Front Squat Question

[sndt1319]

After throwing my back out for a fifth time while doing back squats, my doctor told me I should switch to front squats because it helps maintain a more upright position. I'm 6'4" and he said that with the back squat tall people can put a lot of pressure on their low back if they lean too far forward and lead with there butt. Apparently this is what I've been doing so I'm switching to a front squat.

My concern is that I have overly strong quads compared to my hamstrings as it is. My understanding is that front squats focus more on quad strength than a back squat. If I include deadlifts, hamstring curls, and KB swings into my leg day is this going to be enough to compensate for the more quad focused front squat? I'm trying to balance my hips out and I don't want the switch to be counter productive.

Thanks.

[jpmuscle]

So why not just fix your barbell back squat instead? If you’re throwing your back out you’re highlighting an obvious strength deficiency in your lower back.

Low bar wide stance squat and reverse hyper is what you seek.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wake27]

While I like front squats, I’d agree that you should probably fix the issue rather than just avoid one of the best lifts you can do. If you’re like me, the positioning is because of tightness/lack of mobility in a few areas of your lower body. I’d recommend dropping weight significantly and focusing on fixing your form along with the other exercises. If you’ve hurt your back five times all from the same exercise, it’s probably a good idea to get a pro to help you with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gunnerblue]

Fix whatever is wrong with your back squat instead of ignoring the problem. For me, bar position greatly influences how much I can lift. With a low bar/wide stance, I can move the most weight but end up “good morning-ing” the weight at the bottom. I’ve switched to a high bar/narrower stance which allows me to keep a much more upright position throughout the lift.

IMO, training the front squat extensively should be reserved for events that require a lot of front loading- e.g. Strongman competition. The back squat is much more versatile and useful from a general strength perspective.

My two cents

[sndt1319]

I started trying to fix what was wrong with my back squat around injury two. Over the years I've bought strong lifts, watch video's, physical therapy, personal trainer...... I guess you could say that I'm a little jaded. I've gotten to the point where I guess I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze. When a physical therapist tells you that you have body dimensions that make it easy to hurt yourself doing an exercise that you have repeatedly hurt yourself on, it seemed like the smart move is to stop doing it.

[Itsahak]

I found that I had a harder time, where my back was concerned, when I did the front squat. Fixing my back squat helped, but frankly as I hit my late 30's/early 40's I stopped lifting so damn heavy. Being closer to 50 than I am 45, I never want to see 500+ lb squats, 400+ lb benches and 475+ lb deads again. Age is something none of us can escape...

[bp7178]

What kind of history does your doctor have with doing and training squats?

I'm 6'-3" and the ONLY time I have hurt my back doing squats was doing a warm-up set of front squats with an empty bar. I haphazardly dropped down sharply without controlling my breathing or form and felt a very sharp pinch. The next morning it hurt so bad I almost passed out.

If you read/watch video about the way Starting Strength teaches the low-bar squat, Mark Rippetoe address the notion of shear in there somewhere. Its the idea that a low bar squat will cause a shear force on the spine. This notion disregards everything else the lifter should be doing in the low-bar squat, including a Valsalva maneuver to keep the torso very rigid.

I'd suggest dropping the weight very low which will challenge your ego but allow you to work on the mechanics of the lift very safely.

[joffe]

All squats, by biomechanical definition, are focused on the quads and other anterior thigh muscles, as well as the glutes if you go low enough. The squat is the lower body "push" exercise. Trying to train the hamstrings by doing squats is like trying to train biceps by bench pressing. Whether you do back squats or front squats hardly matters in this regard.

In order to train hamstrings you need to do "pull" exercises that actually load them, such as deadlifts.

The choice between front squats and back squats is personal preference unless you need sport specificity. There is nothing magical about the back squat that makes it a better choice, unless you're a powerlifter and you need to train the back squat for that sport.

Personally I do not like doing front squats in my home gym where I am alone because of the potential for occluding the neck arteries and passing out under the bar. This should not happen with proper technique, but we all know better than relying on "should not".

[n517rv]

If you read/watch video about the way Starting Strength teaches the low-bar squat, Mark Rippetoe address the notion of shear in there somewhere. Its the idea that a low bar squat will cause a shear force on the spine. This notion disregards everything else the lifter should be doing in the low-bar squat, including a Valsalva maneuver to keep the torso very rigid.

I completely agree. I'm past the half century age mark and have been doing a Starting Strength linear progression and I can say without a doubt that learning to squat and deadlift heavy weights will do wonders for the strength of your back and entire posterior chain of muscles. I have noticed a significant reduction in back "tweaks" and back pain.

HOWEVER, you have to work up in weight doing a linear progression and you really have to learn the proper form including: getting the barbell low enough on your back, keeping your knees out over you toes, going below parralel, and driving up out of the bottom with your hips rather that with your knees.

I highly recommend getting a copy of both Mark Rippetoe's book Starting Strength 3rd Edition and if you're over 40 get a copy of Andy Baker and Dr. Johnathan Sullivan's excellent book The Barbell Prescription.

Excellent resources on YouTube include:
Starting Strength
GreySteel
Barbell Medicine

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[jpmuscle]

I started trying to fix what was wrong with my back squat around injury two. Over the years I've bought strong lifts, watch video's, physical therapy, personal trainer...... I guess you could say that I'm a little jaded. I've gotten to the point where I guess I don't think the juice is worth the squeeze. When a physical therapist tells you that you have body dimensions that make it easy to hurt yourself doing an exercise that you have repeatedly hurt yourself on, it seemed like the smart move is to stop doing it.

First off PTDs are losers and pseudo medical Cucks. Ignore them. Seek out professional strength and conditioning SMEs. PTs are fgts who like to post YouTube videos of repetitive movements while blithering on about kinetic neuro integration bullshit all the while themselves looking like hipster homos with dad bods.

Crush accessory work targeting your weakness and get your diet on point.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk