Why EVERYONE NEEDS To Front Squat!

[@GarageStrength]

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[@dxrk7]

Can I front squat once a week and back squat once a week if i'm doing two lower body days?

[@mrshodos]

Front squats are such an efficient use of training time. Amazing carryover to all forms of athletics and lifting sports. The only downside is… they’re hard! And the weight numbers are lower than back squat and deadlift, so the ego portion can also take a hit.

[@Shotty21000]

Such a true statement man, I backsquat over 3 plates and recently hit 225 for a single on the front squat and it’s so much harder.

[@petervella]

You`re 100% correct in saying that they `re hard Tony! I v`e tried so many times recently doing front squats, only to find that the bar keeps slipping and I keep losing balance. Maybe it`s because I left them too late. Having performed regular squats since I was eighteen and now I am sixty. If you have any recommendation on how I can overcome my problem, I am all ears. Thanks.

[@Mike-cb1pm]

Its not about weight. But about lifting correctly.

[@Kelvintjju87]

@@petervella kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqe8q6Rpa9-ga9U Also check this one out, this one really helped me.

[@yannickm1396]

@@petervella Most important is not letting the hips go backwards like you would with a Back Squat. Push the hips and knees forward. This way you stay upright. This is what you want because when you lean forward you will lose the bar. What i find makes it more easy to push the hips forward is pointing the toes a bit more outward than i would in a Back Squat. I hope this helps. Mindfull practise makes perfect!

[@himand11]

I've been doing back squats for a while and only tried doing front squats few days ago, it was a humbling experience to say the least.

[@ManWhoKnewTooLittle]

I love front squats, as a really longer limbed person it improved all my lower body lifts and range of motion plus the force producion for jumping.

[@fredlam2793]

I put a 40 lbs dumbbell over the back of my head to stretch my lats to increase mobility for the front rack and it has helped immensely. Also used the pole to stretch my elbows up. Since working on mobility on the rack, this has increased my max pr on a weekly basis for many weeks, front squat also helped me crush my back squat PR.

[@jater10]

Doing CrossFit and Weightlifting, front squatting a lot has been key to increasing my lifts and also other movements like box jumps. I now tell my fellow gym goers if you want to get stronger, do your front squats. Very much squat a lot.

[@ericwilbert]

Back squats recently irritated my sciatic nerve to the worst it ever was last year. Now that I'm recovered, I'm totally replacing the back squat with the front squat for a while, while supplementing hamstring and glute activation accessory moves. Seems to be helping, and my sciatica hasn't returned.

[@LeGabruRJN]

I had the exact same issue, due to some mild scoliosis irritating my sciatic nerve, my osteopath recommended doing front squats instead of back squats. Its Been going great with my rehab and it naturally compliments my body pathway and movement

[@ericwilbert]

@@LeGabruRJN Yeah that's huge. I actually just tried back squats for the first time in over a year, maintaining good form, glute activation, etc., and I still had mild sciatic irritation come back. I think it's a sign to stick with the front squats lol

[@domination_concepts]

Absolutely love the front squat! I think it’s best to do it with heels elevated on the plates if your mobility isn’t world class and if you’re not wearing lifting shoes.

[@baker4132]

What about lifting barefoot?

[@domination_concepts]

@@baker4132 I work out barefoot when I can, but most gyms aren't too fond of me doing that. And if your ankle flexion isn't great, you'd still need some elevation I think. Barefoot lifting is better for feeling the proper foot mechanics though, the inversion/eversion of the heel and the front part of the foot.

[@CMFGAO]

i feel like i need to write you a love poem for how much you've helped my training. Love you bro

[@AlteredState1123]

Great ankle, knee, and hip mobility from the athlete. You can tell he has been training with DMiller since 7th grade.

[@ianchambers37]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. I much prefer the cross arm variation myself even though i have improved my shoulder and wrist mobility over the years.

[@kckuhn9104]

Can you make a tutorial on how to do this because I’ve never really tried it because my form is awful? That would be greatly appreciated thank you.

