Same here for a Long time. My back squat form and lower body mobility got a lot better from front squats so eventually i got pretty decent back squat form
This was the case for me as well. Front squats are my go to leg movement and I’ll never stop doing them. If I had to choose back squats vs front squats for life, front squats take the W
Front Squats can help your deadlift, your push press and any type of front carry. This alone makes them an amazing exercise. Even before watching this video, I was planning on front squatting two times a week from may onwards. Let's see how it goes
How much difference is there between a front squat and a zercher squat? It seems like they’d both work the erectors and upper back/traps in the same way.
@@catedoge3206 deadlift went from 405x1 (February 2023) to 500x3 (March 2024) even if now I just front squat once a week. In general, can't recommend front squats enough, even if consistency and just time training are probably bigger variables that contributed more to my deadlift going up
@@artu262 bet bet. i did 3x10 with 65 pounds after squat 275 5x5, rdl 225 3x8 yesterday. quads are shot. i did 205 for 1 last week on front squat. current deadlift is 475 x 1. my squat pb is 455 (i did 315x1 easy this week, squat still not at my peak) and i remember one time i failed 275 front squat. long time ago. let's see where this takes me!!
For the sake of my bodybuilding goals I completely ditched back squats for almost 6 months now, I’ve made some pretty awesome quad gains, and my front squat has gotten a tonne stronger such that it will in probably another few months approach the rep work I was using for my pause squats 6 months ago. I’d be lying though if I said I wasn’t itching to see this front squat strength carryover to my back squat!
Dude it’s always been the best. 1. ANYONE can do it regardless of your bone structure or height. 2. It will make you stronger in literally ALL OF YOUR OTHER LIFTS. 3. It makes your back squat stronger when you go back . But the squat will never help your front squat .
Lol I was doing nearly two plate squats early on after a few months (not that that's huge) but I switched to front squats for a day to try a variation, and I couldn't even do a plate. The balance and core stability needed is so much greater its not even funny.
I swapped to front squats 8 months ago because my back would drop forward so much on back squats which generally sucks, also I began stagnating which is enough to make you want to quit lifting lol. Without proper programming it took me some months to hit 97.5 kg on the front squat for one, I began doing 6-8 reps afterwards ATG. Regardless, what I really want to mention: my ankle mobility became incredible, I can't say if it's because of front squats but I can easily hit atg with a very close stance now because of this and it helps me now as I go back to back squatting for a bit with depth, I used to barely hit parallel and now go ATG on my back squats as well (not sure if atg for back squat is the best idea though, weight wise you definitely take a hit in that regard). What I immensely struggled with for those 8 months of front squatting was the front rack, I always did cross grip until I realized that it might not be an anatomical issue but lack of wrist and elbow mobility that kept me from obtaining a proper front rack so this will be my goal for when I go back to front squatting. I also must mention that low rep front squats feel better than low rep back squats but those 8 rep front squats at I'd say RPE 9 were torture while with back squat it feels quite endurable, kind of strange.
Ive never done front squats because just trying to get the bar held in position is so uncomfortable for me that i just dont bother with it. But im finally getting to the point where im realizing thats exactly why i need to be doing them. Im gonna finally force myself to do some today.
Definitely feel you on the quad growth. I have the goal of being forced to buy tailored pants. That's been progressing well in the 2 and a bit months so far but that's been predominantly due to glute growth 😅. I started mixing in front squats on my powerlifter friends advice first to help with the quad strength and just to vary up my squat volume to avoid overuse injuries. I'm a bit addicted to squatting at this point. I train full-body 3-4 times a week, 100% of the time I'll be starting with squats. Got a 225 front squat for a double my third time trying the movement though so I'm motivated to prioritize it once the linear progress on back squats stall.
And I got injured from excessive back squatting. So now I exclusively front squat got up to 255 for a single atm but I can definitely push that up at least 10lbs rn.
As someone with terrible leverages for squatting in general, especially front squats, I agree. Pushing my backsquat because I've got a powerlifting meet in November, but I honestly prefer front squats. Depth is easier to hit, you also don't have the "could I have death ground 2 more? what's my RPE?" because once they get grindy you're pretty much toast. My hamstrings don't take over etc. I do like your approach of highlighting though that every exercise has its place and the thing it's best for.
added this on my rotation again. today i had 5x5 squat worked up to 275. RDL 225 3x8. then went back to front squat did fucking 65 pounds for 3x10. did some more accessories but at the end wanted to do incline walk but my quads were shot like a mf that I had to stop the walk round 10 minute mark LMAO. hell yeah!!!!!!
I’m 8 days out from a meet and did Rob Zombie squats this morning after deadlifts. I credit you for discovering the zombie squat. Amazing movement plus they look cooler than back squats.
#1 reason I do front squat over back squat: I hate and suck at front squats so I force myself to get better at them. Do what you hate to get bigger has been working out so far. On another note, any split squat variation, such as Bulgarians, also falls in this category.
Okay you've convinced me. I will start doing front squats instead of back squats for a while (or maybe start alternating). One reason why I opted for back squats before was because, as you say in the video, front squats require much more upper body strength and stability to support the barbell compared to back squats, so i felt with back squats it was easier to target quads without being limited by core/back strength.
Nowadays I do heavy zercher squats to start, then front squats for volume, split squats, sissy squats then farmers carries. Posterior chain is focused on back days for me.
