Front Squats made easier...

[b fold the truth]

I'd like to add front squats to my routine...but have a hard time keeping the bar on my shoulders/neck. I found this tonight..and loved the idea...

"If you still want to get the benefits of front squats, but haven't quite obtained the flexibility to hold the bar in your hands, try the vise grip handles. Just get two sets of Vise Gripping Pliers (The rounded pipe jaws work the best). Then just clamp them on the bar a little wider than shoulder width. To protect the knurling just place a small strip of cardboard between the vise grips' jaws and the bar.
Now, presto, you have two handles to hold onto. Using these will enable you to maintain the normal front squat position, but with less stress on the wrists and elbows."

 

[Deciever]

nice, i would always have to wear wrist wraps when doing front squats.. they're great though. Thats a great idea, go try it out and let us know how it goes.

 

[the People's Champ]

front squats rule. first exercise where I actually bottomed out in the power rack. I do the clean grip, works for me, no pain. maybe because I am so skinny, that I dont experience the pain.

 

[sorerotators]

Yeah that is a slick idea B.

 

[Skizac]

I have tried just about every method of front squatting, including the one pictured above, and have yet to find a confortable way to do it. I've tried it clean grip, BB grip, with different types of bars, with a StingRay front squat harness thingy, and they all suck. I just can't keep the bar from falling off of my shouders, and I lean over too far at the bottom. The best front squats I've done have been (embarasingly) on a smith machine.

 

[the People's Champ]

are you sticking your butt out when you go down? when your butt sticks way out, this counterbalances the weight up front. how do you put the bar on your shoulders?

 

[Skizac]

are you sticking your butt out when you go down? when your butt sticks way out, this counterbalances the weight up front. how do you put the bar on your shoulders?

I put it up as close as possible to my neck, like I'm going to choke myself. I think my problem is that I stick my butt out too far, which causes me to lean forward too far, which causes the bar to want to fall off of my shoulders.

 

[the People's Champ]

are you leaning too far forward when you descend? how is your stance?

 

[Robert Jan]

just what are those pros of front squatting againn?

 

[Needhelp]

I clean it up and front squat down, is that right? I definately feel it in my legs, so if not, that way works good too (at least for a beginner)

 

[The Dude]

The Stingray kicks ass. You shouldn't have any problems with the bar sliding away from your shoulders if you're form is correct. It doesn't matter how much weight you're using. It will keep the bar off your shoulders, up against, but not into your neck. I hate the Manta Rays, but the Stingray rules for front squats. Try it and you will believe.

 

[b fold the truth]

bump

 

[brooklynboy]

I want to try a stingray. Where can I go to find one? How much$$ Oh yea I do love my front squats

 

[coolcolj]

You have to stay uprright to keep the bar on your shoulders. To do this take a wider stance as shown in the pic and angle your feet out. Becuase of the wide stance you'll work your groin muscles and flexibility too

I ahve felxible wrists so I have no probs doing it olympic style. The weight stays on your shoudlers anyway, the hand just act as guids. otherwise you do it the bodybuilding way with hands crossed in front.

To find the right pocket on where to put the bar on your torso. Just hook your shoudlers and chest under the bar when its in the rack, and without using your hand try and put pressure on the bar by pushing upwards. When its in the right place the bar should stay there without using your hands.

 

[b fold the truth]

I have tried these without the "grip aid" and have not been able to use enough weight to even feel it. I can't keep the bar on my shoulders when I do them...they slide right off. Can't get the Olympic grip down either...

They aren't important enough to me to worry too much about anyway...to me the squat, deadlift, goodmorning, etc...is more important. Would be good for a variation every once in a while though...especially for high reps.

B True

 

[coolcolj]

I just love the feeling of front squats with a super wide stance and going all the way to the bottom. It feels different from back squats. I find it harder to breathe sometimes.

You can't lift as much, I can only lift about 60% of my back squats, because the hammies and glutes aren't as involved. Its mainly a quad movement. More useful for bodybuilders who want bigger legs, especially the teardrop area, without a big bum

 

[JOKER47]

Do Zercher squats provide simliar benefits as normal front squats? As far as working the quads goes?

Joker

 

[b fold the truth]

Zerchers work a lot of back, hips, and hams....muscles often overlooked by bodybuilders and athletes...

B True

 

[JOKER47]

Zerchers work a lot of back, hips, and hams....muscles often overlooked by bodybuilders and athletes...

