Are Back Squats REALLY Necessary? The Legs, Hips, and Ass Issue
We’ve all heard that the back squat is the King of lifts. It’s been at the bedrock of some of the most productive routines of the last 70 years. So, what I’m about to say might sound sacrilegious, particularly here in the world of Olympic Weightlifting. But, I’m going to say it anyway. You don’t have to back squat – ever!
Don’t get too excited. If you want to be a better weightlifter you do have to squat. But, I’m going to argue in favor of swapping out the back squat for the Front Squat and a few other exercises. I believe doing this makes more sense for the majority of recreational lifters, Masters lifters, and CrossFitters out there. You will be less likely to get injured and your lifts will improve at a faster rate. Crazy, I know.
I’m also going to say upfront that I am NOT against the back squat. It is a good exercise, and I use it myself. What I am against is the notion that you MUST back squat to be a good weightlifter. That is patently false.
The Good Things The Back Squat Does For The Weightlifter
The Back Squat isn’t all Bad and Ugly. There are good reasons why people Back Squat. The most important is that it works! You can think of the Back Squat as the ultimate “Jack of all Trades” exercise. It hits the quads, the glutes, the hamstrings, the spinal erectors, the low back, and it even will develop your upper back, lats, shoulders, and arms if you squeeze them hard enough and put in enough work!
If you could only do one exercise, ever, the back squat is a decent choice. (The Clean and Jerk is better, but I suppose technically it’s two exercises combined.)
The Back Squat also develops these muscles in the right proportions that we are looking for in great athletes. It is not just that we want athletes to have a strong posterior chain, we want it to be a well-balanced posterior chain. If you back squat correctly – high bar, on the heels, deeper than parallel – then you will likely do this.
(If you just happen to have the anthropometry of many high level Oly lifters – short and “squatty” – then it will be even more likely that you’ll develop just right with only back squats. However, I think long legged lifters are less likely to see the same results.)
The Back Squat also has the advantage of being highly “loadable” – that is, you can add a lot of weight to it rather easily. I’m wary as all Hell of using (as your mainstays) exercises that you can’t put much weight on. The step up is great, but doing a 1 (or even 3) rep max is just not an option unless you are willing to crash and burn! You need to make sure that the core exercises in your arsenal are things you can do a max set of 1 to 3 reps on without it getting too dangerous.
The Downside of Back Squatting
On the other hand, there is a downside to being a “Jack of all Trades” – you aren’t a master of anything.
- The Back Squat is a good quad builder, but not as good as the Front Squat.
- The Back Squat is a good hamstring builder, but not as good as the Romanian Deadlift.
- The Back Squat is a good glute builder, but not as good as the Hip Thrust.
I’m not a believer in trying to “isolate” muscles. I want lifters to use functional movements. (I’ve always loved that CrossFit sticks to about 10 or so basic functional multi-joint movements and works the crap out of them. I can respect that.) But, there is something to be said for using the right tool for the job: the tool that is best suited to that job.
One of the things that makes strength coaching hard is finding the right balance between using exercises that are general enough to hit the body as a unit and allow for proper loading, with exercises that attack a specific athletes weaknesses in a way that solves the problems at hand. The Back Squat is plenty general, but it just isn’t very specific.
In addition to that, teaching the back squat properly is a pain in the ass! Everyone wants to use too much weight, doesn’t get low enough, bends over too far forward, and turns the exercise into an ugly Good Morning. With beginners, this means I spend my entire evening having to watch and correct guys (it’s usually men) squatting like morons rather than focusing my attention on the platforms where the truly hard technical work is being done on the snatch and clean.
No thanks!!
I don’t let anyone Back Squat until they prove to me that they can Front Squat correctly, make it look pretty, and do so with some real weight – bodyweight or more. That goes for the ladies, too! My fiance was in a car wreck recently, and was unable to lift weights for nearly 7 months. She is now back up to front squatting bodyweight multiple times a week. She’s not a genetic freak. She just likes to lift. Anyone can Front Squat their bodyweight. (Anyone with legs, that is!)
The New Triumvirate: Front Squats, RDL’s, and Hip Thrusts
Now, if you were that hypothetical person who was only Back Squatting, then you won’t be able to just replace it with one exercise and call it good. I think you’ll need three: The Front Squat; Romanian Deadlift; and the Hip Thrust.
Each of these combined will cover your bases (the Front Squat being the most important), and they will do so better than the Back Squat did by itself. They are also all harder to cheat – you are less likely to put more weight on the bar than you can honestly do. For those of you who are self-coached, that is a BIG deal. Doing exercises wrong is not going to do you any good. It is going to get you injured.
These three exercises are ones I think you can figure out how to do well on your own (with ample help from Youtube!), and that will go a long way toward making you a better weightlifter.
Front Squats
The Front Squat is my all time favorite exercise. It affords you most of the best things the Back Squat gives you, but without its biggest downsides.
[Read the study “A Biomechanical Comparison of Back and Front Squats in Healthy Trained Individuals” by Gullett, et al. Here’s a quote: “The front squat was shown to be just as effective as the back squat in terms of overall muscle recruitment, with significantly less compressive forces on the knee.]
The most important downsides that the front squat avoids (at least better than a back squat does) are shear forces at the low back, and compressive forces at the knee. Now, I’m not a believer that you should go out of your way to avoid these “negative” forces completely! When you walk, run, jump, and do other normal human things, your body is dealing with all kinds of forces and you need to make sure you are training in such a way that you are able to deal with these forces appropriately.
