The Front Squat with Mark Rippetoe

[@carvernine4623]

I like how a video about how to Front Squat became about back squats and Rip yelling at his student. This is why these videos are so good

[@funtaro666]

14:04 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@craigjackson6450]

I like how the guy doesn't hang around once he's finished, he just walks off with no awkwardness. In quite a few of the other videos there's a moment of "should I stay or should I go" before they walk off camera

[@tannerhutton5888]

"chest drahve"

[@charlesfisher3983]

The key that most of the Eastern Bloc coaches use is not elbows up. It's elbows out. Because it is completely possible for you to lift your elbows basically up to the sky with a rounded thoracic. Elbows out as wide as possible cues the traps and the rhomboids to contract

[@iii-ei5cv]

Interesting point, but the cue to get the back tight that Rip uses is "chest up". "Elbows up" is so you don't drop the weight

[@eclipsewrecker]

@@iii-ei5cv right….so one cue instead of two cues.

[@eddiejansen3771]

Best front squat tutorial I've seen

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Squat university does good one too @squatuniversity

[@Bread_n_Butter.]

I don't even do half the stuff in these videos but still get absorbed into how he breaks down and articulates the fundamentals of these exercises. Lol

[@Snap_Crackle_Pop_Grock]

For people complaining about "butt wink", it's totally normal to have a bit of flexion when the bar isn't loaded. Front squats with a 45lb bar and with a 240lb bar are different lifts. The empty bar is a bit awkward in that position and the center of mass is not the same, and it's hard to stay super tight in the hole with no weight. His squats with 240lbs starting at 13:50 looked fine and there was no real spinal movement. And a tiny bit of movement during warm up sets won't kill you or make your back explode.

[@clusterbyte]

Hi Mark, I really want to thank for so detail explanation. It made me understand what I was doing wrong and why my back pain after this exercise.

[@qtpie2630]

Next video "the low bar front squat"

[@KevinCease]

Andre Ledo keep the bar nipple height

[@thatguy1926]

that's called a zercher squat

[@billybrothers2492]

Andre Ledo lmao

[@JesseMcdonalds]

A true professional. Thank you Mark!

[@spockthejock]

Excellent video on the mechanics of the front squat…best I’ve ever seen.

[@Scott-ko6vi]

Totally helpful - been doing these for weeks and never quiet got it down. Thanks Rip!!

[@luptonpittman6520]

Scott Smith no need to be quiet. Make all the noise you want.

[@findingnory]

@@luptonpittman6520 You are a bad man

[@SKgyebaek]

People complaining about the buttwink have to realise it is more of a physiological phenomenon. People with longer legs and short torsos will be more prone to buttwink. Those with shorter legs and longer torsos will have less buttwink and this is the ideal body composition as most olympic weightlifters have this. If you have longer legs and short torso then the solution to get rid of the buttwink is to simply widen your stance and angle your feet more outwards so that you can open up your hips. This will guaranteed get rid of the buttwink and allow you to maintain a vertical barpath.

[@HiydroN]

His problem is not letting his knees travel forward. I had the same butt wink and learned to correct it.

[@findingnory]

This is a good solution for the front squat or high bar squat, but doing a low bar squat for power means you cannot afford enough of a wider stance to completely eliminate the pelvic tilt. A little buttwink is not an issue as long as you maintain spine neutrality. Now, how to eliminate that one guy always crying about your form instead of correcting his own?

[@yannickm1396]

Flexing my spine in the back squat gave me a lower back injury. At this moment my back still can not handle heavy weight. But it is getting better though. I found out that i have poor hip mobility. When you don't have enough mobility in the hips you compensate with the lower back. Seated good mornings help with this because that is the position you will find yourself in when your in the lower part of the back squat. I am also doing high rep Front Squat now. It took some learning to get the techniek down. But i have really fallen in love with that exercise, as much as previously with the back squat.

[@toolate6971]

Great video. Thanks Mark for addressing the front squat!

[@ballelort87]

I front squat with the intention of doing a thruster, helped me more than any other que (chest up, elbows out etc.) and helps me explode all the way. Thinking about having to push-press that barbell causes everything else to fall into place.

[@imlashn7677]

Thruster are you referring to hip thrust?

[@jinluwang5671]

@@imlashn7677 Lmao. It’s a CrossFit movement. Check it out on KZbin or google.

