I'm currently working on Low bar squats to help strengthen my glutes and get the biggest squat I can, But after doing it for several weeks I was wondering wether it might be worth doing front squats to compliment it, I tried it earlier and it totally wrecked my wrists, I'm wondering if it's pointless to do because it seems that whatever I can get out of a front squat I can get something very similar out of just doing an olympic style high bar squat without ruining my wrists or wasting tons of time working on the mobillity for it
|
-
08-14-2015, 01:15 PM #1
- Join Date: Jan 2014
- Location: Lincoln, England, United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Age: 29
- Posts: 700
- Rep Power: 130
Is there any point in my doing front squats?
-
08-14-2015, 01:21 PM #2
- Join Date: May 2006
- Location: Milan, Milan, Italy
- Age: 37
- Posts: 447
- Rep Power: 315
I honestly love front squats; probably the best quad-builder out there, not to mention the workout it gives your core and stabilizers. You mention your wrists hurting; were you using a clean grip? If so, try switching to having your arms crossed over the bar instead. I had the same wrist problem when using a clean grip, but I solved the problem by switching over to arms crossed. Give it a go!
P.S. Working on mobility is never a waste of time!
-
08-14-2015, 01:24 PM #3
-
08-14-2015, 01:36 PM #4
Front squats also really help with staying upright if you lean over too much in a low bar or high bar back squat. It's probably not your wrists that are immobile but your lats are probably tight and maybe even your thoracic spine extensors. You really need to be able to get your elbows up and in and extend your thoracic spine to use the clean grip properly.
-
-
08-14-2015, 01:55 PM #5
-
08-14-2015, 01:56 PM #6
-
08-14-2015, 02:14 PM #7
- Join Date: Aug 2014
- Location: North Carolina, United States
- Age: 32
- Posts: 1,176
- Rep Power: 2351
You'd be using even less assistance from your glutes and hams doing front squats over high bar squats (think about how the weight is being positioned and that you're trying to keep the weight on the middle of your foot)
I personally would recommend you keep them and just do them cross armed but they aren't necessary if you have other exercises for quads you prefer.
Nice traps btw bro!"Quiet boy! Where is your honor?.. Like all pure blooded Saiyans, Kakarot would rather die fighting than win with one of those disgraceful senzu beans as his crutch. Kakarot trained in the hyperbolic time chamber just as we did; now let's see what he can do."
Instagram: Boa_Bite
-
08-14-2015, 02:33 PM #8
-
-
08-14-2015, 02:36 PM #9
-
08-15-2015, 03:17 AM #10
-
08-15-2015, 03:18 AM #11
-
08-15-2015, 03:29 AM #12
-
-
08-15-2015, 05:24 AM #13
- Join Date: Mar 2013
- Location: Lagrangeville, New York, United States
- Age: 40
- Posts: 2,581
- Rep Power: 16846
theres always a point or reason for a lift but theres also likely always an alternative you can use instead.. All just tools, whatever works for the job.
Want to work more quads and something to involve a great deal of core strength- front squats.
The counter argument can also be the core as it can be a limiting factor in overloading the quad (core and form breaking before quads).Oct 2013- 4th Place Novice, 5th place Open NPC NY Grand Prix
May 2015- 2nd Place Musclemania New England
-
08-15-2015, 11:54 AM #14
- Join Date: Dec 2007
- Location: Ridgecrest, California, United States
- Age: 39
- Posts: 746
- Rep Power: 655
Front squats with a clean grip is probably one of the best exercises you can do to build a strong posture, which obviously would carry over to all your other lifts, pulling and pressing, not only squats. The clean grip uses a supination, which really helps the overpronated shoulders that most of us accidentally develop as newbies. Using a crossed over grip is pronation, and it sort of ruins all the benefits you'd gain with a clean grip and is hardly worth doing. I think it's a wonderful compliment to backsquat because it helps you to pull it all back, whereas back squats kinda force you to hunch forward a tad (even if you're doing perfect highbar squats, there's a slight hunch).
