What is a front squat?

[British Bulldog]

I was reading another post when I came across a front squat exercise being used for legs. How is this performed and how good is it?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[coolcolj]

me doing em last year

Right click on light and save before viewing!
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/coolcolj/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquat_16thDec2002.mpg

 

[British Bulldog]

That was cool mate. Thanks.

I was performing them, but my had position was wrong.

 

[Citruscide]

Damn dude... that looks weird!?! LOL

I can't find a vid of it now... and I haven't taken one of myself doing it yet... but I hold the bar going across my shoulders, with the bar actually against my neck... lower part of my neck... my arms are crossed and holding onto the bar... it's pretty stable...

I have a hard time breathing sometimes...

C-ditty

 

[spatts]

I do them Zercher style...resting in the crook of my arms.

 

[Citruscide]

I do them Zercher style...resting in the crook of my arms.

But aren't those Zerchers???

I keep my legs closer together on the fronts... hits the FUCK out of my quads... I keep my legs wide out like sumo width on the zerch's... blasts the crap out of my glutes/hams... between the two... I can't move my legs..

If I held my front squat... in the crooks of my arms... I couldn't get my legs too close together (and get down low... of course)...



C-ditty

 

[spatts]

I do them Zercher style...resting in the crook of my arms.

But aren't those Zerchers???

- "I like corn...in a can"

- "But isn't that corn???"






I can do them narrow, I can do them wide, I do Zercher GM's, Zercher sit ups, Zercher Deadlifts, etc...If you're sitting back in a squat, even with your knees together, you can do it Zercher style. Well, I can, anyway.

A Zercher squat is just a kind of front squat...just like a front squat with a clean grip, or a front squat with the signature C-ditty choke grip.

Techinically, what YOU do is called a Barbell Front Squat, what CCJ does is called a front squat "Weightlifting (or Olympic) Style," and what I do is a front squat "Zercher style."

 

[Citruscide]

Thank you for "Front Squat 101" Spatts.

But corn is corn... right?

C-ditty

 

[spatts]

Unless it's sweet, buttered, creamed...

Wait, when did I have corn?

 

[endpoint]

I do them Zercher style...resting in the crook of my arms.

zercher squat is a zercher squat.

a front squat is a front squat.

like compairing canned corn to canned Peas.

there are two different types of front squats.
the first is with the hands in a "clean position" adapted from the clean and jerk movement. and crossed arms (hands on opposite shoulders) with the bar across the throat some times called a "cosack squat".

 

[spatts]

Then I will insert a disclaimer: I consider any squat with the bar in front of the body a "front squat," and any squat with the bar on the back of the body a "back squat." All others are variations thereof.

Semantics.

 

[endpoint]

YEah i kind of figured that........but still i consider them a totally different exercise.

Kind of a bit general for my liking.

I will let you slide this time

 

[AlbinoAssassin]

I dig the front squats, whatever you call them by. They will hit the teardrop like a champ especially if you go ass to the floor with continuous tension. Do them with your feet narrow and it will light up your outer quads. Great lift. Most people don't do them because 1) they are difficult 2)not an ego lift 3) holding it can be uncomfortable 4) balance is crucial. I would reccomend them to anybody trying to improve their quads though.

 

[collegiateLifter]

Then I will insert a disclaimer: I consider any squat with the bar in front of the body a "front squat," and any squat with the bar on the back of the body a "back squat." All others are variations thereof.

Semantics.

What do you call overhead squats then? It techinically is neither behind nore in front in the standing positition

 

[CONTRACTION]

For those who feel it "hurts" to hold the bar, you can use these:

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/usa-7110.html

 

[collegiateLifter]

bump for spatt's reply

 

[spatts]

"Overhead squat"