I can almost guarantee you're not front squatting enough or any. For some reason, you don't see many gym goers (especially bodybuilders) using this time-tested exercise.
Crossfit has gone a long way towards bringing it back (much like Justin Timberlake brought sexy back), but if you're not doing crossfit - it's probably not even on your radar.
This is a shame because if you want to get full body strength build awesome quads chisel your abs and save your "tweaked" lower back then you're going to love the front squat.
Here's 2 reasons why you should front squat for a better body:
1. Get Better Quads - The front squat is an EXCELLENT movement to get bigger, stronger quads-probably the best exercise there is. Because you're position is more upright, it emphasizes the quads more.
2. Get Rock-Solid Abs (Core) - Since you're holding the weight facing your body, and you have to stay upright your whole core gets a great exercise trying to even out the weight and keep you vertical. If you find you're leaning forward a lot when you back squat, you'll quickly get stronger and fix this problem if you change over to front squats for a moment.
Front squats aren't just great for building a hard body with muscles of steel either! They're also really good at just making you more fit and keeping you more fit. What good is looking strong if you must sacrifice your health in the process?
Here's the five more reasons why you have to Front Squat for better well-being:
1. Makes Your Other Lifts Better - Because the bar is placed ahead of you, on your shoulders, the front squat is enormously like other exercises and strengthens the "base" of those lifts/presses. Power Cleans, Overhead Presses, Overhead Squats, and so on all share the same "starting" position as the front squat. Getting stronger and more comfortable with Front Squats will help you in those exercises as well.
2. Bad Form Gets Self-Corrected - If you're back squatting with bad form you can complete the exercise at the expense of causing injury to yourself. The good thing about front squats is the form is self correcting: If you're not straight enough you'll drop the bar if you're not holding the bar right you'll drop it if you don't keep your elbows up you'll drop it. It's an exercise that pretty much forces your form to be good.
3. Less Weight - When all is said and done, if you can defy your body with less weight (because you're doing a harder training) then it is safer. Because the Front Squat is harder than Back Squats you won't be able to lift as much weight. Which means a reduced amount of spinal compression.
4. More Natural Spine Position - You're more upright with the front squat your spine is in a more nonaligned "straight" position. This combined with the fact you're lifting a reduced amount of weight is better for your spine at the end of the day.
5. Lower Back Approved - Nearly everyone have lower back problems and back squats worsen these conditions. But because your upper body is normally straight (rather than leaning forward like in a back squat) there's a reduced amount of force on your lower back. I started front squatting when I hurt my lower back. - 15438
Crossfit has gone a long way towards bringing it back (much like Justin Timberlake brought sexy back), but if you're not doing crossfit - it's probably not even on your radar.
This is a shame because if you want to get full body strength build awesome quads chisel your abs and save your "tweaked" lower back then you're going to love the front squat.
Here's 2 reasons why you should front squat for a better body:
1. Get Better Quads - The front squat is an EXCELLENT movement to get bigger, stronger quads-probably the best exercise there is. Because you're position is more upright, it emphasizes the quads more.
2. Get Rock-Solid Abs (Core) - Since you're holding the weight facing your body, and you have to stay upright your whole core gets a great exercise trying to even out the weight and keep you vertical. If you find you're leaning forward a lot when you back squat, you'll quickly get stronger and fix this problem if you change over to front squats for a moment.
Front squats aren't just great for building a hard body with muscles of steel either! They're also really good at just making you more fit and keeping you more fit. What good is looking strong if you must sacrifice your health in the process?
Here's the five more reasons why you have to Front Squat for better well-being:
1. Makes Your Other Lifts Better - Because the bar is placed ahead of you, on your shoulders, the front squat is enormously like other exercises and strengthens the "base" of those lifts/presses. Power Cleans, Overhead Presses, Overhead Squats, and so on all share the same "starting" position as the front squat. Getting stronger and more comfortable with Front Squats will help you in those exercises as well.
2. Bad Form Gets Self-Corrected - If you're back squatting with bad form you can complete the exercise at the expense of causing injury to yourself. The good thing about front squats is the form is self correcting: If you're not straight enough you'll drop the bar if you're not holding the bar right you'll drop it if you don't keep your elbows up you'll drop it. It's an exercise that pretty much forces your form to be good.
3. Less Weight - When all is said and done, if you can defy your body with less weight (because you're doing a harder training) then it is safer. Because the Front Squat is harder than Back Squats you won't be able to lift as much weight. Which means a reduced amount of spinal compression.
4. More Natural Spine Position - You're more upright with the front squat your spine is in a more nonaligned "straight" position. This combined with the fact you're lifting a reduced amount of weight is better for your spine at the end of the day.
5. Lower Back Approved - Nearly everyone have lower back problems and back squats worsen these conditions. But because your upper body is normally straight (rather than leaning forward like in a back squat) there's a reduced amount of force on your lower back. I started front squatting when I hurt my lower back. - 15438
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