I'm forcing myself to front squat exclusively for the next ~6 months. I'm also working a ton on my strict OHP and push press. Yeah, I want quad gains, but I also want all the juicy upper back gains too. Been trying out zombie / frankenstein front squats and they're ULTRA strict. FWIW, there's something about front squats that allows me to get to full depth, that I can't get with a back squat. Maybe if I work on my mobility I'll get to ATG back squats, but I'm not there yet. Right now it feels like I don't tweak my low back nearly as much when I'm overdoing depth on back squats. That keeps me in the gym, able to do more. Now, with that said, after this 6 month experiment (basically working on crap I'm bad at), I'll probably just go back to SSB squats with a high bar squat sprinkled in (and some unilateral work too). They're all excellent exercises. Just pick the ones that align best with your goals 💪
I prefer front squats too. Less load on the spine, upright posture and narly quad stimulus (Upper back game is also a bonus). I dont dislike back squats, but it makes it much easier to "cheat", and then you go from squatting for general strengh to squatting using mainly your hips and lumbar... Its become so popular due to powerlifting being so popular nowadays, and people are fearmongered into focusing on the big 3
I've had 3x8 Front Squats on my lower body strength day as an accessory for a while now after hitting 3x6 Back Squat and 2x6 Deadlift and before 3x8 RDLs. On my other day I have been doing Pause Back Squats 6x4 and Pause Deadlifts 6x4. Been doing them ages and a bit bored of the Pause lifts so swapping in heavy Front Squats 4x3 and Snatch-grip Deadlift 4x3. Looking forward to trying it out! Have always rated Front squats :)
I learned to front squat when I was 60 years old. It was hard, but has been great. When I got it, I'd developed and practiced the grip without lifting the bar off the rack, doing a kind of stretching and positioning drill as if it were yoga. Then I practiced just lifting it above the hooks and putting it back into them. After this I started squatting not very low at all, to pins. Then I gradually lowered the pins, now I'm ATG. Not sure I would have had the patience for this when I was young. Now I know how long this game can be, and that the benefits are more and more valuable over time. As if Front Squats aren't controversial enough, I'll say it: Overhead Squats are great too, for many of the same reasons, but with less weight. These were a bear to learn. So worth it, though. I also learned them in my 60s. An accessory that's helped me but I've never seen anyone else do is an ab-supported row. I set the bench on a low incline and line up so my belly is on the bench but my sternum is unsupported. This de-loads the low back, but demands that the upper back stay extended and and low traps stay active as a stabilizer. I've recently extended this to a complex: when I finish my DB rows, I let the DBs hang at arm's length while I lift them and my upper torso with my low traps. I like it as the transition from compounds to isolations near the end of a workout. I like these fake controversies you're poking fun with. With all the world's vitriol, it's a great way to keep things light. Cheers!
Regarding your rows, I do something similar but with the high pulley: th-cam.com/users/shortsXmluPjR8Wc8?feature=share I need to do more overhead squats myself! Glad you enjoyed the video man.
For me the quad thing really didnt made much of a difference but upperback and core...another story Definitely more "functional" movement, if it means whole body strenght...and also humbling one haha
I was always thinking about it psychologically. If the weight is in front of you - You are controlling it and lifting it. If the weight is on your back - You are fighting to not be crushed under the load.
I’m simply not built for the back squat. I have long femurs and a short torso so so a forward bend during bs was inevitable for me even with elevated heels. I tend to injure my lower back more from back squatting. So I ditched the back squat and started to do fsq. Never looked back since and no injury 👊🏻
Looking good bro, and thanks for another fantastic gem of a video! I Plan on switching to front squats in a month or so. I want to switch it up for imbalances and to prevent over uses. I've done kettlebell front squats before with like 80 pounds but haven't tried with a bar. Looking forward to it. Happy training bro!
I can definitely attest to the upper back and deadlift gains from front squats. Back in the early early 2k’s when I dabbled in powerlifting I had my pull at 550. Absolutely stuck etc. was squatting and deadlifting once a week on fixed days. I ditched the back squats for a while and started deadlifting once every 14 days and focused on front squatting once every 4-5 days. Got my ATG front squats up to 315 for reps. Came back to deadlifting and shortly I was pulling 6+ in no time. The front’s definitely helped
Personally, I'd say the SSB it better because of mobility factors for a lot of people and the fact that the upper back is a limiting factor on a squat doesn't sit well with me. But, to each their own! They look bad ass!
That's all well and good, but as somebody with a particularly curvy spine (or a mildly hunched back, if you'd rather), to front squat would have the bar running through the middle of where my neck is 🤣
I've just started throwing in some thoracic extensor specific strengthening work to eliminate upper back as the limiter to my front squat. Have always noticed rep max calculators way overestimate the weight I can handle for 5+ reps as the upper back is the first to go. Excited to see the payoffs soon. Ever tried or recommended similar?
Agree with the second 2. Front squats place more torque on the thoracic erectors. For quad development if you put a gun to my head and said add 2 inches to your quads in a year or you die, back squats, machine squats, split squats and single leg presses are my go to.
@@EnkiriElite Correct, it’s just a hyperbolic example. Front squats light my mid section and upper back so much I have always found the my quads don’t get lit up as much as other variations. I still do them periodically because they are a great development tool.
I did front squats for 4 sets of 6 reps for 5 weeks and my quads shrunk in size and strength :( But I guess it's just that I'm not good enough at it to get the full benefits. Low/mid bar squats have gotten me thick legs every time, maybe because I'm quite good at it.
I'm one of the weird cases where my front squat is really rather close to my back squat(130kg vs 140kg). For some reason, my front squat just goes up faster(lol, I put 15kg on it in like a year, so my training is meh atm) and feels a lot better on my body.
@@republicjim120 I do too, but theyre like the floor press of sqauts. youre missing out on the stretched position. you can just make up for that with sissy squats or whatever tho. I think my main gripe with them is they dont carry over to other squats well besides maybe the upper back strength required for front squats. like if you did just front squats youd be good at back squats and zerchers, but it doesnt really go the other way which is a bummer.