[@frankchen4229]

@@jinluwang5671 ??? What? Thrusters are a crossfit specific movement? tf?

[@DanDannyDanielleBob]

Switched into starting strength and have seen very good progress. I am considering bringing front squats in in place of the light Wednesday back squat as I am nearing the end of the novice linear progression. I found that the front squat in my previous routine improved posture and ankle mobility more than back squat, but back squat has contributed more overall strength. Not sure how I will program them in yet, but appreciate the tutoring.

[@RyanMcIntyre]

I alternate since I squat 2x/week right now.

[@TheBenjammin5150]

I love front squats I get a good ab workout with them.

[@squatguy315]

When you squat for abs...

[@Luke41lol]

chin ups and deadlifts works the abs much more

[@travis8106]

If your goal is to prevent flexion in your core, then how is it working your abs?

[@ggrthemostgodless8713]

@@Luke41lol That's right!!

[@user-tc9fk2dh7x]

Trevor isometric movement.

[@mathewbigelow4589]

I dunno rip, frnt squats really helped by back squats and deadlifts.. either way im tucking my shirt into shorts from now on tho thats smart stylin

[@findingnory]

He never said they wouldn't make you stronger nor did he say they were useless as an accessory. He just said he doesn't use them in his program because low bar produces more force. Simple. Do what works for you.

[@TheJakub345]

these a great for people with really bad backs

[@commissarvigil4806]

I do em cus i aint have no Squat rack

[@ghezoi]

@@commissarvigil4806 that is a very sad gym mate

[@martinobrien4268]

I have been using these as part of a combined superset of front and back squats for the last couple of months, 8 reps front 8 reps back. You can really feel the difference in muscle recruitment between the two, the beauty of this combination is you still have gas in the hams to get the back squats finished. The superset is a real eye bleeder...

[@ellasaro]

The "don't sit back" tip, specially when lifting heavy was KEY to me. I always thought about it as something natural that happened when heavy loading, but no, I see now it was just technique going haywire.

[@StanleyKu]

Damn I love Rip!

[@miguelreyes8466]

you re awesome coach.learning all I can from you

[@Marcus_PG]

Due to an elbow issue which flares up badly when doing back squats I've decided to try front squats tomorrow. This video was the best tutorial I could find on the web on how to do them....excellent tutorial. Thanks.

[@thegreatguy3829]

When did they flare? Pulling the bar down into your back?

[@Marcus_PG]

@@thegreatguy3829 i'm a slim guy so to keep tightness in my upper back I have to bring my hands well in to hold the bar, which then places more stress on the elbows during the whole of the set. However, since I posted my comment I've adopted a slightly more vertical posture and do a kind of hybrid between a low-bar and high bar squat which allows me to widen m grip slightly and seems to also alleviate the elbow pain.

[@lynnnjerik]

I needed this, thank you!! Just subscribed,

[@durrock1927]

Love the come and take it

[@formerevolutionist]

I'm a big fan of the 3 x 5 Starting Strength program, but lately my shoulders have been pinching trying to get into the position of low bar back squat. Until I figure out how to avoid impingement I decided to do front squats. I can't lift nearly as much weight with low bar back squats, but it's a good excuse to try different kinds of barbell exercises.

[@IIBonafide]

This one was the right balance of information with demonstration. A lot of times he gets too long-winded, then lose interest when he doesn't get to the point. Great video👍

[@dereksmallsuk]

Very informative as always.

[@acepc2]

Great coaching!

[@KRIPTOMOON9]

this is gold i love it

[@MrRazorronin]

Ambassador of good will

[@g00zik97]

i have a lot of work to do on my joint mobility, especially ankles. but front squats are probably the most fun exercise.

[@beamquaker]

I honestly could never feel front squats and found them useless. Clearly my form was wrong and I wasn't straight enough or using my chest I was using my hips. I finally did front squats properly after watching this.

[@ekelahoe]

Thx coach

[@rabinrai5203]

this guy is stronger than he looks, lifting 100 kg. heaviest lift ive done is 80kg

[@cuchulain1647]

That was cool.

[@camius1]

Idk about the less load on the spine, but yes one can lift more.

[@vahan.hovhannisyan]

are his hands correctly bent back at 10:00?

