Anybody got some good stretching advice for wrists for front squats? I love doing em but man this morning it was killing my wrists. I know it's just flexibility issues.
Got a good routine or stretches? Thanks!
Chalupa - when you're in a front squat are you letting your grip be loose and let the bar roll back onto your finger tips? That makes a big difference on the wrists and sometimes people are reluctant to do it because it feels a little scary at first. Just make sure to keep your elbows up so the weight sits on your shoulders and that will make it work.
Thanks Ring Girl and Ivory.
I thought my fingers were the only thing on the bar but it sounds like maybe not enough and maybe I didn't raise my arms high enough.
No prob, Chalupa. Ideally, your goal is to get your triceps parallel to the floor. The bar should feel like it's jammed in your throat and kinda choking you. That way your shoulders are bearing the weight.
It depends on what your training goals are, too. If you're training for Olympic lifting, you don't want to do the arms crossed, because that doesn't prepare you for a clean.
I use straps - bar goes through the loop & hold the strap... like this:http://www.straighttothebar.com/2006/10/holding_the_bar_in_the_front_s.html
i know a lot of athletes don't really backsquat that much and they mostly stick to front squats. There's really no difference except it's harder to cheat on a front squat.
I use crossed arms myself. Why not? It works and the other way I hurt my wrist (injury) for about 5 weeks.
big puff1989 - i know a lot of athletes don't really backsquat that much and they mostly stick to front squats. There's really no difference except it's harder to cheat on a front squat.
One difference I've noticed, that may fall under the "cheating" you mentioned, is the tendency to come out of the hole by raising my butt with back squats, which activates the glutes more - so the form kind of breaks down right there when the weight is heavy.
With front squats, you can't lean forward as far, so you really are prevented from coming out of the hole that way - it seems to minimize the glutes and hips for me, which is what I want.
What Becca and Ivory said--and I've found it really helps to focus on keeping my elbows up and in as I rise up.
Front squats are a great substitute for back squats. Unless you're training for a powerlifting meet, I don't see much of a reason to focus soley on back squats anyway. Front squats, Bulgarian squats, bent leg deadlifts, and so on can all be substituted.
cross your arms and rest the bar across the front of your shoulders and your hands just basically stabilize the bar
makes it virtually impossible to cheat
With your arms elevated, the bar rests in the groove of your clavicle behind your deltoid, meaning that you could front squat with your arms extended in front of you if you so wished.
If you are a typical OGer and your biceps are so big that you can't use the standard grip, use the crossarm grip by making a fist with each hand and pressing the bar between your thumb and forefinger.
ALWAYS keep your chest and elbows up!
keep your eyes up as well meaining look to the ceiling and your head, neck and back will naturally follow and you will stay straight
Its not really possible to keep your head elevated to that degree with a maximal front squat.
Ivory -Chalupa -
One difference I've noticed, that may fall under the "cheating" you mentioned, is the tendency to come out of the hole by raising my butt with back squats, which activates the glutes more - so the form kind of breaks down right there when the weight is heavy.
That just puts all the stress on the lower back which is very very bad, actually means your glutes aren't firing properly iirc... either way like you said, its not proper form, and front squats almost eliminates this because you can't physically do it without losing the weight or breaking your damn wrists
Yeah, I knew it was bad form. I like front squats better for exactly the reason you mentioned.
Course you have to lower the weight a little....
Make sure you wear loose fitting clothing.
If you are not worried about the O-lifts then you can use a Sting Ray. I am sure if you search around you can find one for cheap.
TAKU
I personally think front squats are better than backsquats but I have the same issue; it hurts my wrists and I'm doing it exactly the way you are showing it. I don't feel anything until I get to the heavy weights. I guess my body will just adapt.
I am looking forward to the pictures. I can't front squat with the weight in the rack position. I have to use straps. If there is a way to do them without straps, I would like to see it.