Ive started doing front squats, im wondering, is there any drawbacks from doing front squats vs back squats? I do notice alot of muscular soreness in my shoulder blades area. The only reason i ask is because for some reason i can control the form better using a front squat then i can a back squat.
With front squats you aren’t going to get the same kind of posterior chain development, or the same level of loading. Use both in your program and reap the best of both worlds.
On a side note, many feel that front squats are actually more painful than back squats. Enjoy!
Stay strong
MR
[quote]Superman wrote:
Ive started doing front squats, im wondering, is there any drawbacks from doing front squats vs back squats? I do notice alot of muscular soreness in my shoulder blades area. The only reason i ask is because for some reason i can control the form better using a front squat then i can a back squat.[/quote]
As I understand it, the back squat is more hip dominant and the front squat is more quad dominant. You are “forced” into better form with the front squat or you’ll tip over like “humpty dumpty” 
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
With front squats you aren’t going to get the same kind of posterior chain development, or the same level of loading. Use both in your program and reap the best of both worlds.
On a side note, many feel that front squats are actually more painful than back squats. Enjoy!
Stay strong
MR[/quote]
when doing front squats I have been getting a slight pain, not much but a little bit in the lower back, I injured it about 6 months ago and it is 90% healed I am wondering if the front squat recruits the lower back, the lowest part like the Sacrum possibly more then the back squat or am I just haveing a stragnge time adjusting to the front squat Thanks and sorry for the slight Hijack BB
Without actually seeing you squat, it’s impossible to tell. However, I quite often see people who have very tight glutes that have a hard time front squatting because their low back rounds in the bottom. I would check glute flexibility and go from there.
Stay strong
MR
[quote]biggieben wrote:
Mike Robertson wrote:
With front squats you aren’t going to get the same kind of posterior chain development, or the same level of loading. Use both in your program and reap the best of both worlds.
On a side note, many feel that front squats are actually more painful than back squats. Enjoy!
Stay strong
MR
when doing front squats I have been getting a slight pain, not much but a little bit in the lower back, I injured it about 6 months ago and it is 90% healed I am wondering if the front squat recruits the lower back, the lowest part like the Sacrum possibly more then the back squat or am I just haveing a stragnge time adjusting to the front squat Thanks and sorry for the slight Hijack BB[/quote]
I have the same problem. I had a minor lower back injury few weeks ago and I feel a slight sting on my lower back.
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
On a side note, many feel that front squats are actually more painful than back squats. Enjoy!
Stay strong
MR[/quote]
Agreed, especially when you are trying to keep the bar balanced on your clavicle and end up half-choking yourself by pressing it on the windpipe!
[quote]Mike Robertson wrote:
Without actually seeing you squat, it’s impossible to tell. However, I quite often see people who have very tight glutes that have a hard time front squatting because their low back rounds in the bottom. I would check glute flexibility and go from there.
[/quote]
this could definately be the culprit, Because I def have tight hammies and feel like the glutes are too get some sensations of tightness with GHR and a few other exercises. what would you recomend, I will look into it further myself but if you could recomend a stretching program, I will check out Neandertal no More I think that had some info. Thanks this reinfoces my knowing aI have to regain some of my flexibility.
I didn’t like front squats when I first started them because of the shoulder soreness I would feel the day after. I just started doing them with a clean grip instead and I have no soreness and can actually do more weight than before.
For those of you who have shoulder soreness from front squats, how are you racking the weight across your shoulders? Do you rack it like you just completed a power clean or do you rack it by crossing your arms over the bar?
I used to cross my arms, but I find that is just too painful on my shoulders. I don’t get shoulder pain from racking it like the end position of a power clean. I also find my range of motion is much smoother this way.
On the other hand, when holding the weight like a clean, I have attempted to lift a heavy weight by pushing with my wrists, and that causes wrist pain. But by being conscious of not using my wrists when the load gets heavy, the wrist pain goes away.
Anyway, if you get shoulder soreness and you cross your arms over the bar, you might want to try it the other way.
I have completely eliminated shoulder problems associated with the front squat by buying and using Dave Draper’s “Top Squat” device…it really works!
BTW, for whatever it’s worth, I’m not associated with Draper in any way.
Maybe I am not looking at it right, but how is that a picture of a front squat? The barbell is behind his head, which would make it a back squat. Either way, that device is goofy.
[quote]bigvook wrote:
Maybe I am not looking at it right, but how is that a picture of a front squat? The barbell is behind his head, which would make it a back squat. Either way, that device is goofy.[/quote]
The picture was not intended to demonstrate the use of the Top Squat device while doing a front squat. It was intended to give the gentle reader an idea of what the device looks like…period. Either way, the comment that the “device is goofy”…is goofy.
throttle132:
For the love of god man! Is your avatar what I think it is?!?!?!
If you try to do front squats with the same grip and hand position that you use when doing a clean, it it going to limit the amount of weight you can use and will also cause some problems.
The bar is supported by only the fingers of the hands-actually just the ends of the fingers-I use only two or three fingers to support the bar. This takes some wrist and finger flexibility and some practice, but this is something that can be achieved fairly quickly.
I have short, thick arms and I can easily rack the weight correctly, so I think just about anyone can do the same.
This movement takes practice and repetition-once you hit the “groove” on the front squat, you will know why this is an extremely valuable movement, though many people will not do the work and bear the temporary discomfort to ever hit that groove.
http://images.t-nation.com/forum_images/./1/.1114812840940.NursesAvatar.jpg
[quote]analog_kid wrote:
throttle132:
For the love of god man! Is your avatar what I think it is?!?!?![/quote]
Sheesh! It’s just me get getting some seriously needed medical help…while humming Van Halen’s “Everybody Wants Some”… LOL…Hey, what’s this got to do with a front squat anyway? Ummmmmmmmmmm…
[quote]Keith Wassung wrote:
I have short, thick arms and I can easily rack the weight correctly, so I think just about anyone can do the same.
This movement takes practice and repetition-once you hit the “groove” on the front squat, you will know why this is an extremely valuable movement, though many people will not do the work and bear the temporary discomfort to ever hit that groove.
[/quote]
Keith, how much are you putiing up there. That is inpressive, my man.
This morning I did Front squats with 95 Lbs. I’m just finding the “groove.” My forarms and wrist were the weakest part when I started. I started with the cross over grip but now that my arms can take I just use clean gripe.
Groove on, that picture is going on the wall.
Front squats jack up my shoulders. I like Zercher squats instead, they feel fine and help me work on form for other lifts.
The picture is from many years ago, probably the last time I weighed under 200lbs as this was the 1986 All Navy Camp, and I competed at 198lbs then. I think the weight is in the low 400;s, maybe 410 or 415. It looks like more because of the bumper plates.