Help with form on my Front Squat

jayoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYDFI0RM8Y

Main question is to do with depth and the roiunding of my back at the bottom. Should I stop going this deep to prevent my lower back from rounding at the bottom. Started doing this roughly 6 weeks and so far they feel comfortable through the full mange of motion.

Any feed back would be great:)

podge57

I don't really think it's going to be a problem for your back, I'm just jealous that you can go that deep

mindaugelis

dont look good, to deep... go to parallel

squod

It looks as if your elbows should be higher, then again I'm having trouble with mine. Go deep though, can't see the benefit of partrial squats. Hold tension in your stomach muscles. I guess you already know that.

d'Oracle

jayoo wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYDFI0RM8Y

Main question is to do with depth and the roiunding of my back at the bottom. Should I stop going this deep to prevent my lower back from rounding at the bottom. Started doing this roughly 6 weeks and so far they feel comfortable through the full mange of motion.

Any feed back would be great:)

I'm not an authority or anything, but the tuck/buttwink/whatever doesn't look too bad.

You could try the clean grip, kind of makes you keep your chest right up.

mindaugelis, why would that be too deep?
Oly weight lifters go that deep all the time.

mindaugelis

front squat is for quadriceps basically, you dont need go so deep to feel them, i would break my back if i go so deep

d'Oracle

mindaugelis wrote: »

front squat is for quadriceps basically, you dont need go so deep to feel them, i would break my back if i go so deep

I disagree.

mindaugelis

look at first guy ass it is not rounding at the bottom, and now look at jayoo he is going more deeper and first guy is using belt and weight lifter gear it support his back... besides jayoo dont look flexible like first guy so he is just hurting back

d'Oracle

mindaugelis wrote: »

look at first guy ass it is not rounding at the bottom, and now look at jayoo he is going more deeper and first guy is using belt and weight lifter gear it support his back... besides jayoo dont look flexible like first guy so he is just hurting back

I disagree with that too.

1) He won't get more flexible by only hitting parallell.
2) I have seen much worse back rounding than Jayoo.

spiral

you may have tightness in your hamstrings and/or calves that is making your back round at the bottom . So try stretching them beforehand. You are also slightly hunched when you rack the bar . You need to keep your chest big , set your back in extension trying especially to maintain that lumbar curve all the way down. If you are not comfortable with a clean grip you may not be doing it correctly , you dont need the palm of your hand under the bar , your fingertips will suffice

Apart from that the weight looked easy for you !

mindaugelis

d'Oracle wrote: »

I disagree with that too.

1) He won't get more flexible by only hitting parallell.
2) I have seen much worse back rounding than Jayoo.

if he go just to parallel you will not see rounding i have seen back breaking deadlifts, but it is really not ok

Colm_OReilly

mindaugelis wrote: »

if he go just to parallel you will not see rounding i have seen back breaking deadlifts, but it is really not ok

What's your training and coaching background?

OP

Spiral has some good points. In addition, it looks like you're starting the squat by pulling your hips back, rather than straight down. Try keep your torso more vertical, you may achieve this by pushing your knees out and trying to roll out onto the blades of your feet.

Pull those elbows up, trying thinking of leaning back on the way up. Some of these cues may not work for you, it's a case of finding the ones that will.

Keep working on being more upright, especially on your warm up sets, and it will come.

mindaugelis

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

What's your training and coaching background?

OP

Spiral has some good points. In addition, it looks like you're starting the squat by pulling your hips back, rather than straight down. Try keep your torso more vertical, you may achieve this by pushing your knees out and trying to roll out onto the blades of your feet.

Pull those elbows up, trying thinking of leaning back on the way up. Some of these cues may not work for you, it's a case of finding the ones that will.

Keep working on being more upright, especially on your warm up sets, and it will come.

training since 16, training hard since 22, now i am 25

jayoo

Thanks for the feedback guys

Killme00

jayoo wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaYDFI0RM8Y

I front squat less poundage than you so you can take this or leave it

-Try to keep your elbows higher, this is what is pulling you little forward. On the Debaya 5*200 video you can see he tightens his elbows before each rep.

-The reps look very fast to me but everyone has there own rhythm

Transform

it has feck all to do with hamstring and calf tightness and more to do with not keeping abs and back tight enough at the bottom.

Use the palms up grip on the bar also

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Hi guys, just a question on the butt rounding:
Is that down to tight hip flexors? I've been doing a lot of front squatting myself and am still rounding a bit at the bottom.

I've been working on my technique and hip-flexor stretching, seems to be doing the trick for me.

Transform

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Hi guys, just a question on the butt rounding:
Is that down to tight hip flexors? I've been doing a lot of front squatting myself and am still rounding a bit at the bottom.

I've been working on my technique and hip-flexor stretching, seems to be doing the trick for me.

hip flexors can help but to be honest it has much more to do with getting the glutes doing more work, keeping core tight and chest high

The Guvnor

On Front Squats if they are done correctly then in theory you do not need to hold the bar. This gets harder as the weight increases!:)

I thought your set looked bouncy - you were for my liking dropping down to fast and speeded up at the very bottom thereby bouncing out of the deep position.

If it were me I would be more controlled on the way down, consistent speed and go down until my hip joint was a touch lower than parallel. The real work is coming up, anybody can drop down with weight on the bar.

Good on you for posting the video mate, maybe drop the weight a bit and try and implement some of the advice given and post another comparison video.

brianthebard

Dunno about jayoo or anyone else here but I find it hard to stop at or just below parallel with the front squat, plus it seems to put more stress on my lower back than if I go as low or close to as low as jayoo does. I wonder if there's a reason for this.

The Guvnor

A lot of strongmen do the front squat as it places less stress on their back. This would then allow them to do a front squat workout after already having worked their backs doing some event training for example.

It is hard to answer but IMO lower back stress on the front squat is not a great sign. It could be as was stated elsewhere be down to poor posture and/or a lack of core stability.

I am just back doing front squats - literally just back doing them and the weight I am using is miniscule. Maybe 50kgs for 20 reps. I would on exercises like squats use less weight to ensure better form.

jayoo

Thanks for all the feedback. Will be heading to the gym later on and will concentrate on my fron squats.

At the moment i am using the olympic technique grip in my warm up, so 30kg x 10 40kg x 10 50kg x 5, then i switch. Hopefully this will bring some flexibility so i can switch over.

I Do find it easier to drop down quickly, and as i begin to come back up i can feel myself leaning forward.

I have no idea how to breath correctly, usually inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

Will report back after i get back from the gym :cool:

Colm_OReilly

Inhale before taking the bar out of the rack. If necessary, get another breath in before squatting. Hold your breath during the rep.