There was a time in my training career when front squats were the one thing I dreaded. They never felt good. But when does any squat really feel great? A back massage feels good. Hitting a walk-off home run feels good. Even getting kicked in the shins would be preferable to a heavy front squat.
The setup is awkward, and you’re always at the risk of choking yourself—the feel isn’t the best when you’re trying to lift heavy things. Then there’s that annoying moment when the barbell starts to roll off your shoulders. Each rep is a fight against gravity and patience. It’s not exactly fun.
Despite that, front squats remain a staple I include myself and commonly assign to clients. Why? They’re joint-friendly—often a better option for people with lower back or knee pain. They tend to allow deeper depth, and they’re (arguably) easier to perform than back squats. The upright torso they promote helps with deeper depth, and for anyone lacking sufficient upper back or shoulder mobility, front squats are a superb option. They help build strong legs, brace the core, and can improve posture.
I won’t dive into more specifics because I’m lazy and because my good buddy Eric Bach already wrote an excellent article on the front squat, which you should read. Seriously.
As much as I vent about how much the front squat makes me want to slam my head into a brick wall, I actually prefer it to back squats. Mainly because I’m 40 now, not 25. My 25-year-old self would probably laugh at me for saying I’m 40, but there’s truth in it. If I were a betting man, I’d bet most readers feel the same way—things just feel different at 40.
Relax, internet, I still back squat. But not as much as I used to, and not as heavy. I back squat just enough to maintain a solid number and to carry over to my deadlift; beyond that, I don’t sweat it. I’m not a powerlifter, so who cares? I genuinely feel I get more out of the front squat, and it just feels better without beating me up as much. I’ve worked up to a 300-pound front squat, which isn’t bad.
Just today I hit a decent 300-pound front squat. I should probably grunt a bit more, I guess.
My two favorite cues for the front squat come down to bar placement on the shoulders and preventing the bar from rolling off. Both are annoying but easy to fix. Here’s a short video showing my two go-to cues for cleaning up front-squat technique. I hope it helps. And yes—the t-shirt game is strong.
To my 25-year-old self: you once thought Applebee’s counted as a romantic date night. So, enough already.