@@republicjim120 also if someone has longer legs it becomes easier to give into hinging a ton which is gonna be more posterior chain. i veiw zerchers as like the big bro of goblet squats. probably better for highish reps like 10-15 to keep it squatty and not hingey
@@penumbrium Interesting. I've never felt that way. They give me plenty of stretch, and I feel that when I'm strong in Zerchers it helps my other squats too. I'm guessing that we just have way different leverages.
I really hate front squats. I don't doubt their utility, but they are the most uncomfortable lift of them all. Doing one or two isn't bad, but each rep feels worse than the last so a full working set is miserable and I sometimes end up tapping out for that reason before my legs have had enough. The worst part is bracing. It feels awful because the bar resting on your front makes breathing air into your lungs more difficult. My wrists and elbows start hurting too. I pretty much get most of my front squat practice from doing cleans.
What do you think about the old timey deep knee bends on the toes? It's basically a Hindu squat but with a barbell. Those should be as quadly as a front squat, but less backly right? Have you toyed with them, and do you like them?
I wish I could get a good front squat. I cannot get into a front rack. I tried crossing my arms but the bar chokes me. The front rack kills me because i Aldo want to do push press
@@EnkiriElite YEAAHH I'm waiting for the video now haha. From my experience.. for quads and glutes hypertrophy, nothing beats REALLY intense full range leg presses, I feel its so safe to go REAL HARD on these, and my lower back doesnt get hit, so I can do lots of rows, rdls etc and still recover lol
I know you are being facetious, but for the sake of the argument, if the goal of the squat is to target and overload as much as possible the leg muscles, specially the quads, wouldn't it be better to perform the back squat but with the heels elevated? I mean, in that way you solve the problem of the squat turning into a good morning and not targetting the quads enough, but you also avoid the upper black and the toracic extensors being the limiting factors (wich they definitely are in the front squat).
Can you tell me why you squat to the pins sometimes? What is the purpose of doing that vs. just an ordinary pause squat? Does it give you a moment to explode through the bar? I think I'm going to try it soon out of curiosity, may even do a whole block of pin squats for funzies.
Could front squats be used as a means to fix upperback/postural problems? For example pain in rotator cuff and teres major when trying to bring shoulders back from rounding/kyphotic posture
what if i don't want thigh muscles. I really want smaller quads but not at the cost of losing strength/power. I dislike deep squats mostly because they will build huge legs. If there was a good exercise that only targets glutes i would focus on it. Hipthrust aren't the answer.
2 things... 1. no one builds huge legs by accident, even people who make a habit of doing deep squats. 2. If you are seeking glute hypertrophy absent quad engagement, why would hip thrusts NOT be the answer?
Hip thrust only work the mid to end range wich is ok, but the huge size/strength gains come form high tension in the streched position. Things like reverse lunges, step ups, single leg RDLs or 45°hyper do that well but are very hard on my body. I think i should use most of my energy for the athletic stuff and not overtrain by doing mindless heavy lifting. It's a different thing to just build huge/strong legs/hips or to build athletism. You may disagree but most people don't build athletism from lifting heavy effectively. @@EnkiriElite
Would you recommend replacing back squats with front squats in a program? Like no back squats whatsoever but keeping everything else the same as a way of making the program more efficient and well-rounded. I'm not trying to compete as a powerlifter. Just trying to stay fit and get strong.
I'm trying to build my front squat right now but holy shit I had to start with the empty bar. I've been gradually building it up but my arms are still the bottleneck.
Arms shouldn't be the bottleneck. You should be able to execute the movement without even touching the bar with your hands. The real bottleneck is the upper back
If your arms are the bottleneck then the bar placement is not right. You don't hold it like in a strict press, you protract your shoulder blades and rest the bar on your front delts, if you feel a slight choking sensation too it's a good sign.
All depends my friend. Front squats use less load, which could be helpful, but it's also possible that more acute knee angles could exacerbate the issue. Could go either way. Control the volume and intensity in your program and rehab the thing, that's the best way forward.
unilateral movements have been helping my knee pain. Im gonna do deficit lunges before my squats for a while and see what happens. ironically sissy squats have been making my knees feel excellent
@@penumbrium I tried reverse lunges yesterday and everything felt fine, will try other exercises and see how it goes, it's just a weird pinch that makes me unsure to keep going that way
I noticed that whenever I include front squats, my deadlifts AND my squats tend to feel well and get pretty strong. I think it makes me maintain position and be more patient off the floor better on deadlift and the bottom of a low bar squat and "stay in my knees."
On average i would guess the front squat is a pretty poor quad builder. A ton of people struggle so much with the front rack that they can very awkwardly get a third of their back squat weight and their back gives out way before quads. A Zercher squat might be a better option.
Lots of people think this same way! And then I teach them hoe to actually build up their front squat and suddenly the magic starts happening. People are just too impatient to do things right.
It’s insane that how to get anybody’s attention, the points of discussion have to wage some kind of competition, beef, or ranking. Resulting in something else being placed in a negative light and completely throwing off people’s perceptions and the reality of how this fitness game works. In this case people inevitably will take your message and misconstrued it to believe you’re saying “just do front squats” and “back squats serve no value” which of course you’re not. I respect the initiative to attempt to make that point clear and that back squats v. Front squats isn’t really your point. You just couldn’t name your video “Why you should do front squats” because these days, no one would bat an eye at a video title like that. Your messages are sound, thought out, healthy, and exactly what people need to hear man! I look forward to the chaos you cause next week by completely contradicting yourself from today.
It's funny because I actually have a video from about 5 years ago titled "why you should front squat" lol and after 5years of exposure it has done pretty well! But it didn't do good initially. And you are right that I am purposefully framing things in a slightly antagonistic fashion in order to make them seem flashier thab they are...but I will rectify my "wrongs" by making the exact inverse video next week, and my general assumption is that people are smart enough to understand when I do that sort of thing that I am deliberately contradicting myself in order to try to show perspectives from both sides. Because at the end of the day, both exercises are great! Both have positives, and both have negatives, and directly comparing them against one another allows us to see those aspects more clearly.
