What is better? conventional squat or front squat

[moon]

HI,
Everybody, based on your experience and result, suggests me whether conventional squat is better or the front squat.
I can't bear heavy load over my shoulders. I know full squat is quite good...but what if i do the front squat rather than the former one??
Let me know the difference between them.

 

[maniclion]

Personally the front squat is useless to me because I can't go heavy enough to warrant any reaction in my quads, you could try the hack squat it's sort of like a reverse deadlift where the bar is behind you, squat down, grab it under your butt and lift it up.

 

[Scotty the Body]

You just need more practice. The weight should be resting on your traps not your shoulders.
Back squats are better as you are able to do more weight, however front squats do hit your quads better.

 

[Arnold]

conventional squat

 

[Rob_NC]

I prefer front squats as they allow me to stay more upright and keep the hamstrings from doing too much of the work. I can do 4 sets of 275 for 10. After that, I'm wasted. I used to use a Stingray attachment for front squats but couldn't get the hang of it. Now I lay a towel across my shoulders and have at it.

A lot of the time I will use light front squats as a finishing movement following back squats. I usually keep my stance narrow and this hits the lower quad really hard, especially around the knee.

 

[naturalguy]

I just started trying front squats and feel them much more in my quads than back squats. Back squats I felt alot in my glutes, hips & hams. Weight is all relative, of course your not going to be able to use as much weight as back squats because you are taking the more powerful hips and glutes out of the equation.

 

[moon]

What if i do front and back squat together in a leg day?? It sounds feasible..but i may need to bring a plastic bag in case i vomit and some friends to bring me home.
Thanks everyone...

 

[Dale Mabry]

I would be surprised if you could hold more weight on the front of your shoulders than the back.

You never really specified what you are trying to do. If you are trying to get a big squat, box squats with the bar on your back will help you build explosive power. If you are trying to build a certain part of your leg, specify.

 

[moon]

Great! Dale Mabry gets the point.
Human body seems to bear more weight in the traps then in front.
This will be quite apparent when the weights become heavier. I am not quite aware of this since i am just beginning.
I better stick to the old mother of all exercises before specifying a certain part.
My current objective is overall development in lower part.

 

[maniclion]

Definitely, if you are a beginner then you want to go heavy on full squats to trigger the most testosterone. This will have a ripple effect throughout your whole body causing growth and strength as a whole. Thats how I started; squats, deadlifts, power cleans and bench.

 

[Dale Mabry]

You will eventually get used to the load. For years I used a manta or towel and then I trained with a powerlifter who showed me how to carry the bar properly. There is a litle groove on your middle trap where the bar will fit comfortably. Before I knew this, I would carry the bar high on my traps which would cause pain whenever I did a weight. Now, with the bar lower, I can carry alot more weight, with no pain and no towel.

 

[gr81]

Originally posted by moon
My current objective is overall development in lower part.

Overall development in the lower part? ? Isn't that like saying 90% of baseball is half mental.

 

[moon]

what is half mental?
I'd better say lower body part.