Front Squats

[ChinkNasty]

yo, I've seen people do front squats where like they hold the bar with their hands (touching their front delts almost) but I do them with the bar resting ON my front delts and then kinda crisscrossing my arms over the bar...I feel like I can't do a lot of weight like this...seems liek a precarious position to me...any ideas to improve flexibility so that I can front squat teh other way or any suggestions would be appreciated...

peace,
CN

 

[d3track]

coolcoolj had a video up a while back of him doing fronts with the snatch grip, i would search for that

 

[Backlash]

I also cross my arms over the bar, I just can't seem to hold it the other way. Never was the failure point for front squats though (i.e. I can hold as much weight there as I can front squat). I think my core is one of my weak points for front squats...

 

[wnt2bBeast]

There is no difference in grip style..crossing arms is more Bodybuilder type and snatch is oly style..i would pay more attention to your squat technique and use whatever grip style you are comfortable with!!

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

There is no difference in grip style..crossing arms is more Bodybuilder type and snatch is oly style..i would pay more attention to your squat technique and use whatever grip style you are comfortable with!!

as you go heavier- crossing arms in front is dangerous in that the bar can slip forward. I hold it in a clean grip (same grip I use in powercleans).

 

[ChinkNasty]

aight, thanks fellas...yea, thats what I was wondering...I know the bar kinda has a tendency to fall forward when I go heavier but I lack the flexibilty to snatch it and bend my arms backwards like that though...

later,
cN

 

[Tom Treutlein]

You might need more flexibility in your forearms and such...

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459213

 

[ChinkNasty]

aight tom, thanks for the quality read bud

peace,
CN

 

[wnt2bBeast]

as you go heavier- crossing arms in front is dangerous in that the bar can slip forward. I hold it in a clean grip (same grip I use in powercleans).

true..but my delts are fairly sturdy and make a nice ledge..315 no problems so far..knock on wood..if ronnie can do 585 with crossed arms its good enough for me..lol

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

true..but my delts are fairly sturdy and make a nice ledge..315 no problems so far..knock on wood..if ronnie can do 585 with crossed arms its good enough for me..lol

guess my delts are fairly small/ ledgeless

whos ronnie?

 

[wnt2bBeast]

guess my delts are fairly small/ ledgeless

whos ronnie?

ronnie=coleman..ur delts look nice though btw..i didnt forget your post about the static holds..but recently ive been tooling around and saw that it was recommended as part of a routine, so props to you..sometimes meatheads are resistant to new ideas lol!!

 

[jcp2]

true..but my delts are fairly sturdy and make a nice ledge..315 no problems so far..knock on wood..if ronnie can do 585 with crossed arms its good enough for me..lol

same here.

 

[Tweakle]

with a clean grip I tend to drop my elbows towards the end of the set, and my torso starts tilting forward... does an arms crossed grip fix that problem?

 

[ChinkNasty]

with a clean grip I tend to drop my elbows towards the end of the set, and my torso starts tilting forward... does an arms crossed grip fix that problem?

well the same kind of problem exists with the arms-crossed style because on the heavier weights towards the end the barbell has a tendency to start sliding (ie rolling off your front delts and thus making your torso go forwards) forwards...at least thats the case for me and I don't have the arm flexibility to even utilize the clean grip...I like the armed-crossed grip up to a certain weight (225 for reps) but I don't think I can go much higher without my torso tilting forwards/barbell sliding forwards as well...

peace,
CN

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Ahh balance is the key here!!! If your doing fronts i would do them first since ur fresh and ready to go..Chink youll get there, fronts are a little harder, obviously with the bar positioned on the front of your body leaning the torso forward is a no no..keep the abs tight and work on them and youll be able to up the wieghts!

 

[ChinkNasty]

Ahh balance is the key here!!! If your doing fronts i would do them first since ur fresh and ready to go..Chink youll get there, fronts are a little harder, obviously with the bar positioned on the front of your body leaning the torso forward is a no no..keep the abs tight and work on them and youll be able to up the wieghts!

yea, definitely...thanks for the input bro

peace,
CN

 

[Debaser]

I bought a Stingray...works very well for front squats.

 

[Tweakle]

http://jva.ontariostrongman.ca/FS.htm

^^^ JV's vise grip idea sounds like a good way to work the lift while you work on flexibility

 

[ChinkNasty]

http://jva.ontariostrongman.ca/FS.htm

^^^ JV's vise grip idea sounds like a good way to work the lift while you work on flexibility

intesresting idea...might look a little ridiculous in there though haha

peace,
CN

 

[coolcolj]

Cleangrip is best if you can do it

clip - right click and save
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquatPR_275x2SLIP_x3_15April04.mpg


but you need flexible wrists - use wider grip it helps, and push the elbows in slightly, the bar. should rest at the base of the front dlet, there should be a little groove for it.

stretch your wrists, triceps and lats - that will help.

 

[ChinkNasty]

Cleangrip is best if you can do it

clip - right click and save
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquatPR_275x2SLIP_x3_15April04.mpg


but you need flexible wrists - use wider grip it helps, and push the elbows in slightly, the bar. should rest at the base of the front dlet, there should be a little groove for it.

stretch your wrists, triceps and lats - that will help.

aight thanks bro..for some reason I can never view any of yoru clips...it gives me this homosexual website not found or can't access this page error every time bro...

peace,
CN

 

[slydeflex04]

[No message]

 

[kunta]

i found it 10x easier for the shoulder to do front squats on a smith machine, i found without the smith machine it would start to roll down my shoulders if i went over anything above 175

 

[coolcolj]

aight thanks bro..for some reason I can never view any of yoru clips...it gives me this homosexual website not found or can't access this page error every time bro...

peace,
CN

LOL sound like you got some spyware program on your PC etc - get it sorted

in any case try right clicking on the link and saving it first before watching

 

[slydeflex04]

Cleangrip is best if you can do it

clip - right click and save
http://www.members.optushome.com.au/blitzforce/Movies/CCJ_FrontSquatPR_275x2SLIP_x3_15April04.mpg


but you need flexible wrists - use wider grip it helps, and push the elbows in slightly, the bar. should rest at the base of the front dlet, there should be a little groove for it.

stretch your wrists, triceps and lats - that will help.

coolcol J, can you use a wrist strap to do a make shift type of vise grip to hold on to the wrist strap around the bar?

 

[coolcolj]

coolcol J, can you use a wrist strap to do a make shift type of vise grip to hold on to the wrist strap around the bar?

Yeap, works fine, but quite as steady

 

[anthrax]

What about a 5lb plate under heels ? or should heels remain on the floor ?

 

[coolcolj]

What about a 5lb plate under heels ? or should heels remain on the floor ?

Go buy some Oly lifting shoes and use those instead!
So much better, and they are good for general lifting as well. Nice and solid
The heel is raised and made of solid wood and lots of arch support