I have trouble front squatting, and was wondering if anyone else here had ever had trouble with them.
Here’s my problems with them:
anyone else have / get by these problems? It happens even with lighter weights.
There are lots of threads about this if you search for them. It sounds like your form is likely very bad, but I think we’d all need some more info before we could say anything specific.
You should also check out the Squat Rx videos on youtube. Their front squat videos are good.
You should get used to the shoulder discomfort in a couple of weeks. How do they hurt your knees, are you going deep enough?
[quote]Iron Joe wrote:
You should get used to the shoulder discomfort in a couple of weeks. How do they hurt your knees, are you going deep enough?[/quote]
Definitely going deep enough, probably 2" past parallel actually. I just get this stinging inside my knees after doing them.
[quote]AngryVader wrote:
There are lots of threads about this if you search for them. It sounds like your form is likely very bad, but I think we’d all need some more info before we could say anything specific.
You should also check out the Squat Rx videos on youtube. Their front squat videos are good.[/quote]
I use cross-arm, I keep my chest up, and yeah my stance is slightly more narrow than shoulder-width
[quote]AccipiterQ wrote:
Iron Joe wrote:
You should get used to the shoulder discomfort in a couple of weeks. How do they hurt your knees, are you going deep enough?
Definitely going deep enough, probably 2" past parallel actually. I just get this stinging inside my knees after doing them.
AngryVader wrote:
There are lots of threads about this if you search for them. It sounds like your form is likely very bad, but I think we’d all need some more info before we could say anything specific.
You should also check out the Squat Rx videos on youtube. Their front squat videos are good.
I use cross-arm, I keep my chest up, and yeah my stance is slightly more narrow than shoulder-width[/quote]
You might need to widen your stance then. I tend to round my back and feel it in my knees more when I front squat with a narrower stance.
[quote]AngryVader wrote:
AccipiterQ wrote:
Iron Joe wrote:
You should get used to the shoulder discomfort in a couple of weeks. How do they hurt your knees, are you going deep enough?
Definitely going deep enough, probably 2" past parallel actually. I just get this stinging inside my knees after doing them.
AngryVader wrote:
There are lots of threads about this if you search for them. It sounds like your form is likely very bad, but I think we’d all need some more info before we could say anything specific.
You should also check out the Squat Rx videos on youtube. Their front squat videos are good.
I use cross-arm, I keep my chest up, and yeah my stance is slightly more narrow than shoulder-width
You might need to widen your stance then. I tend to round my back and feel it in my knees more when I front squat with a narrower stance.[/quote]
Yeah, I think a wider stance could help things out a lot. I usually try to go A2G, and keep my feet usually a bit wider than my shoulders. To adjust knee discomfort, you may also want to try putting your toes at a slight angle, maybe up to 45 degrees out or so.
On your knee pain, its most likely the problem is with your knees not with the exercise. Try this: stretch your calves, do that ankle mobilization thing and do some hamstring exercise all before the front squat, i’d try hip mobility stuff too… A have seen lot of people have their knee pain greatly reduced by doing this.
As others have pointed check your form, widening the stance make it easier on knees.
the way your knees travel during the squat could be putting more stress on them, they should not in-cave on the way up. I hurt my knee doing this once didn’t even realize it until spotter pointed it out to me.
If your hurting your shoulder or neck, try using a sweater. You would eventually get used to it without, but this would help with discomfort and worth trying.
Your back should get sore you have to keep that weight up which requires your back to work.
At first my shoulders got huge bruises, you will get used to it though. I prefer the clean grip though I think its more balanced.
Anyways you should watch this guys videos http://www.youtube.com/user/kraftsportNO he does a lot of front squatting in his smolov cycles and has great form for the cross arm style. He is a member here also, stallion is his name I believe.
does anyone have a link to a video or an article explaining how to do it in a clean+press form? i currently do it with my arms crossed and feel i could go atleast 10kg heavier if the bar didnt slip forward
Good advice here. How many reps do you do per set?
AQ you could always try not doing them. If something gives you physical pain why are you doing it? Plenty of other fish in the sea when it comes to leg exercises.
[quote]jtg987 wrote:
does anyone have a link to a video or an article explaining how to do it in a clean+press form? i currently do it with my arms crossed and feel i could go atleast 10kg heavier if the bar didnt slip forward
[/quote]
You shouldn’t have this problem if you are keeping your elbows up and you arn’t leaning forward.
Also from earlier, on the subject of the pain in the middle back area, make sure when youre exploding up that you are not losing that arc in your entire back. I see a lot of people dip forward while they are coming up… Make sure you have perfect form and if that fails… always other exercises.
I think if you get used to the particularities of the front squat, you will tend to prefer it to the back squat.
There’s some pain involved since you place the bar on your shoulders, but trust me, you get used to it after some time.
I like front box squat
When I front squat the only pain that I encounter is my core being worked. I get a narlier burn than doing abs. The pain in the shoulders will go away. As for the knees, I’d warm up a wee bit longer. Don’t listen to the fag telling you that their bad for your knees
DISCLAIMER: I wasn’t calling a T-Nation member a faggot, homosexual, homo-gay, butt pirate, turd burgular, or San Franciscan. I was referring to the fag in my gym telling me so.
i like 7x5 for front squats
The Power Full image got me to wondering how do you all front squat? I like the “clean” front squat b/c to me it just more comfortable and it fells more stable
This just doesnt fell as good, the bar is lower on the shoulders and to me less stable
[quote]caveman101 wrote:
i like 7x5 for front squats[/quote]
Thats second hardest day of smolov for me.
I prefer the clean grip also, my wrists hurt pretty badly at first though but got used to it quickly.
Clean grip feels way better and more secure than cross armed.