Lifters: need info on front squats

Here's a good video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8zyw3fXZes

If you're just starting any lift you should always start with just the bar.

definitely start with something light first with something like a pvc pipe to get used to the bar position and arm placement. you might also need to work through flexibility issues.

for a quick idea of where the bar should be placed on the shoulder shelf that's created when you hold your hand straight out in front of you perpendicularly. there's an indent there and it's basically where the bar should sit. from there you bend at the elbow and slip your finger under the bar to help stabilize it, but the majority of weight is on that shoulder shelf.

I usually only lift 60% of the weight i would do for back squats its but only because i start with back then do front squats.

I lift much lighter with front squats than back squats. I think like 75% of the weight I do on my back. It just always feels awkward to me even when I have the proper form..

Once you get efficient, you should be able to front squat about 80-90% of your back squat. However, I'd recommend you start light, and work up to this.

Initially you will likely find the limitation is mobility, particularly the areas Chris mentions above, and being comfortable in the rack position. On the topic of rack position, I always prefer the clean rack, partly I'm biased because I'm a weightlifter, but even for a non weightlifter, it has carry over if you ever move on to any form of clean, it's easier to dump the bar if it goes wrong, and you're less likely to run into issues through having one shoulder higher than the other, and therefore lateral curvature in the spine.

Once you get past this, you will likely find that the limit is back strength, as you will struggle to keep the torso upright. You cna go with assistance exercises, but even just doing front squats alone will get you through this.

Finally, you will find that although back strength still comes into it, you are a lot more limited by quad strength, when you get to this stage, you should be getting close to the 80-90% of back squat ratio, and looking good.

Hope that's useful.

Once you get efficient, you should be able to front squat about 80-90% of your back squat. However, I'd recommend you start light, and work up to this.

Initially you will likely find the limitation is mobility, particularly the areas Chris mentions above, and being comfortable in the rack position. On the topic of rack position, I always prefer the clean rack, partly I'm biased because I'm a weightlifter, but even for a non weightlifter, it has carry over if you ever move on to any form of clean, it's easier to dump the bar if it goes wrong, and you're less likely to run into issues through having one shoulder higher than the other, and therefore lateral curvature in the spine.

Once you get past this, you will likely find that the limit is back strength, as you will struggle to keep the torso upright. You cna go with assistance exercises, but even just doing front squats alone will get you through this.

Finally, you will find that although back strength still comes into it, you are a lot more limited by quad strength, when you get to this stage, you should be getting close to the 80-90% of back squat ratio, and looking good.

Hope that's useful.

I'm sure she's right with ya on that.

This isn't a bad watch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3NRmdtSvmQQ

I used the crossed arm grip but not sure that is best to use. The other way looks like it would be too much stress on wrists. Thoughts?

I mentioned some of this in my earlier post, but will add some more.

It's nothing that can't be overcome with a bit of mobility work for the wrists and shoulders, and that's assuming you can't do it already. Remember the bar sits on your shoulders, and you can actually open your hand a lot, you don't need to grip it in your hands, which would put a lot of pressure in your wrist.
If you really can't hit that position, you can even use straps whilst you work on mobility.

I can see that happening. Today I think I had the bar too close to my neck at times and it would make me choke a little.

That's pretty normal, sounds like the right spot, takes getting used to at first, but soon you won't even notice.

If you watch weightlifting competitions, you'll often see people unable to make the jerk after a decent looking clean, because they let the bar sit on their windpipe too long. Less frequently, you'll see someone not attempt the jerk and dump the bar, or collapse before the jerk, because the bar is sitting on the blood vessels in the neck, and the lifter blacks out. The second thing is unlikely just doing front squats, but it shows that the bar needs to be that close.

Take your finger tips and stretch your hand back so that it is palm up. Get used to that feeling. It's sort of awkward and painful at first, but I'm pretty sure this is how your hands should be. Far as I know, the bar should be resting on your fingertips/collar bone area.

She is right. When you do them correctly you are barely actually holding the bar, it is mostly balanced on your collar bone. If I do front squats I lift the bar doing a clean first. I prefer that method to the rack.

Also, it is common to not be able to do as much weight as a back squat, but I find you use your glutes and core a lot more than a regular back squat. I like them for a change once in a while.

Like this - http://youtu.be/dosTfJMbJEM

I like how that guy runs out to the barbell before checking on the guy who passed out.