front squats

[BillyBob]

I have a dilemma.I am presently doing fat loss 2 and cannot do much weight with front squats.It's not leg but wrist and shoulders taking a beating with 95 pounds of weight.What bothers me is not only do my wrists hurt like crazy,but i feel like my legs hardly get worked out.I feel as if i should go back to regular squats because my legs really need the work.This is the first program i've ever been on and am wondering what i should do

[Cynic]

Your wrists adapt eventually, but you can help them along...

I like to stretch the wrists:

Forearm Exercise Menu

Go to Wrist Flexors, look on the right for some stretches for the wrist.

You can also pull the hand back into a oly grip position with the other.

[feralBoy]

I finished my first FL 2 workout yesterday. I never did a front squat before. My first set was awful. My wrists were killing me, the bar was choking me, and the bar was resting on my collar bone which was anything but comfortable.

When I got home, I did some searching for front squat stuff. I figured squat RX was a good place to start. The video definitely gave me some hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =3NRmdtSvmQQ

I'm gonna stick with them, and i'm guessing my wrists and other pieces would get used to it. I ended my back squat at 145, and started front squats at 95. definitely demoralizing, but it's all part of the greater good.

[Cynic]

The bar is going to choke you. There is no way around that. Use a bar with no center knurl to reduce bar rash on the throat.

If it's sitting on your collar bone, perhaps you need to puff up more? Chest up and out.

[BillyBob]

Thanks for the help.I'm going to stick with fronts and try to overcome.Just concerned i'm spending so much time learning proper technique rather than get a good leg workout

[Lisa~]

Front squat forum discussions:

This one shows alternate grip options and moves into a discussion of foot position.
Front Squats

This one links Gayle Hatch’s videos and discusses how to improve your clean grip.
http://forums.jpfitness.com/new-rule...-cant-get.html

[MPaquin]

I've found recently that the front squat requires more attention on back muscles than anything else. Regular back squats you can just concentrate on getting down and up in the proper form. The front squat, because the weight is offset to the front, really requires more concentration on good posture, and just let your legs do the down and up work. Really get that bar up on your deltoids and learn with light weight and you'll get great rewards. I'm on week three and patting myself on the back right now. Started week one with 95 lbs, and just did my last set today at 205.

Patience = progress.

[Columbus_George]

I found the Stingray helped me quite a bit doing Front Squats.

Sting Ray by Advanced Fitness, Inc.

[Natalia]

Originally Posted by MPaquin

Started week one with 95 lbs, and just did my last set today at 205.

Patience = progress.

impressive.