Workout in the gym focused on the formation of a healthy and beautiful body. To achieve this goal, various exercises are used and frontal squats are one of the most effective.
Essence of the exercise
A front squat with a barbell is nothing but squats during which the barbell is not behind the back, as is usual for many, but in front - on the upper part of the pectoral muscles. More specifically, weights are fixed between the anterior bundle of deltas and the clavicle. At the same time, the hands are in the front of the torso and are bent “toward you”.
This exercise cannot be called easy. Many of those who attend workouts in the gym do not do this exercise because they find it extremely uncomfortable. But if you master this squatting technique, then with its help you can effectively act on the top of the quadriceps, as a result of which it is noticeably manifested and the hip acquires a beautiful curved shape.
At the same time, it is worth considering the fact that to qualitatively load the top of the quadriceps is not an easy task, since this part of the muscle is noticeably denser and stiffer than its bottom or middle.
Another advantage that this squat technique brings is a lower load on the lower back and lower back compared to classic barbell squats. Moreover, the front squat develops explosive strength and helps increase overall muscle growth. Therefore, this exercise definitely deserves attention.
How to do a front squat
Before you start squats, you must correctly set the barbell (the height of the racks). Optimal will be the level of the shoulders. This will allow relatively comfortable fixation of the load after the exercise.
Squat technique begins with the fact that he is in a standing position, and the bar is placed on the front of the deltoid muscles. In this case, it is important to tightly press the burden to yourself. The legs should be shoulder width apart and the feet aligned with the width of the hips. Keep your back straight, this is important. It is from this position that the frontal squat begins.
In order to fix the bar during the exercise, you need to put your hands on it with their arms crossed while doing so. It is important to monitor the position of the elbows - they should be parallel to the floor. That is, in the case of a correct grip, they will not look down, but forward.
When these conditions are met, the front squat itself begins. Having removed the bar from the racks of the frame, you need to step back 1-2 steps, but no further. It is also worth paying attention to, since when working with large weights it will be extremely difficult to move, especially after the completion of the exercise. You need to move away so that the racks do not interfere with the squats. In this case, the legs remain shoulder width apart.
Further, from the starting position, having securely fixed the barbell with your hands, you need to do a squat, and as deep as possible. It is desirable that the angle between the calves and the upper part of the legs is less than 90 °. Moreover, if there is no experience, do not be too zealous. During the squat, you should also take a slow breath. It is important to remember that the front squat should be performed with proper posture. Feet in the process of squats can not be taken off the floor. Also, do not bend your head.
When the bottom point is reached, you need to make a short pause and straining the muscles of the legs, including the quadriceps, push your body with the bar up, eventually taking up its original position.
Practical tips
Frontal squat is an exercise that can be performed even in the absence of a barbell, although its use is a priority. It is replaced by dumbbells, which must be taken with a regular grip, without crossing arms. In this case, the shoulders should be spread a little wider. Palms should be directed upwards and not to spread elbows on the sides.
It makes sense to perform this exercise in front of the mirror, so the squat technique is easier to practice. Moreover, it (the technique) needs to be emphasized, since the result directly depends on correctly performing the squat.
At the final stage of the exercise, during a jerk up, do not fully extend the knees in a standing position. This will remove the load from the hip and transfer it to the joints. Therefore, at the limiting point of lifting, you need to leave your knees slightly bent, while maintaining a load on the muscles.
As for the number of repetitions, then each should individually calculate them. But if we talk about average standards, then you can start with 3 approaches of 6-12 repetitions, depending on well-being.
How is the load distributed?
One of the very first questions that those who perform the frontal squat can ask is - what muscles work during this exercise?
Here is a list of muscles that are loaded with this form of squats:
1. The front of the thigh is quadriceps.
- medial muscle;
- lateral;
- direct;
- intermediate wide part of the thigh.
2. The back of the thigh.
- hip biceps (biceps muscle);
- semi-membranous muscle ;
- semi-tendon.
3. The gluteus maximus muscle.
As you can see, the front squats help to properly load the legs.
How to increase the load
For those who have not had to practice frontal squat before, it is better to increase the load not by weeks, but by months. Chasing a lot of weight is not worth it, as it will ruin the execution technique. This is especially true in the case of beginners.
If you approach the process of shaping the figure correctly, then it is worth including normal squats in the training scheme, without focusing exclusively on the front ones. These exercises need to be alternated. For example, when the maximum load is reached in a normal squat, you should change it to the front one and perform it within two to three months. Then again return to the classics.
Such alternations will fully load all the muscles of the legs and much faster to achieve new strength indicators.
Common mistakes
The first mistake that can be made from inexperience is to look up or down during an exercise. As mentioned above, you need to look directly. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing balance and falling. As a result, in addition to psychological discomfort, you can damage your knees, since you will have to fall forward.
You can lose the barbell during the exercise due to the uneven back. When it is indirect, the load is not distributed correctly and there is a risk of injury or falling.
Reducing the amplitude of squats can also interfere with the desired effect. Some beginners, trying to reduce the load, do not squat deep enough. As a result, quadriceps does not receive a full load. But in this case, initially it makes no sense to do such an exercise. You need to squat deep - this is an uncompromising rule.
For whom are frontal squats relevant
This exercise will be very useful for those who have great growth and, therefore, have difficulty working out the leg muscles. For the best effect, use the maximum allowable rack width.
This type of squats is also relevant for those who seek to build up their legs, but have a back injury behind them and are struggling with pain in the lower back. But in order to avoid complications, especially without training experience, you need to use light weights and focus on technology.
Obviously, front squats are a useful and relevant exercise that should not be forgotten by those who intend to have a beautiful figure.