Front squats

Try starting with a dumbbell or kettlebell goblet style front squats before progressing to barbell front squats.

There are several options. but either way, use a single bell.

With your shoulders "packed"/antishrugged.

In front of your collar bone, and as close to your chest as is comfortable without causing undue stress or compression. with a dumbbell it can be either horizontal or vertical, whichever is more comfortable. Either way, your palms should face centerline inward, not particularly forward(out) or backward(in)

You aren't going to be able to move the same kind of weight with a front squat that you do with a back squat. Both work the same muscles, but the emphasis changes. Like you're going to get a lot more glute and hamstring help with a back squat vs a front squat that is quad dominant.

Your elbows should be pretty much pointing straight out in a front squat which is going to require some flexibility and mobility in your elbows, shoulders, and wrists.

I do front squats namely because I clean and I have to front squat to catch the clean. It took me quite a bit of mobility work to really get there because my chest was always really tight and didn't have much mobility in my shoulders.

stanmann571 wrote: »

85% I think sounds a bit high to start.

50% is closer to right, but as our OP looks to be in the 145 range, making her total squat about 290, somewhere in the neighborhood of the bar or even a bit lower. 35-55 lb is probably more appropriate.

85% is based from standards I have read and is pretty close to what I can do. I can back squat 120 lbs and front squat 105 lbs. Obviously, one wouldn't be able to do 85% the first time they are doing the move, which is why I recommended starting with a bar (women's bar is 35 lbs) and getting the form down first. Long term goal should be about 85% of back squat.

I'm still trying to figure out how you dropped the bar to cause bruising like that.

It sounds like you aren't able to get into a good front rack position and your arms/shoulders just aren't strong enough to hold the bar? Most people struggle with front squats because they can't maintain an upright chest and the weight pulls them forward.

If you are having trouble with that front rack position, you could try "zombie" squats. Which are how I need to do mine(if I want to go heavy) because of a wrist injury.

Lastly, regarding the 85% debate, my FS is 84% of my BS.

Super helpful thread. Thank you. I don’t have a squat rack at home so I have been doing front barbell squats and was struggling with 75 lbs today (I’m 147lbs for reference) and was getting super frustrated with myself. This helps.