[@Yupppi]

Front squat helped my unbalanced back a ton, it really forced work and stimulation on that left side of the back. And as a result the left lower body mobility also improved, as well as that left arm/wrist mobility. It just felt really good after feeling like the worst thing in the first session I ever tried it. Very happy front squatter now. Although I feel like the loading of the spine in back squat would still be worth it with such young lifting age as mine, sometimes it feels like the load just shocks the torso in back squat.

[@thehightide2559]

glad to hear it! I think handling heavy weights is so good for making day to day safer :)

[@donniegrande9186]

50 yrs old here all natty haven't done front squats for years did it today 285 on a safety bar and I dropped the first attempt but got it on the 2nd one 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽

[@energyzer_bunny1913]

I quit back squatting because: 1. I don't like having all that weight on my spine. I'll take slight discomfort in the wrists over loading up my spine anyday of the week. 2. Anatomically, I have long femurs and stiff ankles. I struggle staying upright on a back squat unless I have heel elevation. Even then, I still find myself "goodmorning" my backsquats. I'm also a posterior chain dominant person. Big glutes/hams, small quads. 3. It transfers better to sports and Olympic weightlifting. I'm a sprinter and having strong quads is vital for acceleration out of the blocks. The fact that it helps improve your deadlift is just a bonus to me.

[@one23four68]

I have been a Jiujitsu practitioner for over five years but I am still a beginner at lifting weights. I alternate front squats and high bar back squats (every other workout)during my current linear progression. Any drawbacks to this as a beginner?

[@alubchicken]

Only downside is your back squat won't progress at the same speed as you would if you only did back squats. But front squats do feel better and translate well to both classic lifts.

[@ToastyBunsMcGee]

I can’t manage flexibility and weight lifting. It seems like I’m always stiff whenever I add weights, no matter how much I stretch.

[@Isaac-cq6ns]

Do you squat 1,2 or 3 times a week?

[@one23four68]

@@Isaac-cq6ns I squat three times per week.

[@one23four68]

@@ToastyBunsMcGee I experience stiffness too but I am bad with sticking to stretching. I do notice some temporary improvements though after I stretch so perhaps I need to make it a point to do.

[@fredcharlotte]

When you were front squatting every day, what kind of programming routine did you use? That sounds like something I'd greatly benefit from for the trunk strength and posture improvement.

[@michaeld9146]

Would you consider doing a side by side on the pros and cons of a zercher squat vs a front squat

[@jaheim6434]

I’m longer limbed too. I back squat 600 to 90 degreees but struggle to squat 335 or higher on front squat

[@cryptomando]

Great find.. Thanks

[@imhassane]

I just had my first front squat day today, I’ve brought my squat from 170lbs to 325lbs in 2 months, I’m doing the same for the front squat but damn they are hard, I’m only able to live 160lbs x 5 x 5 now but I feel like I’m gonna get strong fast as I’m not feeling any back tiredness and my leg strength is there, just the core is working way harder than in the back squat

[@markwinckley6374]

Amazing video at a timely point. I just got back from playing basketball feeling discouraged at my unimpressive vertical and my lack of consistency over the last year with regard to training. Good to see this video! Sometimes I feel down that my body type is more that of a rugby player than a basketballer, mainly cause I just can’t jump at all. I don’t even have bad knees, I’m just a bit high body fat wise and I don’t have that genetic make up to sky. I know really working on my front squat will help this. I went to the gym for the first time in 5/6 weeks yesterday (still stiff!). The deep front squats and couch stretch were a lot tougher than when I used to train more consistently. I just want to say a big thanks for what you are doing here dane!

[@nikoblading]

Rollerblader here. Loving front squat.

[@e.t2.090]

How do I strengthen my wrists for the front rack position. The movement feels great but my wrists hurt. What can I do to make that better?

[@GarageStrength]

Check out this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn2ycploetukhJY&ab_channel=GarageStrength

[@jeffreywalker4133]

Wear elastic wrist bands, and pretty tightly.

[@jeffreywalker4133]

Wear elastic wrist bands tightly.

[@zackhurwitz9441]

Foundational excercise for sure. Have you or anyone else tried what I call a clinch squat? You hold an implement out in front of you, while basically trying to get your torso to mimic the plank position, while you squat. It's like an extreme front squat. Zerchers are obviously fantastic as well.

