How often do you incorporate front squats?

[jbil75]

Sadly the guy who introduced me to powerlifting and was training me passed away last week. I learned a lot from him in those few months but I only remember doing front squats once but I also remember him saying they are necessary.

 

[Vincentino]

I do them on every deadlift day. They really benefited me building up core strength and open up my hips

 

[Perrin Aybara]

Pretty much always in my rotation in the off season. High bar and front squat are my bread and butter. Only do low bar in the weeks before a meet.

Actually did strictly front squat most of last year and went back to low bar five weeks out and still hit a small PR at the meet. Not that I suggest that for everyone. I just got tired of doing back squats and wanted to focus on deadlift for awhile and improve front squat for fun in the meantime. Got my front squat from low 300's to 405x1 right before going back to low bar and was surprised to find it had improved slightly even without training it.

 

[Worf]

Not very often front squats put quite a bit of stress on my knees. Sad about your trainer.

 

[cmK9s33]

Sadly the guy who introduced me to powerlifting and was training me passed away last week. I learned a lot from him in those few months but I only remember doing front squats once but I also remember him saying they are necessary.

Sorry to hear about your trainer.

Front squats might not be necessary per se but they're an oustanding assistance movement. They stimulate the frontal core, upper back and you can get a good training effect for your legs (quads especially if that's needed) while not stressing your lower back as much.

As for squat variations, don't overlook zercher squats. They do many of the same things but in slightly different degrees. I feel they train your lower and upper back to a greater degree than front squats and your frontal core slightly less. I've never been able to lift quite as much on zerchers as front squats so I view them as an inferior pure leg movement. But for "core" training, I'm not sure there is a singular better movement.

 

[Eman]

I used to do them weekly but I started at a gym with an SSB so I've started using that instead because I love the strain it puts into my core. It's similar to front squats but I can load up an SSB a lot heavier and get more from it. My shoulders don't love front squats.

 

[jbil75]

Not very often front squats put quite a bit of stress on my knees. Sad about your trainer.

Yeah it was a shock and it’s looking like it was intentional. You just never know what some are dealing with.

 

[sherk]

Sorry to hear about your coach. I had a mentor that trained me from a little kid through my early 20’s. He taught me most of what I know. He was a power lifter, but trained me in body building and lifting fundamentals. But back to your question. I do front squats nearly every leg day. For me, they helped tremendously in the beginning of my lifting career. They taught me better form for my back squats. By having the bar in front of me, it forced me to keep my chest up. Whereas prior to doing front squats regularly, I would allow my back to arch and chest to drop forward to keep the weight feeling balanced. It’s a mistake almost everyone makes in the beginning while doing back squats. If you allow your body to do this in a front squat, you’ll eat shit.