front squat

[illgixxer]

I've never done front squats before but want to add them to my dogcrapp routine. I train my legs with smith machine squats, but also want to start doing them on the free barbell. Would it be a good idea to alternate between these two lifts within my dc routine? Also, they said the 1 set of 20 reps is good for squats, does this also apply to front squats? What is a better lift for building size? My legs are small in comparison to my upper body and I want to even them up.

 

[Rosie Chee]

I've never done front squats before but want to add them to my dogcrapp routine. I train my legs with smith machine squats, but also want to start doing them on the free barbell. Would it be a good idea to alternate between these two lifts within my dc routine? Also, they said the 1 set of 20 reps is good for squats, does this also apply to front squats? What is a better lift for building size? My legs are small in comparison to my upper body and I want to even them up.

Front squats are excellent if you are looking for quadricep growth, as they target them specifically (as opposed to back squats, which can target glutes and hamstrings as well). I would NOT recommend doing front squats on a smith machine (you will not be able to do them, period, because of the movement). You will have to go lighter with front squats (don't let ego get in the way); concentrate on form, and go until your thighs are parallel to the ground (as you would with back squats).

Personally I have found that I do not need to do as many front squats for growth; 6x6 as heavy as you can go works well, or 4x10 (personal preference; you will know what sets/reps your body grows best at within the 'muscle accretion' training parameters).

For overall size I would recommend doing both front AND back squats and doing both exercises with FREE weights (forget the smith machine; if you do back squats on a smith machine you are doing a slightly different movement compared to doing it with free weights anyways, and are not using your stabilizers as much as you do with free weights. Smith machine squats are, IMO, good for beginners to get to learn the movement, but for experienced lifters free weights is far superior).


~Rosie
Team APPNUT

 

[seanlambo]

you can do smith machine front squats, i do them every quad work out after back squats on the smith. At my gym (ann arbor Ymca) there is no squat rack unfortunately so i have to make do with the smith.. I have noticed that the smith machine takes pressure off low back area when doing back squats, which can be good as long as you don't neglect your lower back.. I do my quads on a seperate day than hams and my legs are coming up nicely.. keep at it friend
edit: I agree tho that free weight exercises are best just gotta make do with what i got, i also ride my bike 5-10 miles a day instead of using a car, really adds strength and conditioning to quads, brings out cuts in upper thigh and i just love biking anyways cheers...

 

[Rosie Chee]

you can do smith machine front squats, i do them every quad work out after back squats on the smith. At my gym (ann arbor Ymca) there is no squat rack unfortunately so i have to make do with the smith.. I have noticed that the smith machine takes pressure off low back area when doing back squats, which can be good as long as you don't neglect your lower back.. I do my quads on a seperate day than hams and my legs are coming up nicely.. keep at it friend
edit: I agree tho that free weight exercises are best just gotta make do with what i got, i also ride my bike 5-10 miles a day instead of using a car, really adds strength and conditioning to quads, brings out cuts in upper thigh and i just love biking anyways cheers...

Due to the nature of the movement you can NOT do front squats on a smith machine (as it only allows the barbell to move in ONE plane) and if you do front squats on the smith machine then you are NOT doing them properly.

The smith machine will take pressure off your lower back during back squats performed on it because you are not completing the movement the same as if you were doing them free weights (i.e. it IS a different movement, and more like doing swissball squats with the swissball against a wall).


~Rosie
Team APPNUT

 

[EasyEJL]

I've never done front squats before but want to add them to my dogcrapp routine. I train my legs with smith machine squats, but also want to start doing them on the free barbell. Would it be a good idea to alternate between these two lifts within my dc routine? Also, they said the 1 set of 20 reps is good for squats, does this also apply to front squats? What is a better lift for building size? My legs are small in comparison to my upper body and I want to even them up.

if you are doing a dc routine and asking whether you can alternate between 2 lifts you already are doing something wrong as you should have 3 distinctly different leg workouts, but yes, back + front squats could get used as 2 of the 3

 

[seanlambo]

ok so it would be called a smith machine front squat but it still kills your quads my legs will be shaking then i proceed to do sissy squats holding the bar, maybe not exactly the same movement but it still works