[@zeroman155]

Dude left after last set before Mark had him do more. 😂😅🤣😁😊☺️

[@osmanserdarl2282]

excellent :) classic supersonik teaching method!

[@danstafford5977]

Goblet squat would be another variation!

[@peterl.1574]

Mark can do it too to show us his good form on all these movements.

[@allanbanyacsky1986]

I have been looking around for a squat rack that appears in this video; it would be a great fit in my garage because it’s narrow. What is name of the manufacturer who makes this? Thank you in advance for your time.

[@bikerboy3k]

It's like the guy collapses on himself instead of descending into a squat. Dunno what to say. A lot seems wrong. First thing i would point out is the complete absence of proper bracing-no point in telling the guy to take a deep breath if he drops down with a belly full of air and has no idea how to stabilize the core .

[@makeshiftplayer]

Some people like to dive bomb their squats

[@marcus_ohreallyus]

Totally agree. I think that guy should also get his front rack position sorted out before actually squatting. He's using his hands to support the weight instead of his shoulders. The bar should be against the neck, with the fingertips as a stopper. Just smoked a little tonight and wanted to criticize the coaching of a legend who knows way more than I do about proper weightlifting form.

[@powersdustin709]

Yeah i learned this the hard way and herniated my disc because I have a weak core and my back always fell into flexion. I had no idea and now I’m working to rehabilitate it.

[@travisrasmussen9201]

I agree. I thought his squats were garbage.

[@georgie4407]

i thought the same! looks dodgy

[@hraza2222]

That last statement confused me a bit. What if I don't want to compete in olympic lifting? Should I just do light back squats on Wednesday instead? I do heavy back squats Monday, front squats wednesday, and heavy back squats Friday. on SS

[@Whitefang8128]

Yes. That's what he said at the start of the video and what is in the book.

[@hraza2222]

Whitefang8128 Ok. So I shouldn't do front squats at all then since I don't plan to compete in olympic lifting? Some people said it'll help in core development as well as practicing the catch position in the power clean, which is one of the lifts on SS.

[@OscarSchneegans]

Hassan Raza Front squats don't help "practice the catch position in the power clean" (hips above parallel with the knees). They help train you to drive out of the bottom of a full clean (hips below parallel with the knees). If you're not training the full (or squat) clean, you don't need to train the front squat. They do help train the core, but so does every correctly performed barbell movement.

[@DylanFowler]

Helps with good back posture.

[@rajinfootonchuriquen]

Hassan Raza if you are doing "power" clean, you never reach the bottom of the clean because a power clean is a "above parallel squat" clean, so dont need to front squatting. But if you train for sports, do them because they have better transfer.

[@jamesearl389]

The Internet expert commenting on this thread are hilarious

[@upyours83yearsago32]

Yeah lol think that they know it all.

[@maidenless2110]

Mark Rippetoe sometimes uses the metric system out of respect for his European Colonialist ancestors.

[@HubertTheBeardless]

Come' on, now the US is colonizing everyone. Old habits die hard, don't they ?

[@Sterfgeval]

because thats the way rippetoe teaches the back squat. It activates more muscles in the posterior chain than with the high bar squat.

[@Ateszika]

would have been great to discuss grip, because it looks like the bar is not resting on his front delts rather in his hands

[@djsnit]

Just an absolute genius.

[@fruscai]

Question, he tells his lifter to spead the toes really wide, will this not cause mobility issues later? I thought you should keep toes forward as much as possible (a weeee bit ducked out to the sides) and focus on the out and back motion of the glutes and hips

[@Hambone3773]

Shoulder width heels and toes pointing outward is better for achieving depth for people with long backs and certain hip joint angles (every body has a different length of hip bone and a different angle it enters the hip socket). There is no extra torque on the knees or hips to go outward than it is to go straightforward. In fact I think there is less torque on the knee joint to go outward than there is to go directly forward for most people.

[@akhil1753]

I know this sounds like bro science, but learn the proper form like shoulder width and 30 degree toe angle etc., and let the body do the work. It'll automatically adjust to your structure well considering the general outline of that excercise.

[@bigmember5908]

what about Zercher

[@kalzonenu]

Pretty strong fella or perhaps just me using wrong technic its hard when you're so damn thight in the chest n shoulders but imo frontsquatting will allways be alot harder than backsquating 110/200 fs/bs (in hamburger numbers thats 242/440.) Alot of buttwink tho.

