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Forum ยป Brahs that front squat heavy
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Thread: Brahs that front squat heavy

post 1505754421 05-23-2017, 02:56 AM
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Brahs that front squat heavy

How do you avoid rounding your upper back? Every time I load up more than 2 plates, my upper/mid back rounds and buckles after 5 reps and I end up ditching the bar forward
post 1505754481 05-23-2017, 02:59 AM
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Means you have weak scapular retractors. You should be tucking them back and down if that makes sense. Also work on exercises that strengthen them like band pull aparts. Best of luck.
post 1505754551 05-23-2017, 03:01 AM
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Originally Posted By shoelaces⏩
Means you have weak scapular retractors. You should be tucking them back and down if that makes sense. Also work on exercises that strengthen them like band pull aparts. Best of luck.
Ty brah, repped. Sucks because I know my legs are strong enough to front squat much heavier weights
post 1505754621 05-23-2017, 03:03 AM
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Originally Posted By AshWar⏩
Ty brah, repped. Sucks because I know my legs are strong enough to front squat much heavier weights
I love lifting threads. There are so many smart posters on here that know a lot about training and nutrition. But no one ever posts about it. I know I never make lifting threads anymore because they get buried by forever alone and balding threads.

So when I see threads about recovering, training or anything lifting related I try to at least bump it so it gets more attention. If I can help, then all the better. Good luck man.
post 1505754891 05-23-2017, 03:10 AM
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It could also be a lack of Thoracic mobility. I believe seeing a video on Ogus' channel in which Bryce Lewis taught Lavado that using a peanut surrounding that area of your back will allow you to keep your back straight when front squatting. Could be something for ya!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6C9MRAGgUEAround 13:00 mark
post 1505755341 05-23-2017, 03:21 AM
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I use a wrap like this



notsrs, is your core strong? I find when my abs tire I round a bit since they're my weak point with fronts.

Also make sure your shoulders are packed in, think about holding a pencil between your shoulder blades etc. Also mentally focus on keeping the weight in your legs.
post 1505755631 05-23-2017, 03:31 AM
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Originally Posted By shoelaces⏩
Means you have weak scapular retractors. You should be tucking them back and down if that makes sense. Also work on exercises that strengthen them like band pull aparts. Best of luck.
This. I find using a clean grip as opposed to crossed arms is a good cue to do what shoelaces said. By keeping your elbows tight and pointing up you can't help but retract your scapula.

I've had problems when I was learning with 'sitting back' too far, as in leaning over even a tiny bit. If that's the problem you'd just focus on staying more upright by keeping a completely vertical bar path, and focusing on using your hips more to drive you up out of the hole.

It's pretty much universal that your upper back is going to fail before your quads/hips regardless of your form though, so they're best suited to the 5/6 rep range. I can't find it right now so I'll have a look later, but I read a journal article a while ago that measured EMG activity to pretty much conclude this.
post 1505755981 05-23-2017, 03:45 AM
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Feels like I'm about to legit snap my wrists when doing front squats with a clean grip
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post 1505757201 05-23-2017, 04:27 AM
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Originally Posted By collapsibletank⏩
Feels like I'm about to legit snap my wrists when doing front squats with a clean grip
are you resting the bar in the proper position? if you are you should not have much pressure on your wrist. if you do you need to stretch them more



post 1505757661 05-23-2017, 04:39 AM
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Choke yourself with the bar - gets the bar "on top" of your torso rather than way out front. Then other than that you just need to do some upper back work, heavy chins and face pulls/band pull-aparts.

For me my mid back goes before my upper back, so I work on planks (weighted where possible) and seated rows.
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post 1505757671 05-23-2017, 04:39 AM
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I'm unable to do the clean grip also. Hurts my wrist as well. I could be resting the bar in the wrong spot. However, I do get pain in my wrists when lifting heavy for press movements like bench press an shoulder press. Could there be a correlation?
post 1505758301 05-23-2017, 04:54 AM
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Originally Posted By Lifterbrah401k⏩
are you resting the bar in the proper position? if you are you should not have much pressure on your wrist. if you do you need to stretch them more



Repped.

Bar is in the correct position, I have a distinct lack of wrist flexibility...
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post 1505758311 05-23-2017, 04:54 AM
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Originally Posted By shoelaces⏩
Means you have weak scapular retractors. You should be tucking them back and down if that makes sense. Also work on exercises that strengthen them like band pull aparts. Best of luck.
Great advice. Band pull aparts are good for all kinds of stuff


I wouldn't do set of more than 5-6 on front squats anyway OP. You upper back just can't accommodate that kind of load. After 5-6, you're going to start getting some thoracic rounding and that's when it gets dangerous
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post 1505758911 05-23-2017, 05:08 AM
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Surely the only danger is dumping the bar? I regularly do sets of 10 on front squats, sure with submaximal weights but I would prefer a set of 10 on FS to sets of 10 on back squat.
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post 1505759031 05-23-2017, 05:10 AM
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Originally Posted By arn710⏩
Great advice. Band pull aparts are good for all kinds of stuff


I wouldn't do set of more than 5-6 on front squats anyway OP. You upper back just can't accommodate that kind of load. After 5-6, you're going to start getting some thoracic rounding and that's when it gets dangerous
I really need to purchase some bands. So many uses
post 1505759341 05-23-2017, 05:17 AM
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interdasting thread. Poverty repped all that contributed. ะœy front squat is significantly weaker than back - from what I saw here most of the mentioned stuff applies for me as well, although my main problem is that I can't feel my wrists upon returning the bar to the squat rack. I'll try that stretch tomorrow
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post 1505759471 05-23-2017, 05:19 AM
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Originally Posted By 3peat⏩
interdasting thread. Poverty repped all that contributed, my front squat is significantly weaker than back - from what I saw here most of the mentioned stuff applies for me as well, although my main problem is that I can't feel my wrists upon returning the bar to the squat rack, I'll try that stretch tomorrow
I think that applies for most people. My back squat max is 70lbs higher.
post 1505759621 05-23-2017, 05:21 AM
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Originally Posted By KoalBrah⏩
This. I find using a clean grip as opposed to crossed arms is a good cue to do what shoelaces said. By keeping your elbows tight and pointing up you can't help but retract your scapula.