@@EnkiriElite your old video is actually what got me initially interested in doing front squats. I actually completely forgot that that’s what you titled it (So hopefully no offense there) I hope the point was clear and not saying that video was bad in comparison. I hope as your channel grows that people come and explore your old videos too and give them some well deserved viewership. Those videos are so under appreciated.
@@NATO198 no offense taken at all my friend! I appreciate the support and I'm glad to hear that that old ass video got you amped up for doing this awesome exercise. I've been a front squat lover for a long time man!
They're like cousins. But an SSB squat has a lit of characteristics that are similar to a back squat as well. Imo, a rough ratio would be 80/90/100 front squat/ssb squat/back squat
@@EnkiriElite i have a deadlift build, i just tend to good morning my squats when shit gets heavy, so now i mostly front squats (also cuz i'd like to get better at oli lifts to mog powerlifters range of motion)
Bruh let’s be real back squats are better 😂. If you had to pick one and you pick front squats then you dumb dumb. Just back squat upright and you have 99% of the advantages that front squat has and A LOT more added to that
@@GroundWorkFit fs are better for hypertrophy since less weight is needed for the same results. Also it has been studied that they are better for your knees.
@@ergonaut940 true indeed. I was just playing devils advocate😂 front squats expose weakness in multiple areas while back squats can hide them very well.
Bruh let’s be real you have zero idea what the fuck you’re on about. Front squats have like twice the stimulus to fatigue ratio so you’re a bit off about who the dumbass is.
Trust me when you young lads hit 50 you won't be front squatting heavy. The shear on your knees gets to much to handle. I'm still squatting heavy ass weight in my 50 but I use a Mat Wenning style power squat. It spreads the weight over more joints in the body and alounds me to training heavy and stay healthy. Just my 2 penny's worth.
That just means you have more hip joint involved. Avoiding deep knee flexion contributes to the issue. That's my 2 cents as someone who had bad knee health (meniscus issue) then hit ATG and knees over toes work and now I'm pain free
@@MatteoFitness exactly. My dad used to think the same. "I'm 50 years old, it's our thing to have bad knees" etc. Got him walking backwards with a sled and doing knee work and his pain is fading
When I was 60 I couldn't front squat, but put in the time and learned it over the course of a few months. Five years later everything is better. I don't progress weight rapidly, though. I do slow progressions in reps.
Honestly I don't like these kind of videos because it makes people (beginners) feel the need to add a billion different exercises to their workout routines. Oh I need front squats I need back squats I need zercher squats I need Jefferson squats I need etc. And they end up with a ridiculous routine and can't make something simple and realistic for themselves. Though I understand it's like a "clickbait" attractive title and concept.
![[ TEASER ] เงาะป่า - วงL.กฮ. | TMG RECORD](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/M4ObdFfcPww/mqdefault.jpg)
I've never been able to back squat properly no matter how much help I've gotten and how much time I put into them. Front squats just click with me.
Same. And it's not for pussies (see how many are complaining about their back strength and other excuses here)
Same here for a Long time. My back squat form and lower body mobility got a lot better from front squats so eventually i got pretty decent back squat form
This was the case for me as well. Front squats are my go to leg movement and I’ll never stop doing them. If I had to choose back squats vs front squats for life, front squats take the W
Same for me, I do cleans and front squat just become natural to me
Yeah dude, got rotator cuff issues and back squats never agreed with me since
Front Squats can help your deadlift, your push press and any type of front carry. This alone makes them an amazing exercise. Even before watching this video, I was planning on front squatting two times a week from may onwards. Let's see how it goes
They have great carryover to a great many things no doubt! A fantastic exercise that doesn't get the love it deserves.
How much difference is there between a front squat and a zercher squat? It seems like they’d both work the erectors and upper back/traps in the same way.
1 year passed how are ya
@@catedoge3206 deadlift went from 405x1 (February 2023) to 500x3 (March 2024) even if now I just front squat once a week. In general, can't recommend front squats enough, even if consistency and just time training are probably bigger variables that contributed more to my deadlift going up
@@artu262 bet bet. i did 3x10 with 65 pounds after squat 275 5x5, rdl 225 3x8 yesterday. quads are shot. i did 205 for 1 last week on front squat. current deadlift is 475 x 1. my squat pb is 455 (i did 315x1 easy this week, squat still not at my peak) and i remember one time i failed 275 front squat. long time ago. let's see where this takes me!!
For the sake of my bodybuilding goals I completely ditched back squats for almost 6 months now, I’ve made some pretty awesome quad gains, and my front squat has gotten a tonne stronger such that it will in probably another few months approach the rep work I was using for my pause squats 6 months ago.
I’d be lying though if I said I wasn’t itching to see this front squat strength carryover to my back squat!
Dude it’s always been the best.
1. ANYONE can do it regardless of your bone structure or height.
2. It will make you stronger in literally ALL OF YOUR OTHER LIFTS.
3. It makes your back squat stronger when you go back . But the squat will never help your front squat .
Lol I was doing nearly two plate squats early on after a few months (not that that's huge) but I switched to front squats for a day to try a variation, and I couldn't even do a plate. The balance and core stability needed is so much greater its not even funny.
Same here I got humbled fast 😂 can barely do five reps with one plate
@@mol7392 it's way harder than it even looks, and it doesn't look easy!!
