Front Squat VS Back Squat..Preference?

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Hey everyone,

I've been thinking about my squats lately, and being that I do have a lifelong injury, one leg is about an inch shorter than the other, form is extremely important to me...I wonder if one version would be better for people recovering or starting out with little muscle development.

My current (limited) level of understanding is...


  • The front squat involves the bar being in front(Duh) similar to an Barbell Overhead Press, right?



  • The back squat is probably the most commonly known, with the bar resting on the back neck, between the shoulders.

Theory...

Some say that with the back squat, it is easy to miss underlying mobility and flexibility restrictions that if left unattended, could lead to other/more issues and poor form...
Instead, it is said that the front squat exposes these weak areas, so that these areas can be worked on to improve overall form. For example if during the front squat, your elbows drop or your back rounds maybe your thoracic extension is limited. Maybe your ankles lack mobility. Whatever the issue is, it is said that the front squat would reveal it.

Thoughts, preferences?
 

maxmuscle1

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Hey everyone,

I've been thinking about my squats lately, and being that I do have a lifelong injury, one leg is about an inch shorter than the other, form is extremely important to me...I wonder if one version would be better for people recovering or starting out with little muscle development.

My current (limited) level of understanding is...


  • The front squat involves the bar being in front(Duh) similar to an Barbell Overhead Press, right?



  • The back squat is probably the most commonly known, with the bar resting on the back neck, between the shoulders.

Theory...

Some say that with the back squat, it is easy to miss underlying mobility and flexibility restrictions that if left unattended, could lead to other/more issues and poor form...
Instead, it is said that the front squat exposes these weak areas, so that these areas can be worked on to improve overall form. For example if during the front squat, your elbows drop or your back rounds maybe your thoracic extension is limited. Maybe your ankles lack mobility. Whatever the issue is, it is said that the front squat would reveal it.

Thoughts, preferences?

I like traditional back squats for overall growth and front squats for teardrop(front sweep)improvement/definition. They are both great compound exercises.

Max
 

CJ

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Both good, but usually you lose form in a front squat way before your legs wear out. It's usually something else that's the limiting factor, usually upper back/thoracic.
 

notsoswoleCPA

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I do a combination of barbell back squats then I perform a "super squat" on the hack squat machine, which is more like a front squat.

My issue with back squats is that I fold up weird, and tend to lean forward some, thereby preventing me from going A2G. When I am in the reverse position on the hack squat machine, the weight is more centered over my body, and I can literally bounce my ass off my ankles. If I had better shoulder and wrist mobility, I would perform more front squats, but I don't so hack squats are the next best thing for me.
 
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I typically do a low bar squat but I will have days with high bar squat to hit my quads a little more and I usually tend to go deeper with high bar. I would like to perfect my front squat a little more because all different variations of squats have so much carryover into each other.
 

Viduus

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Hammer also has isolateral leg press machines if you can find one. (I personally can’t stand them and just use a regular LP one leg at a time.)
 

Uncle manny

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Front squats are typically better for athletes. Seeing that you do mma you could definitely benefit from them. Having the barbell loaded across the shoulders will help develop a ton of core strength that you need. Back squats serve their purpose as well. In your case I’d definitely do both but more front squats...

(one thousand Bitches!)
 

Seeker

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1' is a pretty noticeable discrepancy and if not properly addressed while training could cause you some problems and injury. Have you done anything to address this imbalance when you squat or deadlift?
 

Grizzly911

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Hey everyone,

I've been thinking about my squats lately, and being that I do have a lifelong injury, one leg is about an inch shorter than the other, form is extremely important to me...I wonder if one version would be better for people recovering or starting out with little muscle development.

My current (limited) level of understanding is...


  • The front squat involves the bar being in front(Duh) similar to an Barbell Overhead Press, right?



  • The back squat is probably the most commonly known, with the bar resting on the back neck, between the shoulders.

Theory...

Some say that with the back squat, it is easy to miss underlying mobility and flexibility restrictions that if left unattended, could lead to other/more issues and poor form...
Instead, it is said that the front squat exposes these weak areas, so that these areas can be worked on to improve overall form. For example if during the front squat, your elbows drop or your back rounds maybe your thoracic extension is limited. Maybe your ankles lack mobility. Whatever the issue is, it is said that the front squat would reveal it.

Thoughts, preferences?


Hey Stonedfish, welcome to the ug. Jeff Nippard recently did a video on youtube on comparisons of front squats squats and found out that on the front squats the depth is lower therefore you get a greater range of motion for the quads. But all top bodybuilders these days perform back squats and front squats. I'm no top bodybuilder myself but I get better results when I include both of those in my leg training session. Good luck! Hope this helps for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-mQm_droHg&t=388s
 
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1' is a pretty noticeable discrepancy and if not properly addressed while training could cause you some problems and injury. Have you done anything to address this imbalance when you squat or deadlift?
I wear a lift in the shoe of the shorter leg all day every day.
 
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Hammer also has isolateral leg press machines if you can find one. (I personally can’t stand them and just use a regular LP one leg at a time.)
Unfortunately I'm just working with the basic power rack set up no pullys
 

ToolSteel

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Are your knees the same height with the lift
 
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Are your knees the same height with the lift
I've never considered that!

After looking, they are even.

Also, after recalling previous xrays my femur is the part that measures shorter, so my hip sits low and strains, or sits even if I'm wearing my(makeshift) lift.
 
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I've never considered that!

After looking, they are even.

Also, after recalling previous xrays my femur is the part that measures shorter, so my hip sits low and strains, or sits even if I'm wearing my(makeshift) lift.
Holy shit

I just realized that by wearing my lift causes my knee to rise above the other.

So lift causes hips to be even but knees unlevel.

No lift, knees are level but hip sits lower....

However.. no lift is hell of a lot more painful and uncomfortable...
 

CJ

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I do recall at one time seeing something about this, and they were talking about how when one leg is significantly shorter than the other, your foot placement should be slightly not identical right vs left, to even out the hip strain.

I may be completely wrong about this, but probably worth looking into.
 

ToolSteel

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Holy shit

I just realized that by wearing my lift causes my knee to rise above the other.

So lift causes hips to be even but knees unlevel.

No lift, knees are level but hip sits lower....

However.. no lift is hell of a lot more painful and uncomfortable...

So since your femur is the culprit, I would watch most for hip rotation while squatting. Something that limits joint ROM may be helpful. Dare I say... box squats ;)
 

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