[@Eau_Yah]

What do y'all think about the stronglifts 5×5 program for increasing strength and lean muscle mass?

[@sovietplatypus2522]

I've learned to love these

[@RobHebden]

Big fan of the videos - I'm getting into lifting more regularly now I'm in off-season. One question regarding grip here: I had wrist surgery a few years ago and my wrist strength has suffered ever since, would you recommend any alternate grips for a front squat? I would imagine I'd either that start light and work up or just use Zombie grip but thought it would be worth asking; any help would be great!

[@jamesramieri2830]

You’re awesome brother. Love your vids

[@acebaloney]

Omgosh just did zercher's today. Perfect timing

[@eraserhead8548]

So in regards to the 90° angle from your elbow to your armpit, can you cross your hands as long as you maintain that 90° with your elbows

[@pleaseNthanx]

Great question 🤔

[@Lovetoall14]

I wonder if that kid would be a D1 athlete without Garage Strength. He looks like a beast, but Garage Strength has so many top athletes coming through that it is hard to tell if they are being manufactured or if they are born like that. I would say they are being coached to greatness and the were born with the drive to work and listen. My two cents.

[@GarageStrength]

We'll let the audience be the judge of that lol... but like Nick Singleton, Cooper started with us in early high school and about 80% of the banners on the wall are all local athletes

[@Lovetoall14]

@@GarageStrength That is amazing!

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

There are a lot of really random factors like growing up in a medium sized town or small city, being a younger sibling, genetics, dumb luck with avoiding injuries. Cultural area where the big college sports are prioritized and encouraged. The biggest thing is being exposed to the sport in question at an early age, training consistently year after year are the most important factors.

[@pullcounter7011]

I don't have the mobility in my shoulders for a regular back squat. Just holding the bar on my back hurts my shoulders like hell I'll try front squats until the stretches help my shoulders.

[@mblunt00]

Is front squat better than utilizing the trap bar squats for athletics?

[@Phillip_Juricek]

Dane you should make a video with best excercises for tennis players

[@thechosenone93]

Hang power cleans Lateral movement work Shuttle runs Core work IE hanging leg raises

[@jayee172]

If your front squat goes up your back squat goes up. Same cant be said for the back squat. Really hits your thoracic spine and obliques hard. Plus in life you mainly load from the front. When i did nothing but front squats my back squat went up 30kg without doing it and the speed and uprigjt posture of doing the backsquat was really suprising

[@mattlavallee8265]

The zombie technique just straightened out so many issues I was having with this movement. Thank you so much!

[@WilliamsWrestlin]

I will take probably not front squat every day but I will actually replace the back squat for the front squat for an indefinite amount of time.

[@Christopher-ko9op]

Should I, as a beginner (6 to 7 months consistent), do the front squat? I'm 6'2 as well and I've read taller folks have problems with back squats; I feel I'm sitting into it too much and I'm hinging and turning it into a squat morning but that might just be a technique issue that I need to work on.

[@FIGGY65]

Yes. Front Squat. Also try “cutting your depth short” a bit on your back squat. You should simultaneously bend your knees/push butt back- as long as you get just below 90/below your hip crease, you’ll be good. Don’t fall into the having to hit ATG trap because only a small percentage of people can truly do this. Those who are anatomically gifted 😂. Us tall folks don’t have that luxury; if your aren’t having pain and are gaining mass/strength in the BS, then your form is sufficient.

[@Christopher-ko9op]

@@FIGGY65 thank you for the reply. I have no issue doing AGT, I am lucky I can hit full depth and absolutely prefer it to parallel or just below. I went back to the drawing board shortly after posting this comment and it has been working. I didn't know full depth was a thing only anatomically gifted people could do. It seems I am. I can reach that depth without squat shoes or elevating my heels. However, when I have any weight on the bar I start to fall back but that's because I've not been working on my ankle mobility for very long. A 2.5kg plate is all I need to elevate my heels to stop that (not even an inch). I'm very lucky I can do this at 42. I don't think my form was sufficient at all. I was using my hips way too much and I think I would have just ended up hurting myself if I kept going. I am doing front squats too and it really helped me feel what it's like to keep upright which has translated over to the back squat. Thank you for your reply!

