front or back squat?

[Rolling Elbow]

I've been reading and thinking allot lately (since i put my back out and all i can do are chins, crunches, and pushups) about squats.

While squatting slowly with an empty bar to help get my back used to the movement again, I found the front squats actually stressed the legs more.. Back squats forces the body to focus on the load held over the shoulders and you end up fighting the feeling of the weight as much as you do the burn in your legs. HOWEVER, the problem remains, your shoulder have to be strong as hell if you plan to front squat any amount of weight..its hard keeping that much weight across the front of the shoulders.

I'll experiment more when i can actually use weight again, but do you think that front squats yeild the same overall development and bennefits that back squats do?

[Ford Prefect]

I prefect the back squat since I can use more weight and really feel it while contracting my glutes and hamstrings. My knees also tend to flare out over my feet more while front-squatting. Have you ever tried a box squat?

[IronFist]

I agree with Ford.

IronFist

[Kempo Guy]

Me too!
Although I prefer doing deadlifts...

[Robinf]

Another agreement with Ford.

Also try one-legged squats. These are incredible for building up balance!

[Cheese Dog]

I actually prefer front squats (and deadlifts) to back squats. Guess I must be odd, right?

[rubthebuddha]

Originally posted by Cheese Dog
I actually prefer front squats (and deadlifts) to back squats. Guess I must be odd, right?

of course you are. but that has nothing to do with where you put the weight.

[cutter]

i like the back squat better too. if you let the bar sit on the traps and keep your eyeslooking up at about 45 degrees, it might help the weight feel more centered over the hips.

[Cheese Dog]

Oy! I've been found out!

But seriously, I like front squats better. You don't need a squat rack; just clean the weight and then go right into front squats. One of my favorite exercises are squat and presses: clean the weight, squat down to below parallel, and explode back up, pressing the weight to full extension overhead. Sure, you can't handle as much weight, but I believe exercises like this are better for developing speed and power than slower lifts, which makes them more applicable to the martial arts. Not that the slower lifts don't have their place also, they are great for limit strength.