Health & Fitness
Sponsored by

Front squat help

1,782 Views | 23 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by Woods Ag
RightWingConspirator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I started doing front squats a while ago and have slowly built up to about 215 lbs. I've noticed that it has become very difficult to keep my elbows up as the weight has gotten heavier.

I tried a safety squat bar and that seemed to make a huge difference as it keeps me upright and I don't need to balance the full weight across my delts.

I looked online to see if I had come up with something ground breaking - I didn't. I noticed that there were many using a safety squat bar for front squats, but most were turning the bar backwards to where the padding is across the throat. Why is this? If I do it with the bar in normal position, I stay upright and did not notice a change in form with the bar turned around. With the bar turned around, it puts the bar in a weird position (the portion where the weights rest) where the weights are fighting gravity. Am I missing something? Is it necessary to turn the bar around?

Help is appreciated.
"But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement." - Thomas J. Stanley
OaklandAg06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Are you crossing your arms or are you using a normal clean style grip?

As someone who did a decent amount of Olympic lifting, in which front squats were an accessory exercise, all I can tell you is that a proper front squat requires a lot of wrist and elbow mobility. Most people cross their arms due to a lack of wrist mobility. But it is easier to get your elbows higher using a regular clean style grip. Spend some time working your wrist mobility, and it should get easier. Watch some videos of Olympic lifters doing front squats and as well as some of their warm up movements to get some ideas.
RightWingConspirator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
When I use a straight bar, I bend my wrists back and secure the bar with three fingers, but I've started using the safety squat bar for front squats. Did you have an opinion on my question above?
"But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement." - Thomas J. Stanley
culdeus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Using straps is a decent option also.
K Bo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I've found that foam rolling my lats before sets helped loosen them up and get my elbows higher
Max Power
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I've never tried one but they do make front squat harnesses.

https://www.titan.fitness/strongman/carry/other-carry-1/front-squat-harness/409018.2.html
RightWingConspirator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Thanks, guys, for the advice, but did anyone see the question I asked? I asked whether turning the safety squat bar around was necessary?
"But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement." - Thomas J. Stanley
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We did we just reject it because you don't need a safety squat bar.

Keep you chest up and head looking upward. That will help you keep your elbows high. If you still find your elbows falling you need to reduce the weight. You're elbows are dropping because your upper back is collapsing bc the weight is too much.

Reducing weight is fine, just do what you can the right way and weight will come.
RightWingConspirator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Not sure why, but your comment made me laugh, WoodsAg.

I typically do sets of 5 reps. I can keep my elbows up and back straight for most of my reps, but it does fall somewhat apart on those last reps. At any rate, once I switched over to the safety squat bar, I was able to add about 15 lbs to the squat. I just figured if I don't have to lay the weight across my delts and bend my fingers back in a way that is usually uncomfortable, and still do it while remaining upright like i'm supposed to, why not use the safety squat bar. Turns out i'm not the only one doing it. There are many experienced powerlifters recommending the safety squat bar for front squats, but they're turning the bar around backwards; hence, my question.
"But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement." - Thomas J. Stanley
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
It was meant to be lighthearted so I'm glad you took it that way.

I don't know anything about this safety bar stuff so I can't add anything in that regard.
TurboVelo
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Woods Ag said:

We did we just reject it because you don't need a safety squat bar.

Keep you chest up and head looking upward. That will help you keep your elbows high. If you still find your elbows falling you need to reduce the weight. You're elbows are dropping because your upper back is collapsing bc the weight is too much.

Reducing weight is fine, just do what you can the right way and weight will come.
This.

Remember, the reason to do front squats is the shift the focus to the quads and upper back. Like Woods said, if your elbows are dropping, the weight is too high (or you need more flexibility in your arms, but I digress).

It's always better to reduce the weight and use correct form than to use shortcuts to go to a higher weight and risk injury or hamper future gains.
sanitariex
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
So where would one recommend learning more about increasing flexibility for this lift? I have tried and tried over the years and can't bend my arms in a way to do it, so I've quit trying.
jtraggie99
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
sanitariex said:

So where would one recommend learning more about increasing flexibility for this lift? I have tried and tried over the years and can't bend my arms in a way to do it, so I've quit trying.
I will say I do not do front squats on a regular basis. Although I typically include some form of cleans. I use to have a lot of issues getting the weight on my front delts and elbows up due to lack of flexibility in wrists (among other tightness issues). Multiple years of yoga have helped that to a large degree.
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Wrist, hip, and ankle flexibility is what you'll need to work on.

Wrist - like photo shows, place both hands like that and just lean back and let it stretch. Then angle out to the sides and lean side to side, the. 180 degrees from position shown and lean forward. Then I flip them with palms facing up (fingers towards me) and lean back.

I don't know the truth behind it but a PT told me once that I need to be holding every stretch about 2 mins when I'm working on flexibility if I want to get anything out of it.

jtraggie99
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Woods Ag said:

I don't know the truth behind it but a PT told me once that I need to be holding every stretch about 2 mins when I'm working on flexibility if I want to get anything out of it.



