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Front squat
- Thread starter anthrax
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wnt2bBeast
New member
I form a V in other words my righ hand on my left delt and left hand on right delt..make sure to get the bar to sit on your front delts i can almost do a few reps without even holding if i have the bar sitting right..
MsBeverlyHills
New member
I hold the bar using a clean grip-
http://www.stumptuous.com/frontsquat2.jpg
(btw-- that ISANT me!!!! LOL)
http://www.stumptuous.com/frontsquat2.jpg
(btw-- that ISANT me!!!! LOL)
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JohnnyCoho
New member
Anthrax, I cant even get my right hand to touch my right delt,.. 
hehehe Bi's are too big. Maybe with some weight (or bigger delts) but my arm would probably go to sleep.
I think I'd like to try the V formation...
2bBeast,..how tall are ya? I'm told they work well for us tall guys. (i'm 6'3" )
I've been thinkin' about incorporating front squats into my routine. The one thing I'm truly lagging in!! (IMO) got a good Deadlift (1rm @ 430) and Bench (1rm @ 415) but flat ass suck at squats with around a 315 max "and it looks pretty ugly") I tend to lean forward way to much, even after loads of Box Squats done in the past. Guys at the gym I train with laugh all the time, saying it looks painfull when I squat,..they call it "John's Good-Morning Squat"
It doesn't seem to be a leg strength problem either, got a pretty good leg press, Glut Ham raise, ect. Dunno' Maybe a balance thing?!?!
Tried all sorts of stances, dropped the bar way down on my traps, you name it,..and I've always gone ATF.
Any Ideas?,....anyone?
hehehe Bi's are too big. Maybe with some weight (or bigger delts) but my arm would probably go to sleep.I think I'd like to try the V formation...
2bBeast,..how tall are ya? I'm told they work well for us tall guys. (i'm 6'3" )
I've been thinkin' about incorporating front squats into my routine. The one thing I'm truly lagging in!! (IMO) got a good Deadlift (1rm @ 430) and Bench (1rm @ 415) but flat ass suck at squats with around a 315 max "and it looks pretty ugly") I tend to lean forward way to much, even after loads of Box Squats done in the past. Guys at the gym I train with laugh all the time, saying it looks painfull when I squat,..they call it "John's Good-Morning Squat"
It doesn't seem to be a leg strength problem either, got a pretty good leg press, Glut Ham raise, ect. Dunno' Maybe a balance thing?!?!
Tried all sorts of stances, dropped the bar way down on my traps, you name it,..and I've always gone ATF.
Any Ideas?,....anyone?
mekannik
New member
Anthrax said:
Parallel arms. Upper arm (humerus) should be parallel to the ground, as much as possible, and kept at that orientation for the duration of the lift.
So far as how much hand needs to be on the bar... it can be all your fingers or a couple. I use three (ring, middle, index) on the bar. Your front delts should be carrying the brunt of the weight and, if needed, you should be able to squat hands free.
If flexibility is a concern on using this form - work on forearm stretching and wrist flexibility. Anyone saying there arms are too big should check out Shane Hammon (22-inch neck, 22-inch biceps, 22-inch calves, 35-inch thighs, 62-inch chest, and 47-inch waist) who clean squats around 500#+ with all of his fingers around the bar. Or lay off the synthol shots to their bi's.
This photo shows the end of the Clean & Jerk ( http://www.wpse.com/WS_Content/Imag...CategoryUnq=19&iNumPerPage=20&iImageUnq=5708&)
Pretty sure he wanted to have full control of the weight when pressing from the racked position.
Another of a past great - Vassily Alexeyev (http://www.wpse.com/WS_Content/Imag...CategoryUnq=24&iNumPerPage=20&iImageUnq=1395&)
JohnnyCoho
New member
mekannik,..was meant more or less in a joking sense, hence the " hehehe"
Not puttin down anyones technique or ideas....and have been clean now since last April.
