Favorite Squat Technique

missADS1981

Which is your current or favorite squat technique?

Front, sumo, back, etc.

Why do you prefer one over the other?

Bulgarian Split Squats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI9jX-6vJtE

I do these and boy do i work up a sweat doing them!!!

missADS1981

I've only done back but I'm thinking of trying front this week!

let us know how it goes. took me a few times to get comfortable with it. now that i have the form and hold down i have to slowly work up my weight for those. my shoulders have a harder time with front squats.

Ok, since you asked!
So I did box squats for my first year of lifting. Second year, back squats.

Today.. my first front squat. Loved it!! I only did a little bit shy of my back squat weight, which I'm kinda proud of! My quads are already killing me. I used the arms-crossed method. Very fun. Love finding new moves

i can only do front with arm cross method, great job!

Expect_The_Worst

Which is your current or favorite squat technique?

Front, sumo, back, etc.

Why do you prefer one over the other?

Bulgarian Split Squats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI9jX-6vJtE

I do these and boy do i work up a sweat doing them!!!

I really feel these way more in my glutes and quads versus doing regular squats. Im not sure why but they really blow up the legs and buttocks. These can also be done with a barbell like a regular squat. Thats how Kris Letang does them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntV03xCfXYI (1:22)

I highly recommend them to whoever isnt doing them.

missADS1981

Which is your current or favorite squat technique?

Front, sumo, back, etc.

Why do you prefer one over the other?

Bulgarian Split Squats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI9jX-6vJtE

I do these and boy do i work up a sweat doing them!!!

I really feel these way more in my glutes and quads versus doing regular squats. Im not sure why but they really blow up the legs and buttocks. These can also be done with a barbell like a regular squat. Thats how Kris Letang does them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntV03xCfXYI (1:22)

I highly recommend them to whoever isnt doing them.

I do them with dumb bells but also started to do with a 20 or 30 pound barbell also. def targets on the push up on the bum and quads!

navyrigger46

Low bar back squat is my primary squat but I also do front squats as an accessory lift.

...it isn't a bad idea to avoid front squatting more weight than you can clean.

QFT

QFTX2

I like low bar back, but I also do front squats once a week. I also agree that front squatting more than you can clean is a no go, at least for me, I FS about 75% of my clean weight.

Rigger

a_stronger_me13

Low bar back squat is my primary squat but I also do front squats as an accessory lift.

...it isn't a bad idea to avoid front squatting more weight than you can clean.

QFT

QFTX2

I like low bar back, but I also do front squats once a week. I also agree that front squatting more than you can clean is a no go, at least for me, I FS about 75% of my clean weight.

Rigger

I don't get this. AT ALL.

I front squat about 80% of my back squat max which in turn is roughly 130% of my power clean and about 120% of my clean and jerk. Now my 5x5 for front squat every week is about 70% of my clean, but my maxes are much higher than what I can power clean.

No_Finish_Line

those pistol squats look tough

No_Finish_Line

probably answered already but whats a low bar back squat?

and how do you do hack squats without the hack sqaut sled?

JoRocka

Low bar back squat is my primary squat but I also do front squats as an accessory lift.

...it isn't a bad idea to avoid front squatting more weight than you can clean.

QFT

QFTX2

I like low bar back, but I also do front squats once a week. I also agree that front squatting more than you can clean is a no go, at least for me, I FS about 75% of my clean weight.

Rigger

I don't get this. AT ALL.

I front squat about 80% of my back squat max which in turn is roughly 130% of my power clean and about 120% of my clean and jerk. Now my 5x5 for front squat every week is about 70% of my clean, but my maxes are much higher than what I can power clean.

I suspect it has to do with manipulating the weight. If you get in a bind you can un clean the weight.... well- least that's my first thought- but it's not a good one- I squat in a power cage and when I fail a front squat I don't do that- I just sit down and let the rails take the weight.... but I mean I can *almost* see it... .maybe it's a guide line- like DL is usually a heavier lift than the squat- for *most* people.

shrug- I don't do Oly lifting much at this point- so those aren't a priority- i cant' compare them at this point- it would be apples to oranges.

JoRocka

probably answered already but whats a low bar back squat?

a quick google will answer that for you- there is a great chart showing the difference and line of the bar.

Low bar- you tend to be wide-r and your chest comes down more
High bar- looks more like a baby picking something up- sitting down between the knees- but the chest stays up right.

No_Finish_Line

here is an interesting... post basically, about the different positions

http://70sbig.com/blog/2012/01/low-bar-vs-high-bar-squatting/

seems to be born out of forum arguments lol

hate to say it, but you would have been accused of using bad form if you were doing low bar squats in my highschool gym.

was the 'hack squat without the machine' comment explained?