[@carbonfibercrypto2919]

you seem to be suffering from either: A) major muscle imbalances or B) form isn't quite right on the front squat

[@TirthBArya]

Tell me about it. Mine is 65/195

[@kratoslevit]

So that you can get more hamstring activation and hip drive.

[@darrenflynn1564]

For me to stay up right i have to have feet fairly wide, is that ok? Im guessing its up to each individual?

[@NamelessUndead91]

Front squats are superior in some ways, I was stalled on back squat and switching to a front squat and building up to doing close to my old back squat helped me push through a plateau.

[@headsmilis]

Should I still think about sitting back when descending? I mean, I assume that the weight will force one to adapt the form to keeping it in balance over the midfoot, as long as one focus on keeping the back neutral from neck to butt . If that “sitting back drill” I learned in CrossFit isn’t done I fear the low back will round easier…

[@GregVining]

No...torso will lean forward and you'll be prone to dumping the bar

[@robertius1969]

ajajajaj se ha ido tocado el ayudante!!! good job Mark

[@USAMAXI42069]

Watch Elliot Hulse for front squat info

[@jabberwock14]

I need these t shirts

[@bhuber77]

2:38 that's what she said.

[@MrRolyat98]

If that’s what SHE said, she might be a he.

[@upyours83yearsago32]

@@MrRolyat98 Lol

[@cheesedips]

so loiue is right again about wide stance lo bar squats..

[@emZee1994]

cheesedips what did Louie say?

[@Boo-mj8fd]

Thanks for the thorough info, Rip! Question though, the guy doing the backsquat has MASSIVE buttwink. Do you not correct it?

[@findingnory]

"Buttwink" is not an in issue as long as the back does not lose neutrality. The pelvis just needs more clearance at the bottom of the squat for some of the more "hippy" people.

[@Deadeyes2022]

It's just because it's only the bar and rip just wants to demonstrate the key components of the movement, back angle, depth, and hip drive

[@gifted4]

is it me or the guy doing the squats does it so awkwardly? both front and low bar squats are just so weird to watch.

[@jacobgasser377]

His ankle ROM is fine, it's his excessive anterior pelvic tilt he can't maintain during decent, it goes from ant. tilt to posterior tilt, he most likely has tight hip flexors and deep hip sockets.

[@findingnory]

@@jacobgasser377 Nothing is excessive. What he should consider is beginning the movement slightly forward of vertical. Not so much as to drop the bar, but just a hair forward will allow his femurs the pelvic clearance he needs. (notice his back angle is not vertical at the bottom). Beginning vertical just causes him to "snake" around his pelvis as he descends which gives it a funny look and would disrupt him during a heavier lift.

[@MSchmitz77]

After going to an olympic coach I switched to high bar squats, never looked back after that point

[@germankrohn7514]

does the lower back work less in front squat then back squat ?

[@benpettit4281]

I would say it uses less low back. You will be keeping your torso more veritcle in order to keep the bar from rolling off of your shoulders. I always feel front squats in abs more than my back.

[@signs80]

Front squats work low back very little but hit upper back really hard

[@Hambone3773]

It's not so much how intense the muscle works as much as it is how much leverage the lower position provides mechanically. The weight is more centered and less forward on the lever (the back itself). Image lifting a 10 lbs weight which is at the end of a one foot rod verses lifting the same 10 lbs on the end of a three foot rod. The extra length will decrease your leverage. Same with a front squat. It lengthens the lever which is lifting the weight. Put the same weight on your back in a high bar position and you shorten the lever. Put the same weight in a low bar position and it is shortened even more. You're still recruiting your back muscles in all three. If anything you recruit them more to maintain a high chest in front squat. But the leverage advantage of even a couple inches when dealing with hundreds of pounds is huge in the low bar back squat.

[@luptonpittman6520]

German Krohn than

[@Hossak]

Is it just me or is his right foot more forward than his left? When he did the air squats he seemed to do a little right side movement on the way up - sort of a vertical wiggle?

[@TehPandaChina]

Could be an imbalance or the fact that he's figured out a certain limb is longer. Klokov has the same thing. When he lifts one of his feet is position in front of the other and toes pointed out.

[@WalterBlomquist]

What's up with the lumbar in his squats? 8:03 Ouch! Looks like a herniation waiting to happen. Butt wink into hyper- extension.

