Starting Strength

contribute much to hip extension. The hamstrings’ role in the front squat is to maintain the vertical back angle, and their already contracted position prevents them from contracting much further.
    But the hips must still extend, so the glutes and adductors end up doing most of the job without the help of the hamstrings. The knees-forward, vertical-back position puts the quads in a position to do most of the work, since most of the angle to open will be the knee angle. Three of the four quadriceps cross only the knee joint, so any exercise that extends the knee will involve most of the quads every time. The difference in the front squat is that very noticeable glute soreness is usually the result the first few times you do it.
    So the primary difference between the squat and the front squat is one of degree in terms of the amount of involvement from the contributing muscle groups. The knees-forward position increases the moment force on the tibias, making the mechanics of knee extension less efficient. At the same time, the contribution of the hips is diminished by the vertical back position. The net effect is that you cannot front-squat as much weight as you can squat in the low-bar position. And the primary reason for the difference is the position in which the system is in balance – the bar in both cases must be over the middle of the foot, and the resulting correct back angle is the one that keeps it there.

    Figure 7-11. The differences in the squat and the front squat are determined by the position of the bar. The resulting angles and their effects on the biomechanics of the movements are responsible for the different training effects of the two exercises.

    Learning the front squat is best done from the power rack or squat stand. The bar is set at the same position as for a back squat, the level of the mid-sternum. The grip is a very important component of the front squat, more so than in the back squat. The grip must allow your elbows to come up high enough that your shoulders can support the load while your back remains vertical during the movement. The grip width will depend largely on individual flexibility, and it will vary between trainees and during the individual trainee’s career as flexibility is acquired through stretching or lost due to injury. In general, the less flexibility a trainee exhibits, the wider the grip will need to be. And some people have long forearms relative to their humerus length and find it hard to elevate the elbows with what would otherwise be a normal grip width. Adjust your grip width as needed so that you can raise your elbows high enough to support the bar. And if you cannot assume a position with at least some fingers on the bar with the load on your deltoids after stretching and adequate shoulder/elbow/wrist warm-up, you might not be able to front-squat productively.

    Figure 7-12. Differences in forearm length relative to the upper arm affect elbow position in the front squat and the clean. (A) An extreme example of forearm disproportion. (B) Long forearms shove the elbows down lower. This can be compensated for by widening the grip (C).

    Take the weight of the bar onto your shoulders, with elbows in the elevated position, shoulders tight, and chest up, before you unrack the bar. The weight sits on the meat of the deltoids, and if your elbows are not in the up position before the weight is unracked, they’ll never completely get there. Your chest must also be up in a position that reinforces the shoulders, and you place it there with the upper back muscles. Maintain this position by lifting both your elbows and your chest as high as possible, from the time you unrack the bar until you finish the last rep. To cue this movement, think of touching a hand held above your sternum.

    Figure 7-13. The cue for lifting the chest. The hand is the target.

    Take the bar out of the rack and step back a couple of steps to clear the hooks. (When the bar is loaded, preferably with bumper plates, a miss will be dropped forward and no spotters will be involved, so your distance from the rack must be sufficient that the bar can fall without hitting anything but the floor.) Your stance will be essentially the same as for the back squat: heels at shoulder width and toes out at about 30 degrees. After assuming the stance, lift your chest and elbows, take a big breath to support this position, and squat. The vertical position of the back is retained on the way down by forcing the