The Front Squat vs. The Back Squat
As Ski Fit draws to a close for the 2024 fall season, we transition out of our weekly front squat routine, finding our 1 rep max, and exercising our legs until they feel like they will fall off, and move into more varied workouts with a few more upper body exercises and a bit less emphasis on speed, agility, and quickness. While we may not miss the front squat in the immediate future, it is good for us to know why it’s such an important and powerful exercise in our workout routines, especially when it comes to skiing.
The front squat is a super effective exercise targeting the anterior chain, or the front body, emphasizing the quads, the core, and the upper back. If you are looking to gain muscle mass in your quads, the front squat is the way to go. But be sure you are recovering adequately if you are going for hypertrophy and muscle growth.
Front squats are helpful in teaching us how to squat deeper and are easier on the joints, specially our knees. Since the weight is placed on the front of the body and held on the upper shoulders, it's necessary to maintain a more upright posture in order to keep from toppling forwards. Due to this front squat body position, we are less likely to feel pressure in the low back during this exercise. So if heavy back squats bother your back, try the front squat instead.
While front squats are important, they are not the the only form of squatting exercise we should be implementing into our regular workout routine. The back squat is equally as important, but for different reasons. The back squat targets the posterior chain, or the back body, specifically, the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. If you’re looking for hamstring and glute hypertrophy, then the back squat is the better bet. Though, the deadlift is always the best option of these 3 exercises for both hamstring and glute strength.
For the back squat, the barbell is placed on the traps or the rear deltoids on the upper back. When the squat is performed, we hinge forward at the hips more so than with the front squat, thus losing some of the core engagement. In general people can lift heavier weight with a back squat, but with this comes the potential for low back pain. The back squat can be done with a high bar or a low bar hold, and it is worth trying both to see if one works better for you and your body.
The takeaway-
If you’re looking to get your lower body as strong as you possible, incorporate both the front and the back squat into your workouts. Sure, you’ll likely never be able to front squat as much as you can back squat, but there are pros and cons to each. The front squat is better for developing quad strength and can be gentler on the knees and low back. The back squat is better for hamstring and glute strength and can be done in a couple different ways. The key is to stay consistent with both and together these exercises create a powerful and complete training regimen.