[@samgonzalez7302]

"The drive is from the hips" *proceeds to point directly at the lumbar spine*

[@cheesedips]

felt it in my knees too.

[@hotpeppersauce100]

Is the lower back okay to round how this man's does? I have heard you should avoid that, what about here?

[@oskarimagga387]

It's hard to tell rounding from goin from extended to straight. With back squats it looks like rounding when it actually just straightens out from extension

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Ripp is one of few teachers emphasizing kneeovertoes

[@danstafford5977]

Front squats in bodybuilding is quad dominant... it minimizes the lumbar and the glutes... and strengthen your abdominals... however is cumbersome to hold the bar across the shoulders!

[@crucifixgym]

I do front squats for my core.

[@cockywatchman1976]

Raaaack it

[@findingnory]

Comparing the statements he makes with other high quality channels, the info is quite similar. Weight over the middle of the foot, upright back on front squat with feet angled out to allow hip mobility, low bar produces more power, etc.. The only differences are the ques: hips first or knees first. And quite frankly these ques simply register differently in every person's brain and, news flash: bending your knees moves your hips too and vice versa! It's all about what your brain is doing, it doesn't change your anatomy. I digress, but please, Stop hating someone's method simply because you don't like their verbal ques. Do what works for you and be happy.

[@morovincenzo817]

❤

[@The021589cjr]

less load on the spine. better hip angle(recruits more muscle mass, better for balance). You can lift heavier.

[@camius1]

why does he squat with a low bar placement on the back squat?

[@dalebraithwaite6890]

For heyyp draave!

[@israelperea5029]

He had hiperlordosis

[@AboveElevated]

I wonder about this as well.

[@andycribari]

Yes that's how you're supposed to squat. You also round your lower back for a bench press. What you don't want to do is round your upper back.

[@yannickm1396]

You got that backwards. Or are you being sarcastic?

[@LilHltler]

so the bar doesn't fall up the back

[@yootoober49]

RIP is cool.

[@user-vn9js9yn1j]

If this is the right squat, what's butt wink? ... I'm.so confused now.

[@bobdole7292]

I must be one of the people who come in with a misconception of how the back squat looks cuz that squat looks bizarre

[@markitosroma1738]

Con questa pancia dai pure consigli????

[@cinthyaverasteguieffel8896]

..Ahajaj!

[@jskrabac]

Why is he not correcting the excessive lumbar arching in the starting position? You can tell it's not sustainable and all the slack comes right out when he winks once he gets close to parallel.

[@WalterBlomquist]

What the F is that annoying squeeking!!! OMG. Drove me nuts!!

[@iftekhar77]

i do front squats on my back

[@killerrush77]

no wonder my upper back is killing me

[@jackburgoyne8169]

Mark *All sorts of Drahve* Rippetoe

[@kylewattssurfing3266]

Yaaawwwesomeee!!!!!!!!!+++++:)))))))

[@danski6694]

Mark - what about us washed up, injury laden guys in our 40’s who have to show up for work every day and come home and be a functioning Dad? Can we do front squats and trap deads so we dont limp around all week, saying “Sorry Hun I squatted 3 days ago”

[@yannickm1396]

At first you will feel a lot of soreness. But after a while your body will get used to it. Just build up the volume and weight slowly.

[@Hambone3773]

The only thing I would disagree with is the notion that on a front squat lifting the head higher is bad.

[@Torebordalpiano]

8:04 I thought butt wink was dangerous

[@cheesedips]

why are they so much harder than back squats???

[@wewumboyouwumbo2438]

they require more core strength

[@evooff]

That's 3 years too late man.

[@Hambone3773]

Because the leverage the back supplies is removed and therefore the quads have to do a higher percentage of work.

[@JesseGilbride]

Hambone3773 ... Plus it's a lot of work to keep the bar in place.

[@ItsRaitisLV]

I think he wasn't engaging his glutes in starting position resulting in that weird stance

[@SofronPolitis]

"Lift up the chyest"

[@damejohnson9511]

Classic Ripptoe 😂 goofld stuff

[@charleslozano4011]

to build good thoracic extension ...not so much mass

[@td5112]

Dudes like mark we cool now and i appreciate your expert help but u smack my ass one more time we gone have serious problems lol