As for your wrists, it does this to anyone who uses a clean grip for the first time, it just takes a few sessions for the uncomfortable feeling to go away. Put a lot of emphasis on keeping your elbows up the entire time, as this is where the postural development will really come in.
-
08-15-2015, 12:23 PM #15
-
08-16-2015, 06:49 AM #16
-
-
08-16-2015, 08:28 AM #17
Front squats are a bit better at targeting the quads, but they'r not as good for overall leg development because you can't move as much weight.
On the other end, low bar squats are good for moving the most weight, but they bring in a lot of lower back and aren't as much a focused leg exercise.height: 6'2", weight: 210 lbs, bf: approx 15%
slight decline bench: 215 3x8, pull ups: bw+5 4x8, wide grip bent rows: 200 3x8
front squat: 210 3x8, conventional deadlift: 360x10, romanian deadlift: 315 3x8
-
08-16-2015, 09:00 AM #18
-
08-18-2015, 03:00 AM #19
- Join Date: Jan 2014
- Location: Lincoln, England, United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Age: 29
- Posts: 700
- Rep Power: 130
It was mainly to supplement my low bar squats, because a lot of what I've been doing has been focused on my posterior chain. So I thought something like a front squat may supplement well, but I couldn't get on to start with and all the pressure was coming down on my wrists because at the bottom I couldn't get my elbows high enough
-
08-18-2015, 11:04 AM #20
- Join Date: Dec 2007
- Location: Ridgecrest, California, United States
- Age: 39
- Posts: 746
- Rep Power: 655
sounds like you could benefit from overall postural work, especially retracting your shoulders more and not focusing so much on the overpronated hulk pump that a lot of guys get attached too when they look in the mirror. You can see it in your avi too, lots of muscles on the front, but I bet you're lacking on the backside. If you take the time to gain the mobility to go ass to grass and keep your elbows up the entire time, I'm sure you'll notice a huge difference in all your lifts, and in your physique.
-
-
08-18-2015, 12:33 PM #21
Front squats will complement your low bar back squats by providing balance between the posterior chain the front of the upper leg (quads). Using a clean grip will typically provide much better balance and control of the bar. The pain you're experiencing is common for lifters who are not used to doing it, and it will go away over time. The stretching to make this go faster is very easy and quick, like 2 minutes a few times a day. Simply place your palm against a wall and push into it feeling a stretch through the wrist and forearm. Hold to 15-20 sec per arm, and do a few times.
After about a week or three, you won't feel any pressure/pain in your wrists and you'll have much more control over the bar when you front squat.Training log: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=168969133
-
08-18-2015, 03:24 PM #22
-
08-18-2015, 09:48 PM #23
- Join Date: May 2013
- Location: Kansas, United States
- Age: 38
- Posts: 1,909
- Rep Power: 16028
As long as your posture is good, the arms shouldn't have to play a real support role (it will rest on your shoulders.) Just change your grip and try them again. I prefer them to traditional squats, personally.
Reliable sources of information:
Alan Aragon http://alanaragon.com/
Brad Schoenfeld http://www.lookgreatnaked.com/
Lyle McDonald http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/
Eric Helms & Team3DMJ http://www.youtube.com/user/Team3DMJ
-
08-19-2015, 04:54 AM #24
Similar Threads
-
Is there any room for pull/chin ups in all pros beginner routine?
By Ferello in forum Workout ProgramsReplies: 2Last Post: 11-27-2012, 10:30 AM -
Problem doing Front Squats
By Pullup17 in forum ExercisesReplies: 133Last Post: 09-12-2006, 05:34 PM -
If I'm doing cleans is there any point in doing deadlifts and squats?
By Ross PK in forum ExercisesReplies: 16Last Post: 05-29-2006, 06:22 PM
Bookmarks