[@chrischy]

Hands on the Bar!

[@giovannipiacen85]

The very best exercise for legs is the hack slide. Orders of magnitudes safer than any squat and it targets the right muscles (the quads rather than glutes and hamstrings), without having your lower back limiting the reps.

[@JLongTom]

But it misses the demands of the front squat on the upper back, which do wonders for posture and integrity, and on core stability. The front squat is not a 'leg exercise'.

[@adamgarcia4269]

I wanna start doing the front squat. I feel like the bar is on my neck though and my shoulder are more back so the bar wants to just fall down and I have a habit of pretty much holding it with my hands instead of it resting on the front part of my body. Any tips? I can do back squats perfectly fine.

[@Nick-dq5fo]

Use straps

[@tjcogger1974]

Stay more upright. You may need to work on your mobility.

[@samplum1567]

Your thoracic spine is weak. Focus on keeping your elbows out and contracting your mid back. Also you probably just need many more reps to achieve correct postures

[@joshuafoulds8107]

I'm seeing all the PIAA banners behind you. Where are you located?

[@GarageStrength]

Fleetwood, Pennsylvania

[@BigEandem]

As an athlete Should I drop the back squat out of my leg day and only do front squat or do both?

[@kloutgodd8585]

Both and some unilateral leg movements like split squats. Keep it up🫡

[@sewonlee8081]

My wrist hurts when I'm front squatting? It's stopped me from front squatting for about 3 months now. What would be a good solution?

[@ethanfonsecastudentmhs745]

don't be a bitch lol, that simple

[@leviwilliams9601]

Try a cross hand grip. You dont have to do a clean grip.

[@tjcogger1974]

Work on your wrist mobility, and maybe your lat and shoulder mobility too. In the meantime, use a cross grip, straps, or zombie squat

[@polkhigh3333]

Just watched a guy just about crush his skull doing these tonight. Leaned back too far and over he went. I have no idea how we weren’t scooping brains.

[@JLongTom]

Some people will find a way to almost kill themselves with any exercise you can imagine. How one call fall backwards on a front squat is beyond me.

[@alexbouchercardin8592]

Does the front squat transfer well to high bar back squat strength?

[@jaheim6434]

Same movement

[@tjcogger1974]

Depends on what level you are, but in most cases, probably not. To get better at back squatting, you need to be prioritizing back squatting. Front squats can be a useful accessory in some cases, but if you treat front squats as your primary leg movement, it's doubtful that your back squat will improve by proxy.

[@alexbouchercardin8592]

What do you mean by « depend on what level you are »..

[@tjcogger1974]

@@alexbouchercardin8592 well, if you're a complete beginner, pretty much any movement you do will make your squat go up. If you're an intermediate/advanced, you'll need a more specific training plan if you have specific strength goals.

[@tv26889]

No. Front Squats are a really good assistance movement for the muscles in the upper back. But they can't replace back squats.

[@rob_gonzo6489]

Such a great video, I’m such a big advocate of the front squat, personal opinion this should be added to powerlifting meets jmo don’t kill me powerlifters

[@yunobog7525]

Why do you think it should be added to powerlifting?

[@rob_gonzo6489]

Just a really impressive lift honestly, not taking anything away from the big 3 but just something about the front squat is dominant, jmo my friend

[@bobbylita1435]

But that awkward hand position and that pain on shoulder 😢 must we really do this ?

[@robo_goat69]

Is the front squat having a moment? Has the back squat orthodoxy been broken?