Seriously though,..my Squat technique & form really does suck!! Would front squats be better (PL or BB form) for a taller guy like myself ? (got legs longer than torso)
hehehe"Not puttin down anyones technique or ideas....and have been clean now since last April.
Seriously though,..my Squat technique & form really does suck!! Would front squats be better (PL or BB form) for a taller guy like myself ? (got legs longer than torso)
mekannik
New member
JohnnyCoho said:mekannik,..was meant more or less in a joking sense, hence the "
Not puttin down anyones technique or ideas....and have been clean now since last April.
Seriously though,..my Squat technique & form really does suck!! Would front squats be better (PL or BB form) for a taller guy like myself ? (got legs longer than torso)
My synthol comment was not meant as an attack - just a critique on a small number out of all bodybuilders ruining the reputation of an activity for the rest of us.
But anyways.....
As for which is better - what are your goals? Athletecism? Powerlifting? Bodybuilding? All of the above? Other?
I am 6'2", 235# - longer torso than legs (IMO). Back squats suck for me (shoulder width stance - have not tried a wide Westside PL stance. Yet.) Front squats will target quads over glutes & lower back (back squats) - regardless of height. Carry over to Olympic lifts from front squats is tremendous - even if you do not perform the full variation of the lits (which I do not. Yet.).
As I wrote - flexibility and stretching will enhance your clean grip front squat. Using both styles (front and back) will aid you in bodybuilding and athletics. It just comes down to what your goals are from squatting, then utilizing what works best.
As a side note - I started out with the best intentions of being a huge bencher, which I am pretty sure we all did when we were first beginning. 10+ years later and I have only reached 375 (raw). My back squat is still low 400 (oly stance). But my deadlift is approaching 600. And after only a year and a half of training, I am snatching over 200#, clean and jerking 250#+.
What that all means is - typically one of the three power lifts is your specialty. For taller lifters, usually the deadlift is that lift. Such is my case.
wnt2bBeast
New member
JohnnyCoho said:Anthrax, I cant even get my right hand to touch my right delt,..
I think I'd like to try the V formation...
2bBeast,..how tall are ya? I'm told they work well for us tall guys. (i'm 6'3" )
I've been thinkin' about incorporating front squats into my routine. The one thing I'm truly lagging in!! (IMO) got a good Deadlift (1rm @ 430) and Bench (1rm @ 415) but flat ass suck at squats with around a 315 max "and it looks pretty ugly") I tend to lean forward way to much, even after loads of Box Squats done in the past. Guys at the gym I train with laugh all the time, saying it looks painfull when I squat,..they call it "John's Good-Morning Squat"
It doesn't seem to be a leg strength problem either, got a pretty good leg press, Glut Ham raise, ect. Dunno' Maybe a balance thing?!?!
Tried all sorts of stances, dropped the bar way down on my traps, you name it,..and I've always gone ATF.
Any Ideas?,....anyone?
im 5'10 front squats are a great exercise for anyone..some may or may not get carryover into other lifts..they will help with forward lean..give em a try!!
Illuminati
New member
JohnnyCoho said:Anthrax, I cant even get my right hand to touch my right delt,..
I think I'd like to try the V formation...
2bBeast,..how tall are ya? I'm told they work well for us tall guys. (i'm 6'3" )
I've been thinkin' about incorporating front squats into my routine. The one thing I'm truly lagging in!! (IMO) got a good Deadlift (1rm @ 430) and Bench (1rm @ 415) but flat ass suck at squats with around a 315 max "and it looks pretty ugly") I tend to lean forward way to much, even after loads of Box Squats done in the past. Guys at the gym I train with laugh all the time, saying it looks painfull when I squat,..they call it "John's Good-Morning Squat"
It doesn't seem to be a leg strength problem either, got a pretty good leg press, Glut Ham raise, ect. Dunno' Maybe a balance thing?!?!
Tried all sorts of stances, dropped the bar way down on my traps, you name it,..and I've always gone ATF.
