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Can front squats replace normal squats?

pistachio

pistachio

Member
Ok, so i was doing my squats today, hip flexor was killing me, knees were sore, feels sore going down, etc etc.

Squats to me just generally don't feel good. I barely even feel my legs when i'm doing it, i just feel general aches and pains.

After squats, i do front squats. Instantly, the hip flexor and knee pain goes away. I can literally feel my quads tearing as I push up, I can go closer to failure, as I am not afraid of falling over or anything like that, cos i can just keep pushing it out, no matter how slowly.

Get home from the gym, quads are already sore, they'll likely be sore the next 4-5 days. This happened last week too.

I LOVE FRONT SQUATS

So my question is, can i get away with just doing front squats?
 
Try back squats with a plate under your foot. It will engage the quad more and might relieve your hips a bit.

Try the front squads for a few weeks and try back square again.
 
It's either a mechanical reason behind your back squat issue, technique, both, one of them and something totally different, or neither.


To answer your question, yes. Front squats can replace your back squats. They will give slightly different results though. Front squats are more quad dominate
 
Not permanently.

You should be able to backsquat without pain.

Adress the underlying issue.
 
I prefer back to front squats. that said, ive barely done front squats. feel my squats more in the glutes and hammies over quads maybe that why
 
Im front squatting now and I love it. I feel it more in my legs, can goto failure because I can easily drop the bar forward.

Nothing wrong with deadlifts, front squats and bench.

So I would say yes.
 
Thanks for the replies guys

leachy said:
Try back squats with a plate under your foot. It will engage the quad more and might relieve your hips a bit.
Click to expand...

I've tried these before, they've never felt comfortable to me, plus i just don't feel safe doing them (like the weight is going to slip or something).

PowerBuilder said:
It's either a mechanical reason behind your back squat issue, technique, both, one of them and something totally different, or neither.

To answer your question, yes. Front squats can replace your back squats. They will give slightly different results though. Front squats are more quad dominate
Click to expand...

Lol, that pretty much covers all possibilities ;) I think it's probably flexibility, which I am working on, but front squats are so much more enjoyable, and if i can find any leg exercise that i actually LIKE doing, well then thats a keeper! I don't mind if it engages the quads more, cos i'm already doing SLDL for hammies and of course normal deads too

NPR said:
Not permanently.

You should be able to backsquat without pain.

Adress the underlying issue.
Click to expand...

That is a good point. I'm thinking of doing one cycle of PPP on front squats to give the hip flexors etc a rest, and during that time, really focus on flexibility and mobility and see if that helps. I'm not expecting to stop squatting full stop.

Paullie said:
Im front squatting now and I love it. I feel it more in my legs, can goto failure because I can easily drop the bar forward
Click to expand...

Exactly, and that's what I love about it. I can push myself much harder on front squats cos im not afraid of failing.
 
DanRucci said:
Well a front squat is not a legal back squat is it? In a comp you can't do a front squat. lol
Click to expand...

Not interested in competing lol, just getting huge. Getting strong seems to be a good way of getting there ;)

My goals are simply to pack on some quality muscle, in the order of 110kg or so, then lean down to 95kg and look beastly.

Strength gains are incidental to me, although I would like to maybe bench 200kg one day. At least 180kg anyway.
 
Help yourself. Do a front sq like weightlifters do. Having your elbows infront of you, not crossing your arms.

When doing this, keep your elbows up...or you'll fall flat on your face.
 
PowerBuilder said:
Help yourself. Do a front sq like weightlifters do. Having your elbows infront of you, not crossing your arms.

When doing this, keep your elbows up...or you'll fall flat on your face.
Click to expand...

I actually do neither of those....

I can't get my elbows up and wrists down like weightlifters do, there is literally a 3-4 inch gap between my wrists and my shoulders (even more for my right shoulder). i can bend my fingers down and BARELY touch it with my left wrist, but obviously this is not the way to do it.

I do front squats with my arms out straight in front of me, with the weight resting on my shoulders.
 
yeah that,didn't know it had a name tho lol. i put my hands on top of eachother tho and kinda lock them together. it is very tight and keeps the weight in nicely (also makes me tighten my core/upper body etc).

it just felt the most natural way to do it
 
I find it interesting that you have hip flexor pain and don't feel it during front squats. When I had hip flexor trouble front squats were worse.
 
PowerBuilder said:
Help yourself. Do a front sq like weightlifters do. Having your elbows infront of you, not crossing your arms.

When doing this, keep your elbows up...or you'll fall flat on your face.
Click to expand...

Why? If there is no intention to put it over head, what does it matter. It doesnt help you lift more either.
 
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