[@roch8593]

I remember eliott hulse who had a top 3 strength channel 10 years ago, he only did front squats 😋

[@robo_goat69]

@@roch8593 It seems like so much of the discourse in strength training over the last 30 years has been shaped by powerlifters (Simmons, ripetoe) who are no different than yoga instructors in the sense that they believe the answer to everything is powerlifting. So back squat bench and deadlift are believed to be essential lifts based on (primarily) two short guys whose chosen sport was powerlifting. For the longest time the wise men of strength training were powerlifters and body builders and the gp and athletes were told to train like them in order to improve performance. Bigger = better and absolute strength (as measured in the aforementioned big 3) translated no questions asked. Elliot is a former college fb player who understands strength training for sports performance. It’s an important perspective (his recent post divorce turn to toxic Mano-sphere and alpha content is a bummer. It’s like we get it dude, you got your heart broken. It sucks but this whole projection you’re putting forth is sad, unhealthy and dangerous). It’s interesting that he went from front squats to slant board back squats back to front squats. He also (which I agree with and came to conclude on my own before viewing his essential four videos) that rdl > conventional and dips over bench. Imo conventional dead and bench are bad training exercises unless you’re a power lifter which is maybe 5% of the actual strength training population yet they have this outsized influence in the discourse because dude bro logic. The back squat is overrated imo. But I don’t feel like typing that whole dissertation out on my phone off the top of my head. I think conventional deadlift is useful for assessing a person’s strength. As Dane has pointed out you don’t have to train deadlift in order to increase it dramatically. I believe the same is true for bench.

[@takashi-lee3943]

They are the ultimate humbler I started bulking and getting more serous about lifting and I got to a 155 for 7 squat and was like dang I’m not insanely weak anymore then I tried front squats and could only do 65 for 10

[@takashi-lee3943]

@@bpswank429 pounds Still not strong lol

[@traceygresham6845]

How many months have you been lifting? You still in school?

[@takashi-lee3943]

@@traceygresham6845 I was for like a year but I got way too fucking lean and got scared of bulking and my training wasn't awful but wasn't great I've only really been eating right since November and only really getting better at training the last few months So really not too long of good nutrition + training And yeah I'm still in school so I'm probably not gonna get that big till later in life

[@takashi-lee3943]

@@traceygresham6845 idk why I said 1 year it was like late 2020 so close to a 1.5 years

[@nunchukGun]

I've got long limbs too. I feel the Back squat mostly in my glutes and even hams. I know the way to correct it is to go wider but my hips don't move easy in a wide stance for me.

[@ThellmanChan]

Only problem is, i literally cant do front squats, either i fall backwards or drop the bar forward, i’ve tried everything and nothing works

[@user-mp3lt9ib8d]

Try finding a front rack position and if you dont have the mobility, try doing wrist mobility exercises because they are going to help tremendously

[@ThellmanChan]

@@user-mp3lt9ib8d it’s not my wrist mobility, it’s my ankle mobility. Im curently stretching amd trying to improve it

[@Michael-4]

Just tried it with an empty bar and it rolls forward.

[@smolboyi]

Is that 120 or 140 in the beginning 🤔

[@culture-nature-mobility7867]

When you don't have a rack front squats (and Zercher) become your main (barbell leg) exercise quite quickly 😂

[@theanthonyv]

Front squats are brutal. They’re my most immense love-hate relationship in life. Lol

[@kleindavis550]

definitely have to drop weight for Front Squats

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

Really have to reduce the weight with overhead squats.

[@arturohull14161]

Front squat is the best squat for weightlifters , throwers and sprinters and soccer players.

[@manfredmann2766]

I like the overhead squat better.

[@TheMrgoldbar]

DTC!! :37 sec in… ❤️

[@storiesrus.5114]

I hate how the bar always ends up rolling off for me, but that's what happens when you don't train it enough.

[@demonized3299]

Use straps to do a more secure version of the zombie front squat

[@khmak9387]

That's a pretty deep squat without lifting shoes!

[@yeshuasaves7882]

Awesome I'm adding that zombie squat

[@arturohull14161]

I like Frint squats better than back squats

[@BigMacoSlime]

My forearms from a front squat are weak

[@jamesrussell5196]

Front squatting two years it is

[@arturohull14161]

I like Frint squats better

[@jeffreywalker4133]

The young girl went knock kneed on the way up. This is to be avoided.

[@bacawaka2813]

I have a hard time doing squats, let alone front squats. I can deadlift 200 lbs more than I can max squat and 300 lbs more than I can front squat. It is strange that quads are the main mover in the front squats but I can max out most leg extensions machines for reps and hold them statically at the end position. I don't feel my quads from squats but I feel my adductor the next day.