Front Squats

[NorgePrecision]

I'm doing legs tomorrow and I want to try something new like front squats. In the 1 year of training I've only done leg extensions, leg curls, squats and a few leg presses and lunges in my workouts. Its time to move up a notch. I need to know the proper form and how to hold the bar with your hands. I know the back should be as straight as possible. I'll probably start out with the bar even just to get my motion down. Is there a video or could someone have a decent explanation of proper form?

 

[H_T_]

the one thing i think people should do is NOT rest the bar on your delts. it's better to have it in your fingers, like a clean, with your elbows pointing up. but this takes alot of flexibility.

 

[anthrax]

the one thing i think people should do is NOT rest the bar on your delts. it's better to have it in your fingers, like a clean, with your elbows pointing up. but this takes alot of flexibility.

In your fingers ?
For me it's on the clavicles, the fingers are just for stability

 

[KillahBee]

Ever try Zercher squats? I love em! Fantastic core training move.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

the one thing i think people should do is NOT rest the bar on your delts. it's better to have it in your fingers, like a clean, with your elbows pointing up. but this takes alot of flexibility.

everyone should find their own groove for me its easier to rest the bar on my front delts since i have a pretty nice ledge right there..ive been up to 405 without much problems..

try them all and see which way is better for you

 

[EnderJE]

Ever try Zercher squats? I love em! Fantastic core training move.

Why do this over front or back full squats?

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Why do this over front or back full squats?

fronts/zerchers have a very good carry over for your deadlift

 

[KillahBee]

Why do this over front or back full squats?

I wouldn't do them in stead, I would do them in addition to. it all depends on your goals and likes. never did front squats, so not sure the major difference, but I know that Zercher's hit the quads (at least for me) pretty well and are phenomenal on the core, which is something I need to improve.

 

[pong21]

It is hard for me to just hold onto the damn bar, it slips.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

It is hard for me to just hold onto the damn bar, it slips.

thats what makes them a great movemeent..teaches balance and how to stay upright in a reg back squat..keep your abs tight and your elbows up

 

[Madcow2]

For the most part everyone is talking about the same grip. If you bring your elbows out in front of you, fold your arms at the elbow straight back toward your shoulders, keep your elbows high (very important during the movement), kind of form a scoop with your shoulders be moving them forward and in - there is now a nice slot right behind the front delts and just a bit in front of your throat (only takes 2 secs to show it when not typing). This is the slot where the bar goes - it's actually called clavicles (not even superman could hold 405 on his delts and support them with his arms). Your hands/fingers are under the bar basically for stability. Sit back with the weight, descend keeping elbows high. I prefer full range of the body but at a minimum the top of the thighs must be parallel to the floor.

You should start light and get practice making the rack and squating (use 25's and the bar as the bar is to light for some people and you won't get the right feeling). Depending upon the length of your arm you might need to stretch your wrists out a bit (or even use wrist wraps until you develop the flexability). Hold your arm straight down and extend it fully. Grab the fingers with your free hand and slowly pull them back so that your palm is parallel and beyond to the ground (you are pulling away from your palm and towards the back of your hand). Stretch and hold it for a count. Do this for both arms on a regular basis and you'll be fine. Occasionally a long armed lifter (makes the angle more severe) with large bicepts has to fold his arms outward a bit.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

ot typing). This is the slot where the bar goes - it's actually called clavicles (not even superman could hold 405 on his delts and support them with his arms).

.

??? i was not implying i dont use my hands? and i asure you ive done 405 but you know everything..im out

 

[Madcow2]

??? i was not implying i dont use my hands? and i asure you ive done 405 but you know everything..im out

I wasn't saying that you were. Everybody uses a lot of different ways to describe how they rack the weight (that's why I said it takes 2 seconds to show someone but is harder to type it). People who don't know how to rack it like the original poster won't realize this and they'll try all kinds of exotic ways to position the weight on their upper torso. If they actually try to put it on their delts without taking into account how exactly it rests on the delts they'll end up supporting it with their arms - and this can't be done with heavy weight, plus they won't be able to keep their elbows up. I was just trying to clarify it for him since the descriptions he got all seem to vary a bit but in fact everyone is doing it exactly the same way. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

I wasn't saying that you were. Everybody uses a lot of different ways to describe how they rack the weight (that's why I said it takes 2 seconds to show someone but is harder to type it). People who don't know how to rack it like the original poster won't realize this and they'll try all kinds of exotic ways to position the weight on their upper torso. If they actually try to put it on their delts without taking into account how exactly it rests on the delts they'll end up supporting it with their arms - and this can't be done with heavy weight, plus they won't be able to keep their elbows up. I was just trying to clarify it for him since the descriptions he got all seem to vary a bit but in fact everyone is doing it exactly the same way. Sorry for any confusion.

no i apologize for jumping the gun!!!

 

[anthrax]

Can someone please post a pic ?

I put the BB on my clavicle but I have hard time keeping my elbows parallel to the floor (they're slightly pointing towards the floor) and straight (they're slightly pointing outwards)

 

[H_T_]

Beast, do you use the arms crossed position?? with the bar resting on your delts without your hands? i just found it hard to balance in that manner, and started doing them with the bar resting in my fingers, and my fingers on my delts.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Beast, do you use the arms crossed position?? with the bar resting on your delts without your hands? i just found it hard to balance in that manner, and started doing them with the bar resting in my fingers, and my fingers on my delts.

yes i use more of BB style..i dont think it really matters how you hold it..just find what grip is best for you use ..the real benefit of the move is doing it.. not how you hold the bar..chalk is very helpful but i cant use it in my gym..i tried these once after reg squats and found it exrememly difficult to keep the bar in place because my shirt was soaked

 

[H_T_]

do you use them often? like on SQ day? ME?

 

[ChinkNasty]

yea, like wnt2bbeast I used the front delt hold when I first started off, but after a few months I was able to use the clean grip and my weight has increased drastically...highly recommend the front squat

 

[wnt2bBeast]

do you use them often? like on SQ day? ME?

havent done them in months..
generally i do box squats and pause squats or box squats and GM's

 

[Madcow2]

Another thing is that there are two grip variations. In either grip though, the bar is fully supported by the torso in the slot I previously referred to. At no time are you using your hands and arms to do anything more than balance the weight or maintain the proper rack (i.e. keeping elbows up).

Here are some passable illustrations that I found on a quick search:

Clean Grip: this one is going to give you the best stability. If you have the flexability it is very highly recommended. If you don't you can use the alternative buddha below and try to add some flexability to your elbows and wrists. If that isn't helping - no problem, use the one below but in the case of olympic lifting and any variation of the clean other than the basic pull, you are pretty screwed.
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/FrontSquat.html

Bodybuilding/Buddha Style: If you have long arms/large bicepts/low wrist flexability or any combo of these and find yourself unable to use the clean grip, this can also work for you. It doesn't make it a better or worse exercise just requires more concentration on stabalizing the bar. Some may also find it harder to maintain the rack especially if one has a relatively shorter torso that requires more forward lean in the lowest position (thus requiring more effort to maintain the rack).
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBFrontSquat.html