I swapped to front squats 8 months ago because my back would drop forward so much on back squats which generally sucks, also I began stagnating which is enough to make you want to quit lifting lol. Without proper programming it took me some months to hit 97.5 kg on the front squat for one, I began doing 6-8 reps afterwards ATG. Regardless, what I really want to mention: my ankle mobility became incredible, I can't say if it's because of front squats but I can easily hit atg with a very close stance now because of this and it helps me now as I go back to back squatting for a bit with depth, I used to barely hit parallel and now go ATG on my back squats as well (not sure if atg for back squat is the best idea though, weight wise you definitely take a hit in that regard).
What I immensely struggled with for those 8 months of front squatting was the front rack, I always did cross grip until I realized that it might not be an anatomical issue but lack of wrist and elbow mobility that kept me from obtaining a proper front rack so this will be my goal for when I go back to front squatting.
I also must mention that low rep front squats feel better than low rep back squats but those 8 rep front squats at I'd say RPE 9 were torture while with back squat it feels quite endurable, kind of strange.
@@doublevision2943I relate so hard to this
Ive never done front squats because just trying to get the bar held in position is so uncomfortable for me that i just dont bother with it. But im finally getting to the point where im realizing thats exactly why i need to be doing them. Im gonna finally force myself to do some today.
The "come at me bro!" in the beginning is kinda badass bro!
Definitely feel you on the quad growth. I have the goal of being forced to buy tailored pants. That's been progressing well in the 2 and a bit months so far but that's been predominantly due to glute growth 😅. I started mixing in front squats on my powerlifter friends advice first to help with the quad strength and just to vary up my squat volume to avoid overuse injuries. I'm a bit addicted to squatting at this point. I train full-body 3-4 times a week, 100% of the time I'll be starting with squats. Got a 225 front squat for a double my third time trying the movement though so I'm motivated to prioritize it once the linear progress on back squats stall.
And I got injured from excessive back squatting. So now I exclusively front squat got up to 255 for a single atm but I can definitely push that up at least 10lbs rn.
As someone with terrible leverages for squatting in general, especially front squats, I agree.
Pushing my backsquat because I've got a powerlifting meet in November, but I honestly prefer front squats. Depth is easier to hit, you also don't have the "could I have death ground 2 more? what's my RPE?" because once they get grindy you're pretty much toast. My hamstrings don't take over etc.
I do like your approach of highlighting though that every exercise has its place and the thing it's best for.
added this on my rotation again. today i had 5x5 squat worked up to 275. RDL 225 3x8. then went back to front squat did fucking 65 pounds for 3x10. did some more accessories but at the end wanted to do incline walk but my quads were shot like a mf that I had to stop the walk round 10 minute mark LMAO. hell yeah!!!!!!
This channel is phenomenal. Absolute passion shining thru the way you speak. I admire it! Have a sub Boss you deserve it (and MORE)
Thank you sir!
I’m 8 days out from a meet and did Rob Zombie squats this morning after deadlifts. I credit you for discovering the zombie squat. Amazing movement plus they look cooler than back squats.
#1 reason I do front squat over back squat: I hate and suck at front squats so I force myself to get better at them. Do what you hate to get bigger has been working out so far. On another note, any split squat variation, such as Bulgarians, also falls in this category.
Okay you've convinced me. I will start doing front squats instead of back squats for a while (or maybe start alternating). One reason why I opted for back squats before was because, as you say in the video, front squats require much more upper body strength and stability to support the barbell compared to back squats, so i felt with back squats it was easier to target quads without being limited by core/back strength.
Nowadays I do heavy zercher squats to start, then front squats for volume, split squats, sissy squats then farmers carries. Posterior chain is focused on back days for me.
Sounds pretty epic!
Love front squatting. Currently want to improve keeping my elbows up throughout the movement and humerus parallel to the ground
I'm forcing myself to front squat exclusively for the next ~6 months. I'm also working a ton on my strict OHP and push press. Yeah, I want quad gains, but I also want all the juicy upper back gains too. Been trying out zombie / frankenstein front squats and they're ULTRA strict.
FWIW, there's something about front squats that allows me to get to full depth, that I can't get with a back squat. Maybe if I work on my mobility I'll get to ATG back squats, but I'm not there yet. Right now it feels like I don't tweak my low back nearly as much when I'm overdoing depth on back squats. That keeps me in the gym, able to do more.
Now, with that said, after this 6 month experiment (basically working on crap I'm bad at), I'll probably just go back to SSB squats with a high bar squat sprinkled in (and some unilateral work too). They're all excellent exercises. Just pick the ones that align best with your goals 💪
Anxiously waiting for the pt 2 “Why back squats are better than front squats” :)
I prefer front squats too. Less load on the spine, upright posture and narly quad stimulus (Upper back game is also a bonus).
I dont dislike back squats, but it makes it much easier to "cheat", and then you go from squatting for general strengh to squatting using mainly your hips and lumbar...
Its become so popular due to powerlifting being so popular nowadays, and people are fearmongered into focusing on the big 3
I've had 3x8 Front Squats on my lower body strength day as an accessory for a while now after hitting 3x6 Back Squat and 2x6 Deadlift and before 3x8 RDLs. On my other day I have been doing Pause Back Squats 6x4 and Pause Deadlifts 6x4. Been doing them ages and a bit bored of the Pause lifts so swapping in heavy Front Squats 4x3 and Snatch-grip Deadlift 4x3. Looking forward to trying it out! Have always rated Front squats :)
Great points! I like that front squats get more bang for buck from a load standpoint.
I learned to front squat when I was 60 years old. It was hard, but has been great. When I got it, I'd developed and practiced the grip without lifting the bar off the rack, doing a kind of stretching and positioning drill as if it were yoga. Then I practiced just lifting it above the hooks and putting it back into them. After this I started squatting not very low at all, to pins. Then I gradually lowered the pins, now I'm ATG. Not sure I would have had the patience for this when I was young. Now I know how long this game can be, and that the benefits are more and more valuable over time.
