of a masochist. Well, maybe if you do them...Am I allowed to use the bar pad?

The few times I have done Zercher deads I used pads for my elbows. The one time I did not, the bar really tore up my skin. I was, of course, using an elite deadlift bar, which has sharper than average knurling.

[Nodeal]

I have a love/hate relationship with front squats.Carving up my abs real nice.

[deadbycheese]

I love them, I really feel like my form is better with less weight.

[tomdana]

I keep bruising my biceps. First time I did it I kept having the bar slide down and had a wild bruise that actually showed knurls from the bar. I want to get back to them though trying to enjoy my new leg sled for leg press and hacks.

[IronIc]

I tried front squats earlier this year. I can go way deeper with them than back squats w/o hurting my knee, but my delts got really bruised from the bar!

[OnTheRoad]

I tried front squats earlier this year. I can go way deeper with them than back squats w/o hurting my knee, but my delts got really bruised from the bar!

LOL..yes! My front delts look so red and sore after quad day.....I get some funny looks at the gym

[B Campbell]

I use the clean grip mostly on front squats. My wrists get pretty beat up even from regular squats, so I wear my wrist wraps for support and it works wonderfully!!! I just need to get moderate support from them.
I also warm up my wrists, elbows, and shoulders quite a bit before jumping into the front squats. Otherwise my lack of flexibility causes my mechanics to be off enough to stress my back more than I'd like.

[GnomusMaximus]

The few times I have done Zercher deads I used pads for my elbows. The one time I did not, the bar really tore up my skin. I was, of course, using an elite deadlift bar, which has sharper than average knurling.

For those of you not familiar with the zercher lifts. The torture he is talking about is approaching a bar on the floor, scooping your arms under it so that the bar rests on the inside of your elbows and then standing up with it. However since he has done them I now consider it a moral imperative to try them at least once. Can't let him have all the fun...

[Olie]

Another way to complete a Zercher from the floor is to deadlift the bar to your knees, rest the bar on your legs and then hook your arms on the bar. Final move is to "squat" the bar in a traditional Zercher squat. Talk about a workout....

[IronIc]

LOL..yes! My front delts look so red and sore after quad day.....I get some funny looks at the gym

Hehehe ... my delts were very blackly bruised for a couple of weeks In cardio class people would look at my funny, as if, "Hmmm, having trouble at home?"

[gbg]

Another way to complete a Zercher from the floor is to deadlift the bar to your knees, rest the bar on your legs and then hook your arms on the bar. Final move is to "squat" the bar in a traditional Zercher squat. Talk about a workout....

You guys got my curiosity going with the Zercher deads.

[Arlecchino]

[gbg]

I lost my curiosity,what is the purpose of lifting under your elbows?
looks like a recipe for disaster.