I've had problems when I was learning with 'sitting back' too far, as in leaning over even a tiny bit. If that's the problem you'd just focus on staying more upright by keeping a completely vertical bar path, and focusing on using your hips more to drive you up out of the hole.

It's pretty much universal that your upper back is going to fail before your quads/hips regardless of your form though, so they're best suited to the 5/6 rep range. I can't find it right now so I'll have a look later, but I read a journal article a while ago that measured EMG activity to pretty much conclude this.
I do all this. Keep front squats to 4-6 rep range to ensure form stays clean.

Never understood the cross grip, but maybe my shoulders just aren't big enough. Wrist curls seem to help with flexibility for clean grip imho.
post 1505759791 05-23-2017, 05:24 AM
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Originally Posted By stoverbruce⏩
I think that applies for most people. My back squat max is 70lbs higher.
yeap, but I literally squat twice more with the bar on the back
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post 1505760451 05-23-2017, 05:35 AM
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Great thread, just wanted to add one tip that should be obvious but that eluded me forever lol. When using the clean grip, you hands/ fingers should only be stabilizing the bar on your front delts, not actually holding all of the weight like you are about to press it. Maybe someone else can word this better but once I realized this my life changed lol
post 1505760731 05-23-2017, 05:40 AM
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OP you probably need to be under the bar more. What kind of back angle do you have? You need to be pretty upright, if you cannot get in this position you may need oly shoes

Originally Posted By rustywite⏩
Great thread, just wanted to add one tip that should be obvious but that eluded me forever lol. When using the clean grip, you hands/ fingers should only be stabilizing the bar on your front delts, not actually holding all of the weight like you are about to press it. Maybe someone else can word this better but once I realized this my life changed lol
Almost ever person I see trying to do them seems to miss this
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post 1505760811 05-23-2017, 05:42 AM
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Most likely you need more upperback/mid back strength to keep the weight upright. I noticed a big difference in stability the more I hammered my upper back with rows and such.
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post 1505762521 05-23-2017, 06:13 AM
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I'm reading this, thinking that I never saw scap retraction as a cue while front squatting. If your scaps are slightly protracted but you keep the weight not moving from your collarbone/upper arm parallel to the ground, do you really need retraction?
post 1505763011 05-23-2017, 06:22 AM
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Admittedly my legs aren't very strong and I don't squat incredibly heavy, but regarding wrist problems:

I rest the bar on my shoulders/clavicles, and only use the first two fingers (index and middle) to support the bar rather than using the whole hand, like this:



Supposedly this can increase the risk of rounding your back or something like that, but I also can't do it with closed grip and this helps for my wrists so I dgaf
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post 1505802591 05-23-2017, 12:50 PM
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Ty brahs, some really useful information itt. Gonna record a set and post them later today
post 1505806101 05-23-2017, 01:19 PM
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Two pieces of advice that might help:

First is upper-mid back strength. In addition to the band pull aparts do RDLs. Also doing double kettlebell squats in the front rack position helps. Emphasize neutral spine and thoracic extension with each rep.

Second for me was more of a realization, and your experience may vary. But in tinkering with my form I noticed I could hit depth easier with toes pointed out. After months of my front squat stalling I finally realized that my toes were pointed out too far. My problem was losing tightness that wasn't corrected until I found a sweet spot with lower toe angle. Again this may vary by your body type.
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post 1505808451 05-23-2017, 01:42 PM
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for me elbows high doesn't work as a cue; they only need to be as high as allows you to have the bar rest on your body not your hands
post 1505809201 05-23-2017, 01:48 PM
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Weak core / Weak glutes

Weighted planks / glute bridges / hip thrusters will all remedy your situation.

Rack pulls are always a good accessory as well to hit your mid + lower trapezius muscles and the band work like others have mentioned.

99% of the time, people do not have a strong enough core. compound movements are not enough
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post 1505810591 05-23-2017, 02:01 PM
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I front squat heavy regularly for weightlifting, I've helped coach a few people and usually will have them do the following

1. Lots of band pull aparts, face pulls, rear delt work
2. Front squat every day until its comfortable (just do a few warmup sets every workouts) I prefer this over wrist stretches but they are good too
3. Do some slow light paused reps, most people don't come out of the hole correctly and end up trying to use their back instead of their legs thus they tip forward and dump. Keep adding weight to this until you are doing heavy reps with correct movement patterns


Another good front rack stretch is to take the empty bar, put it on your back like a back squat but then raise your elbows like you are going to front squat, hold this for a few seconds and do a handful of each reps

post 1505811141 05-23-2017, 02:06 PM
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I have FS 315 before and to get there I've worked on my wrist and elbow(?) flexibility to be able to hold the bar in the proper position. Even a small dip in your elbows can break your form down, especially when the weight gets heavy.

To help me train the proper arm form I started out by using wrist wraps as handles . I wrapped them under the bar and held them in my grip as a way to sort of pull my elbows up.

Eventually I got it down and it's paid dividends once I started cleaning- my catch form was already on point.
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