As if Front Squats aren't controversial enough, I'll say it: Overhead Squats are great too, for many of the same reasons, but with less weight. These were a bear to learn. So worth it, though. I also learned them in my 60s.
An accessory that's helped me but I've never seen anyone else do is an ab-supported row. I set the bench on a low incline and line up so my belly is on the bench but my sternum is unsupported. This de-loads the low back, but demands that the upper back stay extended and and low traps stay active as a stabilizer. I've recently extended this to a complex: when I finish my DB rows, I let the DBs hang at arm's length while I lift them and my upper torso with my low traps. I like it as the transition from compounds to isolations near the end of a workout.
I like these fake controversies you're poking fun with. With all the world's vitriol, it's a great way to keep things light. Cheers!
Regarding your rows, I do something similar but with the high pulley: th-cam.com/users/shortsXmluPjR8Wc8?feature=share
I need to do more overhead squats myself! Glad you enjoyed the video man.
I hear you. I have a hard time holding the bar. my forearms hurt bad, and I can't stay up right. I need to work on it....
Being a hip dominant person my back squats sucks but front squats feels amazing.
For me the quad thing really didnt made much of a difference but upperback and core...another story
Definitely more "functional" movement, if it means whole body strenght...and also humbling one haha
I was always thinking about it psychologically. If the weight is in front of you - You are controlling it and lifting it. If the weight is on your back - You are fighting to not be crushed under the load.
I’m simply not built for the back squat. I have long femurs and a short torso so so a forward bend during bs was inevitable for me even with elevated heels. I tend to injure my lower back more from back squatting. So I ditched the back squat and started to do fsq. Never looked back since and no injury 👊🏻
Same!
Looking good bro, and thanks for another fantastic gem of a video! I Plan on switching to front squats in a month or so. I want to switch it up for imbalances and to prevent over uses. I've done kettlebell front squats before with like 80 pounds but haven't tried with a bar. Looking forward to it. Happy training bro!
I one hundred percent agree
Excellent!
I have added front squats to my leg days recently. I have not been moving much weight because I need to get the form down, and my upper back is weak.
Another tool in the strength tool box!
Next video, WHY BACK SQUATS ARE BETTER THEN FRONT SQUATS!
Exactly!
I can definitely attest to the upper back and deadlift gains from front squats. Back in the early early 2k’s when I dabbled in powerlifting I had my pull at 550. Absolutely stuck etc. was squatting and deadlifting once a week on fixed days. I ditched the back squats for a while and started deadlifting once every 14 days and focused on front squatting once every 4-5 days. Got my ATG front squats up to 315 for reps. Came back to deadlifting and shortly I was pulling 6+ in no time. The front’s definitely helped
I can pull 550 but best front squat is at most 260 for a single. Different strokes for different folks.
@@CeroAshura I've pulled 585 and front squatted 425lbs in sleeves. In part it comes down to what you emphasize.
Try out Reverse SSB Squats! Basically a front squat but you don't have to worry about the stability
Personally, I'd say the SSB it better because of mobility factors for a lot of people and the fact that the upper back is a limiting factor on a squat doesn't sit well with me. But, to each their own! They look bad ass!
I'm a fan of the ssb squat maybe I'll flip the bar around.
I love me all kinds of ssb squats as well
That's all well and good, but as somebody with a particularly curvy spine (or a mildly hunched back, if you'd rather), to front squat would have the bar running through the middle of where my neck is 🤣
looking forward to the "back squats are better than front squats" vid next week
I left this comment as soon as I clicked the video but you spoiled the surprise right in the intro ):
I probably should have left it a surprise so more people would fume hahah
*Ty.*
Zombie squat enthusiast here 👋 best creator of the feminine sweep 🦵
Glad you enjoy that one man! Still one of my favorite all time exercises
Can’t get on with any front squat variations, previously broken wrist and clavicle rule them out. I do rotate in SSB squats.
Hahaha Zombie Front Squat I’m using that
I've just started throwing in some thoracic extensor specific strengthening work to eliminate upper back as the limiter to my front squat. Have always noticed rep max calculators way overestimate the weight I can handle for 5+ reps as the upper back is the first to go. Excited to see the payoffs soon. Ever tried or recommended similar?
What exercises
Agree with the second 2. Front squats place more torque on the thoracic erectors. For quad development if you put a gun to my head and said add 2 inches to your quads in a year or you die, back squats, machine squats, split squats and single leg presses are my go to.
Adding 2 inches to your THIGHS and adding 2 inches to your QUADS are not entirely the same thing ;)
@@EnkiriElite Correct, it’s just a hyperbolic example. Front squats light my mid section and upper back so much I have always found the my quads don’t get lit up as much as other variations. I still do them periodically because they are a great development tool.
I did front squats for 4 sets of 6 reps for 5 weeks and my quads shrunk in size and strength :( But I guess it's just that I'm not good enough at it to get the full benefits. Low/mid bar squats have gotten me thick legs every time, maybe because I'm quite good at it.
I'm one of the weird cases where my front squat is really rather close to my back squat(130kg vs 140kg). For some reason, my front squat just goes up faster(lol, I put 15kg on it in like a year, so my training is meh atm) and feels a lot better on my body.
you ever tried zerchers? theyre like the worst kinda squat for quads but theyre fun as hell and they stimulate the upper back ime
I'm curious why you say they are the worst for quads. I do Zerchers often and always feel it a lot in my quads.
@@republicjim120 I do too, but theyre like the floor press of sqauts. youre missing out on the stretched position. you can just make up for that with sissy squats or whatever tho. I think my main gripe with them is they dont carry over to other squats well besides maybe the upper back strength required for front squats. like if you did just front squats youd be good at back squats and zerchers, but it doesnt really go the other way which is a bummer.