B True

They do hit the quads as well, right? They must, cause my legs burn after I finish with them.

Joker

 

[b fold the truth]

Most definately do. They also hit your abs quite a bit. How deep do you go with them?

 

[JOKER47]

Most definately do. They also hit your abs quite a bit. How deep do you go with them?

Ass-to-heels...Just like my back squats.


Joker

 

[b fold the truth]

Ass-to-heels...Just like my back squats.


Joker

Good man!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JOKER47]

Good man!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That means a lot...Comin' from you....

 

[DaCypher]

You guys might also want to try doing front squats with straps (so you don't need to lug around vice grips and they're not so damaging on the bar). Just wrap them around the bar and hold onto the strap (you might want to tie a knot at the end of the strap to prevent slipping). This was the only method I was able to do for a few reps. However, the bar still bothers my delts too much for me to continue with front squats...

 

[b fold the truth]

That is a pretty good idea man...the only thing that would bother me about that is that the vice grips also allow me to push the bar into me and hold it there better. The straps would not allow that.

B True

 

[b fold the truth]

Bump...for a few more looks at this idea...

B True

 

[coolcolj]

I don't need these things

 

[jeremys]

i would like to do front squats but i do not have enough flexibility to even hold the bar like that. when i hold it for front squats, its on my chest with my elbows almost tucked. thats how bad my flexibility in my arms is. however, i can almost do the splits so maybe i'm just fat. lol

what do you think of hack squats? productive?

 

[b fold the truth]

I think that hacks are productvie. I used to do them all the time and everytime I did legs with Night Fly at her gym I would always do some sets of hacks...rock bottom...till the machine bottomed out.

You don't get the hip and back work with hacks that you do with front squats...a machine is never as good as free weights...

B True

 

[endpoint]

jeremys: how do you hold the bar

 

[jeremys]

imagine a power clean. hold the bar at the clean position. thats what i do. i cant get my arms in that position.

hacks sound good for me right now. i need good leg work while healing my lower back

 

[louden_swain]

I never cared for frontal squats. Frankly, I would rather use more weight in the back squat. I feel that the back squat is the best developer for the hips and quads. It was always hard for me to keep my torso erect when performing this movement. When I used light weights. . . I felt nothing.

For now, I will stick to 6 to 8 sets of heavy box squats.

 

[endpoint]

jeremys: "hold" as in...how do you hold the bar with your hands.

try holding the bar with only you middle and pointer fingers.

louden_swain: no offence but you must have a weak core if you cant stay upright. If you do have a relativly strong core you might be holding the bar wrong

box squats can take a lot of weight off your quads.

front squats target the quads a lot better than back squats...a 150kg front squat will feel and places as much if not more pressure on the quads than say....180kgs

i guess it depends on what you want to get from training.
in my eyes back squats give you more "bang for your buck"

 

[louden_swain]

louden_swain: no offence but you must have a weak core if you cant stay upright. If you do have a relativly strong core you might be holding the bar wrong

My core is strong, but I just can't get comfortable with this exercise. I would rather direct the stress to my quads and hips rather than to my front delts, biceps, and lower back.

 

[jeremys]

endpoint: that kind of helps but i still cant force my elbows up high enough. they're almost directly touching my body

 

[endpoint]

louden_swain: there are different opinions of what a strong core is.

You shouldnt be feeling this in your upper body AT ALL.

With out watching you do the lift, your elbows may not be high enough throwing the weight forward....or gulp you have a weak core (you your self just said you feel it in your lower back). It is a priceless lift if you can master it...but it isnt essential (as i said before).
If you are interested.....try brining up your good mornings....that will help


jeremys: tight triceps? I had a lot of trouble until i stretched my way into them. Lats, forearms, quads triceps, seemed to hold me back the most

If you watch some of the superheavy OLs some of them hold the same arm position as you while recovering from a clean...

 

[jeremys]

that's probably the problem

 

[coolcolj]

use a wider grip, 3-4 inches wider than shoulder width, and then stick the elbows inwards, the will pop your front delts up to form a nice shelf, then jam the bar right against your throat.
You should feel like your choking

Use wide stance , this will keep your body perfectly vertical and thus take pressure of your wrists.

I can almost front squat what I back squat - well only about 40lb difference at the most.

It is a hard exercise, but great core builder. I feel like drowning everytime I do em heavy