Is it possible to do heavy front squats, as in a 5x5 or something? If so, how do you hold on to the bar, and do you go deep? It would imagine going deep would be good, since you would have to use less weight, hence the bar would be easier to control. Should I get my boobs to help or something? 
Yep, you can do heavy front squats. I’ve done 5x5 and I’ve also gone to a 2RM with them before, ass to heels - deep front squats are necessary if you want to do the Olympic lifts. When holding the bar, rack the bar across the top of your shoulders, with the bar resting across your fingers (not your palms) and keep your elbows up. As for your boobs, well, I don’t have that problem (bein a guy) but hey if a lil cushion helps then more power to ya 
Do a search for “front squats” at T-mag. I think we’ve ran some pics in the past of front squat technique. Just keep in mind there’s a lot of debate about which technique is correct.
Good question, Princess! I also have a really hard time going heavy on front squats. Anyone have any good advice? I’ve never used a Manta Ray, but maybe that would be the answer…?
Front Squats and a 5x5 system work well together. It’s probably actually easier to use proper form on lower reps rather than higher reps on front squats due to fatigue.
I could explain how to do a correct front squat, or I could refer you to a site that has pics. I’ll refer you to the site. Check out www.olympus.net/personal/cablebar/FS.htm
Like Spanky said, keep your elbows up, back straight and go deep. It does take some time getting used to them if you haven’t done them before. And your wrists may be sore for a while, as they do require good flexibility. But you will adjust quickly. I’ve used them for 5x5, 6x2(4) and for various sets of 1-3 reps. They work very well, especially if you plan on using the Olympic lifts.
OLers use front squats as assistance exercises with heavy resistance all the time. Like back squats, or any other lift, full range (ie. leave a stain on the platform) is better than partial reps. The way I do them looks like coming up from the squat position in the clean, not with my arms crossed (make any sense??).
Have a high tolerance for pain and use one of those fag pads. I have been able to emulate the tention pattern of front squats with the leg press and the hack squat machine by changing my foot positioning.
Goto the sit Ricoflex posted. That is the correct way to do fronts. You want to hold the bar in your hands (takes some getting used to and wrist flexibility). Front squats are an athletic movement and translate well into sports. There is no way to cheat with fronts. Go ass to heels. I do 3-4 sets after my back squats.
When I have been doing front squats, I have been doing it with my arms folded. Why is this bad? I looked at the pictures of the way people seem to recommend it, but they are sort of unclear. Do you wrap your fingers around the bar, or do the fingers push it in place? I am confused!
… boob comment … t levels critical … cant resist … Princess - no offence but that boob comment makes me think you could not be both adult and female as you have claimed in other posts, which would make the comment a little inappropriate dont you think? I think you said you were in your twenties but you also said you mum buys supplements which suggests you are most likely not out of high school. Sorry if Im wrong, I just have a very active bullshit radar.
Princess, arms crossed is one way to do it. There’s several ways. The standard way is with the bar resting across your delts and fingers, with your elbows high (not pointing down). It’s the same as the rack position you’d use for a clean, which is why Olympic lifters and most other people hold the bar this way. Your fingers don’t necessarily have to wrap around the bar, but the bar should be secure and sitting on top of them. The problem most people have with doing front squats this way is wrist flexibility. It takes some getting used to. Definitely stretch your wrists out using an empty bar before your warmup sets. If you can’t hold the bar this way, work on flexibility and use the crossed arms method instead. Another way to hold the bar is to just balance it across your delts with your arms pointing straight ahead. I’ve done this before when I’ve had wrist problems and it works just fine.
Princess - so can I convince you to try Power Cleans from the floor with a full front squat? - Just a thought and something I will cover in a future article.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
In faith,
Coach Davies
Weightlifters do front squats to help with the recovery in the clean, that’s probably why they do them with the same grip. It’s probably safer when you miss, just push the bar away, than if your arms were folded. If you’re in a power rack or something & you miss I guess you could just squat all the way down then crawl out underneath so there the grip wouldn’t matter. I think having my arms folded is too uncomfortable, with one arm lower than the other, etc so I do them clean-style. You shouldn’t need to grip the bar either. The elbows should be up high enough (look at those pics) that you feel like you’re gonna choke on the bar and it just rests on your front delts.
Here is a problem I have when doing heavy front squats - my abs and obliques give out way to soon. My quads hardly feel anything. I know they could handle more weight, but my torso doesn’t seem to keep up! Any one have any suggestions? - Coach Davies? Matt
I’ve been relegated to front squats for a while due to a back problem I picked up deadlifting last week (see the “chuckin spears at the flounder” thread). What I’ve found is that the bar is A LOT more stable when I do the clean grip rather than crossed arms. Also, since I’m so used to back squats, I really have to look up (like almost straight up at the ceiling) to keep the butt under me. If your boobs are assisting the lift, you are either extremely well endowed and short, or you’re holding the bar too low.
Front squat technique can be difficult to describe, but it’s not difficult and pictures help a lot. The biomechanics of the actual squatting is actually quite a bit easier than back squatting. It’s getting the bar nice and secure that’s the tough part. As everybody has said, you’re elbows need to stay high, and don’t be afraid to get that bar nice and pressed up against the bottom of your neck. You shouldn’t be “holding” onto the bar, it should rather be resting against your fingertips. When done right, keeping the bar in its proper position isn’t very hard, so if your shoulders start to tire of your elbows start dropping, it’s time to reevaulate your technique.
Matt, you need to concentrate more on core work. Prioritize your core work and do all core exercises at the beginning of your workout for at least 4 weeks, preferably 6-8. Swiss ball crunches, back extensions, reverse hypers, Russian twists, Saxxon side bends, overhead squats, etc… particularly OH squats, these are absolutely great for building a solid core. Rotate your core execises from day to day, but keep doing front squats. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Matt-could you explain with a little more detail - do you mean you are falling forward?
In faith,
Coach Davies
This thread is really giving me a lot of advise! I am going to buy the Sting Ray, I think that will help with my form. I am too confused, and perhaps uncoordinated, to try the olympic methods, at least at this time. I am not very flexible, plus my wrists are small, and weak.
Is it really relevant in this thread as to why I am 26, with my mom buying me my supplements, and why I mentioned my boobs in a post??? Hello? Maybe I was just joking around? Also, I don’t feel the need to explain my financial situation, if anyone really cares that much about it, feel free to email me.