@@republicjim120 also if someone has longer legs it becomes easier to give into hinging a ton which is gonna be more posterior chain. i veiw zerchers as like the big bro of goblet squats. probably better for highish reps like 10-15 to keep it squatty and not hingey
@@penumbrium Interesting. I've never felt that way. They give me plenty of stretch, and I feel that when I'm strong in Zerchers it helps my other squats too. I'm guessing that we just have way different leverages.
@@republicjim120 I think they feel good too but I have to fight to not hinge when im squatting because relative to my legs my torso is short
I really hate front squats. I don't doubt their utility, but they are the most uncomfortable lift of them all. Doing one or two isn't bad, but each rep feels worse than the last so a full working set is miserable and I sometimes end up tapping out for that reason before my legs have had enough. The worst part is bracing. It feels awful because the bar resting on your front makes breathing air into your lungs more difficult. My wrists and elbows start hurting too. I pretty much get most of my front squat practice from doing cleans.
Could you do a comparison of a Zercher Squat and the Zombie Squat???
Zercher squat is a low bar front Squat
True 😂
Dude epic shower thought
What do you think about the old timey deep knee bends on the toes? It's basically a Hindu squat but with a barbell. Those should be as quadly as a front squat, but less backly right? Have you toyed with them, and do you like them?
I use heel elevated front squats, but I don't generally just use heel up variations with no wedge.
I wish I could get a good front squat. I cannot get into a front rack. I tried crossing my arms but the bar chokes me. The front rack kills me because i Aldo want to do push press
I dare you to make a video saying that the leg press is somewhat in some case superior to a kind of squat. (I love leg presses, for real)
Easiest argument in the world!
@@EnkiriElite YEAAHH I'm waiting for the video now haha. From my experience.. for quads and glutes hypertrophy, nothing beats REALLY intense full range leg presses, I feel its so safe to go REAL HARD on these, and my lower back doesnt get hit, so I can do lots of rows, rdls etc and still recover lol
i have good ankle mobility so i squat in flat sole shoes, no olympic shoes like all u guys..
So?
I know you are being facetious, but for the sake of the argument, if the goal of the squat is to target and overload as much as possible the leg muscles, specially the quads, wouldn't it be better to perform the back squat but with the heels elevated? I mean, in that way you solve the problem of the squat turning into a good morning and not targetting the quads enough, but you also avoid the upper black and the toracic extensors being the limiting factors (wich they definitely are in the front squat).
Can you tell me why you squat to the pins sometimes? What is the purpose of doing that vs. just an ordinary pause squat? Does it give you a moment to explode through the bar? I think I'm going to try it soon out of curiosity, may even do a whole block of pin squats for funzies.
tbh i love front sqauts itn imporve my back sqauts
Always hate to hear that they suck because they "take the posterior chain out of the movement", is the upper back not a posterior chain muscle group?
I would love to frontsquat but my thoraric spine mobility cant handle it, which sucks
Try the zombie variation. Lesser mobility requirements, greater strength requirements.
@@EnkiriElite It did feel better but still need to improve mobility, definetly gonna drill it haha
What kind of hooks you using to hang those bar's on your wall
Great biceps man but right is bigger than left
im sure yours are perfectly symmetrical
Could front squats be used as a means to fix upperback/postural problems? For example pain in rotator cuff and teres major when trying to bring shoulders back from rounding/kyphotic posture
what if i don't want thigh muscles. I really want smaller quads but not at the cost of losing strength/power.
I dislike deep squats mostly because they will build huge legs.
If there was a good exercise that only targets glutes i would focus on it. Hipthrust aren't the answer.
2 things...
1. no one builds huge legs by accident, even people who make a habit of doing deep squats.
2. If you are seeking glute hypertrophy absent quad engagement, why would hip thrusts NOT be the answer?
Hip thrust only work the mid to end range wich is ok, but the huge size/strength gains come form high tension in the streched position. Things like reverse lunges, step ups, single leg RDLs or 45°hyper do that well but are very hard on my body. I think i should use most of my energy for the athletic stuff and not overtrain by doing mindless heavy lifting.
It's a different thing to just build huge/strong legs/hips or to build athletism.
You may disagree but most people don't build athletism from lifting heavy effectively. @@EnkiriElite
Would you recommend replacing back squats with front squats in a program? Like no back squats whatsoever but keeping everything else the same as a way of making the program more efficient and well-rounded. I'm not trying to compete as a powerlifter. Just trying to stay fit and get strong.
I would still include both, or go back and forth over time.
@@EnkiriElite I figured as much, appreciate the reply!
Front squats are my preferred squat
I'm trying to build my front squat right now but holy shit I had to start with the empty bar. I've been gradually building it up but my arms are still the bottleneck.
Arms shouldn't be the bottleneck. You should be able to execute the movement without even touching the bar with your hands. The real bottleneck is the upper back
@@EnkiriElite Maybe, but I'm not stable enough and often the bar wants to go away. Which is why I'm doing like 40kg, lol.
If your arms are the bottleneck then the bar placement is not right. You don't hold it like in a strict press, you protract your shoulder blades and rest the bar on your front delts, if you feel a slight choking sensation too it's a good sign.
@@agontprevarator5214 Thank you. I don't know, my shoulders hurt and I do feel like choking
Wish one is better for someone that's getting a bit uncomfortable in one knee while squatting? I usually do back Squats
All depends my friend. Front squats use less load, which could be helpful, but it's also possible that more acute knee angles could exacerbate the issue. Could go either way. Control the volume and intensity in your program and rehab the thing, that's the best way forward.