Just based on my own experience, I would not agree with that. I've been doing yoga for over 6 years and it's vastly helped my mobility and flexibility. I've done lots of bikram and vinyasa flows and it would be extremely rare to hold a pose that long (and yet it works exceptionally well). I will also add that I'm not a big fan of static stretching anyway. It never seemed to do much for me. I think the constant moving in and out of poses / stretches and often repeating them multiple times throughout a session works way better than holding a stretch a single, lengthy time.
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
You were able to add 15lbs because the bar covered up one of your deficiencies. Greater weight does not equal greater strength gains. Do what weight you can do correctly and your body will get stronger. Front Squats have a purpose as mentioned above, if you are going to manipulate the bar in order to be able to do more weight then you're defeating the purpose.

The same thing with people that only care to go to exactly parallel in a squat. Ok, but what if you need to pick something up from below parallel? You're going to struggle because you don't train your body to have strength thru the entire movement. I get it if you're trying to set a new PR, but its rare you're maxing out.
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I hear ya. I don't really static stretch when I'm warming up. Short duration stretching and movements to get my body warm.

This is extra work I do if I need to work on flexibility.
Capitol Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Mark Rippetoe says "front squats?



But in all seriousness. I wonder if it's just too heavy for your upper body. I always try to really force my chest out and keep the bar on my shoulders. Than there is the core aspect. That also could be failing drooping you forward. Have to see the film of you doing it to know for sure.
culdeus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I am in same boat that my wrists can't deal with the weight. I don't feel like I should have to go into some sort of program to get limp wrists to add another 20kg to my front squat. Taking a short cut around that seems more than reasonable. Zercher is the way I've tried to keep progressing.

I also only front squat once a week as more or less an accessory. Would rather put in the time for hip flexibility if I had time to do anything. .02
culdeus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RightWingConspirator
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
culdeous, still not sure why it is necessary to turn the bar around. I can remain upright with the handles in front of my chest as opposed to down my back. Not sure why it is necessary to turn it around.
"But it is easier to purchase products that denote superiority than to be actually superior in economic achievement." - Thomas J. Stanley
jtraggie99
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
culdeus said:

I am in same boat that my wrists can't deal with the weight. I don't feel like I should have to go into some sort of program to get limp wrists to add another 20kg to my front squat. Taking a short cut around that seems more than reasonable. Zercher is the way I've tried to keep progressing.

I also only front squat once a week as more or less an accessory. Would rather put in the time for hip flexibility if I had time to do anything. .02

Just my personal opinion, but I do not understand why the amount of weight matters. Unless you are training for some competition where the amount you lift is important, why do you care? It seems to me that the goal of any lift should be doing the lift correctly and maximizing the muscles utilized. I get the goal is to get stronger, but you are always going to have weak points. And, in my opinion, identifying and working on weak points should be a goal, not finding ways to work around them.

Also, I think, as you age, flexibility and mobility become more and more important. Incorporating some sort of program or routine, be it yoga or something else, that helps you maintain, or even better, increase, your mobility is vital. If you have tight wrists and hips, as you seem to indicate above, chances are you have other issues with muscle tightness as well, and it would probably be beneficial spending some dedicated time focusing on that. You body will thank you as you get older.

Just my two cents...
culdeus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
RightWingConspirator said:

culdeous, still not sure why it is necessary to turn the bar around. I can remain upright with the handles in front of my chest as opposed to down my back. Not sure why it is necessary to turn it around.


At that point it isn't a front squat? I dunno I just saw that video hit my feed and seemed relevant. I've never even seen a safety bar IRL.
culdeus
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
jtraggie99 said:

culdeus said:

I am in same boat that my wrists can't deal with the weight. I don't feel like I should have to go into some sort of program to get limp wrists to add another 20kg to my front squat. Taking a short cut around that seems more than reasonable. Zercher is the way I've tried to keep progressing.

I also only front squat once a week as more or less an accessory. Would rather put in the time for hip flexibility if I had time to do anything. .02

Just my personal opinion, but I do not understand why the amount of weight matters. Unless you are training for some competition where the amount you lift is important, why do you care? It seems to me that the goal of any lift should be doing the lift correctly and maximizing the muscles utilized. I get the goal is to get stronger, but you are always going to have weak points. And, in my opinion, identifying and working on weak points should be a goal, not finding ways to work around them.

Also, I think, as you age, flexibility and mobility become more and more important. Incorporating some sort of program or routine, be it yoga or something else, that helps you maintain, or even better, increase, your mobility is vital. If you have tight wrists and hips, as you seem to indicate above, chances are you have other issues with muscle tightness as well, and it would probably be beneficial spending some dedicated time focusing on that. You body will thank you as you get older.

Just my two cents...


I mean I work on flexibility alot. I just don't see having wrist flexibility as a high priority. The main reason I would work on it would be to have better front squat form rather then feeling like I need to lean on straps or other forms of it. I don't see a big benefit otherwise
Woods Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Your wrists shouldn't be supporting the weight in the first place. You only need to work on flexibility if you can't keep your hands on the bar in the front rack position.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.