# Front Squat Form



## Marat (Jul 4, 2009)

I do Built's BGB, and I've been struggling with the front squat for some time now. I've been looking around online for information on form, but they seem to skip over the details of the issue that concerns me.

I've tried to hold the bar in the clean form, bout I found this very painful. When I do hang cleans, I find no problem with the wrist position at the top, but the additional load while squatting makes the position very painful. 

I then switched to placing the bar across my shoulders and under my chin while stabilizing the bar by crossing my arms with my elbows up. However, I find myself very uncomfortable balancing the bar.  At even light loads, the bar is very wobbly and unstable at first, and then eventually it settles. However, I'm worried that if I increase the load to a more practical weight, I wont be able to handle the wobble at the beginning. 

So far, the exercise has been relatively ineffective as I've been unable to load up the bar to a practical weight and then be able to balance it. 

Any ideas on any common form problems that I may be doing?


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## Built (Jul 4, 2009)

Try this trick, which I know as being Poliquin's:



Built said:


> Poliquin strap trick for front squats - this is how I do them:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Skib (Jul 5, 2009)

is there any benefit to using a clean grip over a cross grip? I find a clean grip very awkward and have always just used a cross grip... i'm not sure why you have balance issues unless your shoulders are too narrow or you're not holding the bar in the middle?


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## Marat (Jul 5, 2009)

Just one opinion on clean vs crossover grip:

The Clean Grip. Front Squats using the Clean Grip will feel uncomfortable at first. Many switch to the Cross-armed Grip for that reason. Don’t be one of them. Front Squat with a Clean grip. Benefits:

Safer. It’s easier to keep your elbows up so the bar doesn’t roll of your shoulders using the Clean Grip.
Carry-over. Power Cleans & Overhead Presses become easier because you’re using bigger weights in a similar position on the Front Squat.


How to Front Squat with Proper Technique | StrongLifts.com


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## Marat (Jul 5, 2009)

And I have no idea why I can't get it to immediately balance either. My shoulders are relatively wide, so I don't think that's the issue. I'll give the straps a try, if that works, then problem solved. 



By the way, nice signature Skib.


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## Yanick (Jul 5, 2009)

2 things you can try.

1. Work on wrist flexibility.

2. You shouldn't really be holding the bar with your hands, you need to create a rack with your shoulders/clavicle and rest the bar there. You don't even need to keep all of your fingers under the bar, the important thing is to keep your elbows high, and your torso upright so the bar doesn't roll forward.

When I teach people the exercise with a low weight, I get in position do some reps then I extend my elbows forward to illustrate that the bar should still be in position and that your 'rack' should be holding the bar in place not your wrists. I wouldn't recommend doing this with a couple of hundred pounds on you, but I think it sort of gives people a better idea of where the stabilization is coming from.


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## Marat (Jul 5, 2009)

After some stretching exercises, wrist flexibility is a very likely culprit. No idea why they are so tight, but after a few stretches I can sense that there's definitely room for improvement.


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## Built (Jul 5, 2009)

Yanick is absolutely correct. 

For what it's worth, I used straps for the first few years of doing front squats - over time my wrist flexibility came up, from that and from doing hang cleans. I no longer need the straps, but they served a purpose.


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## Yanick (Jul 5, 2009)

Absolutely use whatever method you feel comfortable with, so you can actually load it up and get strong. In the mean time though you can work on flexibility and form during warm up sets, in between, after your workout, whatever. After some time you'll be able to get it with a clean grip.


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## Marat (Jul 5, 2009)

Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the advice.


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## nkira (Jul 5, 2009)

Best explanation..... Good work Yanick.




Yanick said:


> 2 things you can try.
> 
> 1. Work on wrist flexibility.
> 
> ...


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## juggernaut (Jul 5, 2009)

I prefer to do front squats with dumbbells. Problems might arise when trying to get the weight up, but I manage. 

Here's a video in case you want to try it.

YouTube - Dumbbell Front Squat - ATHLETE365.com

Tip the elbows forward to take stress off the shoulder area and manage the weight more efficiently.


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