@@EnkiriElite thanks a lot, will give it a try
unilateral movements have been helping my knee pain. Im gonna do deficit lunges before my squats for a while and see what happens. ironically sissy squats have been making my knees feel excellent
@@penumbrium I tried reverse lunges yesterday and everything felt fine, will try other exercises and see how it goes, it's just a weird pinch that makes me unsure to keep going that way
Front squats build your spinal erectors and upper back best core builder as well
Not to mention cooler
I noticed that whenever I include front squats, my deadlifts AND my squats tend to feel well and get pretty strong. I think it makes me maintain position and be more patient off the floor better on deadlift and the bottom of a low bar squat and "stay in my knees."
That's pretty much exactly what I have noticed over the years as well!
we love zombie squats and front squats
On average i would guess the front squat is a pretty poor quad builder. A ton of people struggle so much with the front rack that they can very awkwardly get a third of their back squat weight and their back gives out way before quads. A Zercher squat might be a better option.
Lots of people think this same way! And then I teach them hoe to actually build up their front squat and suddenly the magic starts happening. People are just too impatient to do things right.
Anyone watching you is definitely a Chad or King
It’s insane that how to get anybody’s attention, the points of discussion have to wage some kind of competition, beef, or ranking. Resulting in something else being placed in a negative light and completely throwing off people’s perceptions and the reality of how this fitness game works. In this case people inevitably will take your message and misconstrued it to believe you’re saying “just do front squats” and “back squats serve no value” which of course you’re not. I respect the initiative to attempt to make that point clear and that back squats v. Front squats isn’t really your point. You just couldn’t name your video “Why you should do front squats” because these days, no one would bat an eye at a video title like that. Your messages are sound, thought out, healthy, and exactly what people need to hear man! I look forward to the chaos you cause next week by completely contradicting yourself from today.
It's funny because I actually have a video from about 5 years ago titled "why you should front squat" lol and after 5years of exposure it has done pretty well! But it didn't do good initially. And you are right that I am purposefully framing things in a slightly antagonistic fashion in order to make them seem flashier thab they are...but I will rectify my "wrongs" by making the exact inverse video next week, and my general assumption is that people are smart enough to understand when I do that sort of thing that I am deliberately contradicting myself in order to try to show perspectives from both sides. Because at the end of the day, both exercises are great! Both have positives, and both have negatives, and directly comparing them against one another allows us to see those aspects more clearly.
@@EnkiriElite your old video is actually what got me initially interested in doing front squats. I actually completely forgot that that’s what you titled it (So hopefully no offense there) I hope the point was clear and not saying that video was bad in comparison.
I hope as your channel grows that people come and explore your old videos too and give them some well deserved viewership. Those videos are so under appreciated.
@@NATO198 no offense taken at all my friend! I appreciate the support and I'm glad to hear that that old ass video got you amped up for doing this awesome exercise. I've been a front squat lover for a long time man!
How do ssb squats compare
They're like cousins. But an SSB squat has a lit of characteristics that are similar to a back squat as well. Imo, a rough ratio would be 80/90/100 front squat/ssb squat/back squat
How can they both be superior to each other? 🤔
that's the point ;)
@@EnkiriElite That both have their benefits?
If I wanted to get choked out in the gym I'd do BJJ
Back squats destroy my hips i am not built to back squat
Algo
This isnt even an opinion, thats just fact
Ha agreed!
@@EnkiriElite i have a deadlift build, i just tend to good morning my squats when shit gets heavy, so now i mostly front squats (also cuz i'd like to get better at oli lifts to mog powerlifters range of motion)
SSb squat better than both
I love ssb squats. I just consider them a form of back squat though, because they are lol. Front squats still my favorite though!
Side squats beat them both.
What the fuck is that
@@hassanmiah2139 One leg 45 degrees to the side with a fat person on your back.
@@LiberatedMind1 good lord
@@LiberatedMind1 bring your momma round then
@@hassanmiah2139 Yours is fatter though
Sorry, but front squats will result in feminine sweep.
Back squats are a joke compared to front squats.
Bruh let’s be real back squats are better 😂. If you had to pick one and you pick front squats then you dumb dumb. Just back squat upright and you have 99% of the advantages that front squat has and A LOT more added to that
Nope. Fs are better.
Back squat is only necessary if you compete in powerlifting.
@@ergonaut940 same argument can be used against fronts imo. Front squats are only necessary if you’re an olympic weightlifter
@@GroundWorkFit fs are better for hypertrophy since less weight is needed for the same results. Also it has been studied that they are better for your knees.
@@ergonaut940 true indeed. I was just playing devils advocate😂 front squats expose weakness in multiple areas while back squats can hide them very well.
Bruh let’s be real you have zero idea what the fuck you’re on about. Front squats have like twice the stimulus to fatigue ratio so you’re a bit off about who the dumbass is.
Trust me when you young lads hit 50 you won't be front squatting heavy. The shear on your knees gets to much to handle. I'm still squatting heavy ass weight in my 50 but I use a Mat Wenning style power squat. It spreads the weight over more joints in the body and alounds me to training heavy and stay healthy.
Just my 2 penny's worth.
That just means you have more hip joint involved. Avoiding deep knee flexion contributes to the issue. That's my 2 cents as someone who had bad knee health (meniscus issue) then hit ATG and knees over toes work and now I'm pain free
Trust me, that’s nonsense. Cartilage gets stronger if you train right. Sorry you didn’t.
@@MatteoFitness exactly. My dad used to think the same. "I'm 50 years old, it's our thing to have bad knees" etc. Got him walking backwards with a sled and doing knee work and his pain is fading
When I was 60 I couldn't front squat, but put in the time and learned it over the course of a few months. Five years later everything is better. I don't progress weight rapidly, though. I do slow progressions in reps.
Honestly I don't like these kind of videos because it makes people (beginners) feel the need to add a billion different exercises to their workout routines. Oh I need front squats I need back squats I need zercher squats I need Jefferson squats I need etc. And they end up with a ridiculous routine and can't make something simple and realistic for themselves.
Though I understand it's like a "clickbait" attractive title and concept.