I can nearly guarantee you're not front squatting enough or to some extent. For some reason, you don't see several gym goers (mostly bodybuilders) utilizing this time-tested training.
Crossfit has gone miles and miles towards bringing it back, but if you're not doing crossfit - it's most likely not even on your radar.
This is a shame because if you want to get full body strength build awesome quads sculpt rock-hard abs and save your "tweaked" lower back then you're going to enjoy 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.
Get Abs of Steel (Core) - Because you're holding the weight before your body, and you should keep upright your total core gets a great training trying to stabilize the weight and keep you straight. If you find you're leaning forward a lot when you back squat, you'll quickly get stronger and fix this problem if you transfer to front squats for a moment or two.
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 in front of you, on your shoulders, the front squat is a lot like other exercises and strengthens the "base" of those lifts/presses. Power Cleans, Overhead Presses, Overhead Squats, etc all share the same "starting" position as the front squat. Getting stronger and more comfortable with Front Squats will help you in those exercises too.
2. Bad Form Gets Self-Corrected - If you're back squatting with bad form you can wrap up the exercise at the cost of causing harm to yourself. The advantage 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 properly you'll drop it if you don't keep your elbows up you'll drop it. It's a training that pretty much forces your form to be smashing.
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 - Most people have lower back problems and back squats exacerbate these conditions. But because your upper body is usually vertical (instead of leaning forward like in a back squat) there's a lesser amount of force on your lower back. I started front squatting after I hurt my lower back. - 15995
Crossfit has gone miles and miles towards bringing it back, but if you're not doing crossfit - it's most likely not even on your radar.
This is a shame because if you want to get full body strength build awesome quads sculpt rock-hard abs and save your "tweaked" lower back then you're going to enjoy 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.
Get Abs of Steel (Core) - Because you're holding the weight before your body, and you should keep upright your total core gets a great training trying to stabilize the weight and keep you straight. If you find you're leaning forward a lot when you back squat, you'll quickly get stronger and fix this problem if you transfer to front squats for a moment or two.
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 in front of you, on your shoulders, the front squat is a lot like other exercises and strengthens the "base" of those lifts/presses. Power Cleans, Overhead Presses, Overhead Squats, etc all share the same "starting" position as the front squat. Getting stronger and more comfortable with Front Squats will help you in those exercises too.
2. Bad Form Gets Self-Corrected - If you're back squatting with bad form you can wrap up the exercise at the cost of causing harm to yourself. The advantage 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 properly you'll drop it if you don't keep your elbows up you'll drop it. It's a training that pretty much forces your form to be smashing.
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 - Most people have lower back problems and back squats exacerbate these conditions. But because your upper body is usually vertical (instead of leaning forward like in a back squat) there's a lesser amount of force on your lower back. I started front squatting after I hurt my lower back. - 15995
About the Author:
author Caleb Lee knows a lot about building muscle. His website will teach you how to build muscle fast.