Any Ideas?,....anyone?
hey bro, there is a really good sticky over in the PL forum about Squat technique. here is the link to the forum:
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332299
as far as your balance...like i said to casual BB in his thread, what kind of shoes are you wearing when you lift? tennis shoes tend to make you "fall" forward as you come up, as opposed to a more flat soled shoe like chuck taylors.
JohnnyCoho
New member
Thnaks too guys!! Tomorrow's Dead day but will be giving the front squats a try on Monday. Will start light and try both BB and PL form to see which feels better.
Illuminati, I'm also a wrestling coach and wear my wrestling shoes when lifting. Very flat soled. Probably similar to Chuckies and have seen PL vids with lifters wearing them. Think Chuckies would be a good investment over my wrestling shoes while in the gym?
Mekannik, ton answer yer question,.."all of the above" Been switching between a Westside Routine and an HST Routine every few months. Like the mass for a personal ego boost on HST but tend to plateau out after a few cycles and get frustrated. Love crushin' my own PR's too using Westside and feeling the power. On Westside though I seem to grow disproportionate, but do grow. Tried incorporating other lifts in Westside to balance things out but hit the OT threshold. As far as the Althleticism thing goes Wrestling season starts the end of next week for Collegiate and goes right on through the Spring in Freestyle,..my highschoolers give me a good run there and I've even been known to wrestle in a few freestyle tourneys every year. Stretch, workout and wrestle with my wrestlers every night once the season starts.
So,..Illuminati & Mekannik, "Where'd you get your username from" Reply to post,..some of the names out there are hard to figure (like you two) and have some very kewl stories behind them.
Illuminati, I'm also a wrestling coach and wear my wrestling shoes when lifting. Very flat soled. Probably similar to Chuckies and have seen PL vids with lifters wearing them. Think Chuckies would be a good investment over my wrestling shoes while in the gym?
Mekannik, ton answer yer question,.."all of the above" Been switching between a Westside Routine and an HST Routine every few months. Like the mass for a personal ego boost on HST but tend to plateau out after a few cycles and get frustrated. Love crushin' my own PR's too using Westside and feeling the power. On Westside though I seem to grow disproportionate, but do grow. Tried incorporating other lifts in Westside to balance things out but hit the OT threshold. As far as the Althleticism thing goes Wrestling season starts the end of next week for Collegiate and goes right on through the Spring in Freestyle,..my highschoolers give me a good run there and I've even been known to wrestle in a few freestyle tourneys every year. Stretch, workout and wrestle with my wrestlers every night once the season starts.
So,..Illuminati & Mekannik, "Where'd you get your username from" Reply to post,..some of the names out there are hard to figure (like you two) and have some very kewl stories behind them.
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Illuminati
New member
JohnnyCoho said:
i dont have much time right now, but i will post up in your thread later on today about my log in name.
as far as the shoes...you should be fine with the wrestling ones. like you said, they are flat soled. i would just go with those, unless you feel like spending $30 for the chucks. but if you already have some flat soled shoes (the wrestling ones) just go with those.
mekannik
New member
Illuminati said:
If you can spring for them, get a pair of wooden heeled olympic shoes (Adidas - check out: http://www.dynamic-eleiko.com/ click on products, right hand column Weightlifting Apparel, Adidas Weight Lifting Shoes
That being linked..... even these shoes might not be enough to help with Front Squats (chucks and wrestling shoes are better for a powerlifting stance) you may still need to put your heels on a 2.5# plate. Gradually ween yourself off of these. If you need additional help - start with a 2"x4", then the plates, then the shoes.
Also, and this is a big one, perform 3 or 4 "sets" of stretches on a standing calf machine prior to squatting. Hold the bottom portion (toes pointing up, V formed by your ankle) for 8-10 seconds. This will aid your ankle and calf flexibility, both of which are big contributors to limiting ROM.
super_rice
New member
MsBeverlyHills said:
oh my....
