Front squats: Worth the pain?

[CelebrateLife]

Originally Posted by beasty

Most commercial gyms dont have that.
Most dont even have T bar machine.
Only those varsity or Gold Gym types would have it.

Anyway front squats are killer on my front delts. It kills off my front delts before my quads are exhausted so I seldom do front squats.

If your shoulders are getting tired from doing the exercise, your form is not right. Your shoulders and arms are there to hold the bar into the cradle created by your shoulders. You're either bending too far forward when you do front squats or don't have the bar resting near your clavicles.

Kurt

 

[CelebrateLife]

Originally Posted by beasty

But if I align my heels to the bar, it should be OK right?
Also what if the smith machine is movable, ie. it allows the bar to move front and back along with up and down.

Uh, no. Your body doesn't work like that. When you naturally squat down (like a body squat), your body is not just sliding vertical down. Your butt is moving back and down, your spine is moving forward and up, your knees are moving outwards and down. Smith machine squats are a no-no.

Kurt

 

[CelebrateLife]

Originally Posted by smw356

They toughen up.

Ah, ok, so you are resting the bar back against your clavicles. Yea, they toughen up. Your wrists will become a lot more flexible over time if you hold the bar with a 'clean' grip.

Kurt

 

[beasty]

Originally Posted by Threadbearer

Thanks for all the great responses, gentlemen. Inspired by all this excellent info, I decided to try front squats again yesterday. I opted for the crossover grip and found that I could control the bar much better that way than I would have guessed. I also liked the way it forced me into good posture throughout the full range of motion.

However, the bar was still very hard on my delts. They're tender to the touch today, and I'm surprised they're not visibly bruised. I tried a slightly different bar placement with each set, hoping that I'd eventually find a "sweet spot" where the bar would rest more comfortably. I never found one.

Thats the same thing happening to me!
I feel front squat attacks the quads differently from back squats but the pain on my delts dont allow me to push front squats to exhaust and beyond.

 

[smw356]

Originally Posted by CelebrateLife

Ah, ok, so you are resting the bar back against your clavicles. Yea, they toughen up. Your wrists will become a lot more flexible over time if you hold the bar with a 'clean' grip.

Kurt

Yeah, I had pretty big wrist flexibility problems when I first started front squatting, now its no big deal. Its not really in your wrists though its being able to keep your elbows up that makes it better.

 

[smw356]

Originally Posted by beasty

Thats the same thing happening to me!
I feel front squat attacks the quads differently from back squats but the pain on my delts dont allow me to push front squats to exhaust and beyond.

You're holding the bar too low most likely, push your elbows up higher and push the bar closer to your neck. You can get a really similar quad activation from a back squat too though, if you can high bar it and keep your torso more upright.

 

[beasty]

Originally Posted by smw356

You're holding the bar too low most likely, push your elbows up higher and push the bar closer to your neck. You can get a really similar quad activation from a back squat too though, if you can high bar it and keep your torso more upright.

If I push it too up, feels like my throat would be choking.

When I do back squats, I consciously keep the bar high up on my neck and I dont bend my back like the powerlifters. In fact, I am so used to it, I dont use padding or the 'manta ray' on the bar while squatting so I can feel the bar pressed against the bones on my neck. In a way, I am maximising the feel and pain of squats.

Unadulterated and undiluted and no matter how heavy I lift, I aint got no red welt or burn marks on my neck.

 

[Philosoph]

If you push the far enough up on your clavicle, it will feel a little bit like you're choking. Pressure on the neck does that, and it takes a little getting used to. But you'll still be able to breathe just fine.

Red marks on your shoulders/clavicle are normal. Maybe even a little bit of bruising at first, but the only time I've gotten bruises was from a slightly bad catch on a clean. I'd be willing to bet that I get a red mark on my neck from back squats too, but I can't really see that area too well and I've never really thought to check.

 

[smw356]

Originally Posted by beasty

If I push it too up, feels like my throat would be choking.


When you hit right where you begin to feel this the bar is in the right position. It really does take getting used to though. I don't know honestly I've only been front squatting lately after having not done them in forever, since I've been working on oly stuff while nursing a knee injury, and they felt really awkward after not doing them for a while but it becomes second nature pretty quick.

 

[beasty]

Originally Posted by smw356

When you hit right where you begin to feel this the bar is in the right position. It really does take getting used to though. I don't know honestly I've only been front squatting lately after having not done them in forever, since I've been working on oly stuff while nursing a knee injury, and they felt really awkward after not doing them for a while but it becomes second nature pretty quick.

Hmm doing something that can kill you and yet you continue doing it.
And you call Iron Jay extreme.

 

[smw356]

Holding the bar across your clavicles is not going to kill you.

 

[James Bond]

Originally Posted by beasty

Hmm doing something that can kill you and yet you continue doing it.
And you call Iron Jay extreme.

How is it going to kill you?

 

[lefty]

Approach the bar in the rack with your arms extended in front of you.

Set the bar on your shoulders across your clavicle.

Raise your arms slightly so that they're above parallel, say about 10-15 degrees.

Unrack the bar. If it doesn't move forward, that's the right position.

Squat, keeping your arms extended.

If you feel you need the extra security, cross your arms and touch your shoulders cradling the bar.

If you want to look badass, bend your hands back, raise your elbows and get as many fingers as you can under the bar. Eventually you will get all four under.

However, neither is needed to front squat.

This guy has one finger loosely touching the bar. He's FSing 500 for reps.

lefty

 

[Philosoph]

This is too ridiculous not to post somewhere: DO NOT SQUAT LIKE THIS GUY

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by Philosoph

This is too ridiculous not to post somewhere:
DO NOT SQUAT LIKE THIS GUY

Damn, you've discovered my secret identity.

lefty