JoRocka

here is an interesting... post basically, about the different positions

http://70sbig.com/blog/2012/01/low-bar-vs-high-bar-squatting/

seems to be born out of forum arguments lol

hate to say it, but you would have been accused of using bad form if you were doing low bar squats in my highschool gym.

was the 'hack squat without the machine' comment explained?

I can't see the article- if you go to images- there is a great cross section comparing front- low and high- it's black and white.

well- I wouldn't say high schools are the pinnacle of fitness education either- and most people don't know their *kitten* from a hole in the ground- so that doesn't surprise me. The placement of the bar makes the difference.... and the idea is that the bar goes in a vertical path- so if you chance the placement- then the you need to change mechanics to GET it to go mostly up and down.

Regardless- both are acceptable methods- and depend largely on personal preference. There are some moderate changes in focus of high vs low- but really they are to me negligible if you consider the whole movement itself- the slight hammy activation I might get with one doesn't trade the discomfort I get for doing it. So YMMV.

Hack squat- is not originally a machine it's an actual squat. You can google that too.

Most people just use the machine though.
quick google for you
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-hack-squat.htm

SapiensPisces

and how do you do hack squats without the hack sqaut sled?

Barbell hack squat:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdtaJRBqwes

No_Finish_Line

i like to diversify my leg training with plyometric jumps.

i look at all the different variations on the squat and my lower back starts to worry lol.

i could see people saying the same thing about plyo tho.

In the end, i think the only thing that really matters is that your squating at all.

JoRocka

they are just two totally different goals.

I'm not a fan of the hack squat- it's murder on the knees honestly. but some people do it- I've been lifting for almost 15 years and I have never once seen anyone do a real hack squat.

but OHS, Front and back are the most popular- Jefferson- rarely seen- but once in a while you'll see it- and then zerchers.

Plyo's are great if you can take the impact, but a lot of people can't. I like plyo's- I like training like an athelete- but the reality is I want strength right now- so plyos are great- but wont' get me there.

Goals- goals matter. Because goals will dictate what you are working.

dixiewhiskey

Which is your current or favorite squat technique?

Front, sumo, back, etc.

Why do you prefer one over the other?

Bulgarian Split Squats

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI9jX-6vJtE

Oooh! Going to add this to my routine.. just did some in my living room... it's killer!

navyrigger46

Low bar back squat is my primary squat but I also do front squats as an accessory lift.

...it isn't a bad idea to avoid front squatting more weight than you can clean.

QFT

QFTX2

I like low bar back, but I also do front squats once a week. I also agree that front squatting more than you can clean is a no go, at least for me, I FS about 75% of my clean weight.

Rigger

I don't get this. AT ALL.

I front squat about 80% of my back squat max which in turn is roughly 130% of my power clean and about 120% of my clean and jerk. Now my 5x5 for front squat every week is about 70% of my clean, but my maxes are much higher than what I can power clean.

Just for clarification, I was referring to my working weight, and assume the previous poster was as well. Truthfully, I have never front squatted for max, but WW is about 75% of clean WW. I imagine I can max higher on front squat than I would on cleans.

Rigger

SideSteel

Fronts feel the most natural to me as far as technique goes.

I back squat 3xweek and front squat 1xweek currently.

IronPlayground

I prefer back squats. Especially since training for powerlifting. I do enjoy front squats, though. They are challenging and I like the different variation.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Low bar back. But I've never done front.

And yes, I also get corrected constantly for leaning forward and I go to a commercial gym, not a high school gym. I usually name drop Ripptoe but that doesn't always help. I downloaded this image to my phone after the last incident. I'm going to bust it out next time.

funforsports

I typically do High Bar Squats with Front Squats as an accessory lift.

lq022

I'm not sure this would constitute a squat, per say, but a friend of mine who is a trainer taught me to basically do a sumo squat on a leg press. Instead of just putting your feet up on the plate, you move them down towards the bottom and have your feet point outward and do the movement of lowering yourself down towards the plate. The lower you can position your feet, the deeper the movement goes. And it gets rid of the fatty inner thighs .... I usually do like 4 sets of 12 reps and can barely move after .. its great!

JoRocka

I'm not sure this would constitute a squat, per say, but a friend of mine who is a trainer taught me to basically do a sumo squat on a leg press. Instead of just putting your feet up on the plate, you move them down towards the bottom and have your feet point outward and do the movement of lowering yourself down towards the plate. The lower you can position your feet, the deeper the movement goes. And it gets rid of the fatty inner thighs .... I usually do like 4 sets of 12 reps and can barely move after .. its great!

not a squat.

Lofteren

I "like" doing front squats because they're a lot easier than back squats. I think this is simply because they can't put the same amount of muscular/neurological demand on your body with the lower weights one handles in comparison to the back squat. I do have to add that I believe back squats will provide a much better training stimulus and therefore better training efficacy than front squats.