But … we need to be realistic. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. (Unless we’re talking about Mochas, of course!) Once you get to the point where you are Back Squatting well over double bodyweight, the stress on the body is getting a bit ridiculous. If I can get the same benefits to the athlete with a Front Squat, and reduce some of the beating on the body, I’ll take it.
(Never forget that the best strength athletes all have one thing in common: big bones. They have a thicker bone structure for their height than other people of the same height – check out their heads, they’re huge! Along with these big bones comes thicker ligaments, tendons, and other connective tissues. They are BORN to lift heavy stuff and not get hurt doing it. You may or may not be in this group. If I were you, I’d err on the side of safety.)
As I mentioned above, from a coaching perspective, I find the Front Squat to be an easier exercise to teach than the Back Squat. I can get someone to squat deep, with an upright spine, much faster than I can get them to do this with a Back Squat. It is nearly impossible to cheat a Front Squat. If you start to lean too far forward, you will drop it.
People are also more likely to get into the deep bottom position in a Front Squat easier than they are with a Back Squat. Cutting depth is a big problem. The glutes get worked the most in the deepest portion of the squat, the part that is well below parallel. But, depth-cutting happens ALL the time when people back squat. Switch them to a front squat and they magically get a few inches lower!
Romanian Deadlifts
For the most part, the Front Squats will cover your bases in the same way that the back squat does. But, to be fair, it isn’t the ideal hamstring builder. We need a specialist. My favorite lift for the hammies is the Romanian Deadlift (RDL, pronounced “Err-Duhls” in my club).
Since the motion is almost exclusively a hinge at the hip, the hamstrings are taking the biggest beating during this lift. I also like that it is a functional movement: we all find ourselves in situations when we are bent way over and have to pick stuff up – a lot. Getting good at it isn’t a bad idea.
The RDL hits the hamstring hard, but it also builds up some necessary strength in other areas relevant to the Olympic lifts: the spinal erectors and low back; the traps and upper back; and your confidence with heavy weights in a precarious position.
However there are a few downsides to be aware of with this lift if you are an Olympic weightlifter. Unlike the Front Squat, the RDL is a killer on the nervous system. Working up really heavy can fry your nervous system, make your hamstrings extremely sore, and make your snatch and clean weights drop for a few days.
Generally I have my Olympic lifters do RDL’s only once a week, most often on Saturdays. We’ll alternate working up to 1 heavy set of 5 for a few weeks, then switch to something heavier like 3’s. And, once in blue moon, I’ll have them turn it into a deadlift and go up to a heavy single (no more than 3 or 4 times a year). Only doing 1 heavy set of 5, once a week might sound like it isn’t enough work. But, don’t forget that we squat and do the Oly lifts every day.
Now, if you are a CrossFitter in my club, I’ll almost never have you do these. CrossFit workouts are all over the map and CNS intensive. I don’t want to tax a CrossFitter any more than I have to when that energy can be spent on the Olympic lifts and front squats. Metcons are a killer. CrossFitters are doing them up to 4 or even 6 times a week! I can’t pile more CNS destruction on top of that.
There is one more downside to the RDL: It is really similar in execution to the part of the snatch/clean pull that goes from the knee to the hip – but … different.
Similar but different is horrible when your goal is to dial in a very specific motor pattern on a particular movement! I don’t want someone touching an RDL until they are quite consistent with the lifts AND I believe they will be able to do so without it screwing with the patterns I’m trying to dial in.
So, while I think it is the best hamstring builder out there that you can easily do with a barbell (there is some argument for the glute-ham, but who has one?), if you want to get good at Olympic lifting, you should limit it to moderate weights done only once a week at most until you become more proficient at the Oly lifts.
That said … there is one way that the RDL can help a lifters technique. If a lifter is having a hard time at the Knee Position of the snatch or clean pull, where the bar is at the knee-cap, the shoulders are over the bar, the hips are high, and the weight is hard on the heels, then the RDL can be a good tool to get them used to it. It is uncomfortable to hold that position, but that is the exact position of the RDL. Since you can RDL so much more than you can snatch or clean, it can be helpful to “convince” a lifter that they can, indeed, hit that spot correctly with heavy weights – and, so doing so with lighter weights ain’t nothin’.
I guess what I’m saying is: Use this exercise to build a strong pull, but be conscious about its possible negative effects on your pulling mechanics and your CNS.
Hip Thrusts
(I’ve added a video at the end of this post by my friend Bret Contreras explaining how to do the Hip Thrust)
We’ve got our quad-focused exercise (Front Squat), we’ve got our Hamstring-focused exercise (RDL), but we need a Booty-focused exercise. Enter the new kid on the block: The Hip Thrust.
The Hip Thrust looks rather … odd, to say the least. But, it doesn’t have any of the negatives associated with the RDL, and it has a number of big positives.
Because the performance of this lift is so far away from anything that looks like a snatch or clean, we have no fear that it will screw with our technical learning. This is HUGE. It means you can get as heavy as you want, do it as often as you want, and you won’t have some negative feedback loop in your brain moaning about how confused it is.
We’ve been playing with this exercise now (at PDX Weightlifting) for a few months, and we love it. It took a while to get down the basic technique (again, see the video below). But, once we did, we found out something remarkable.
The Hip Thrust is the best exercise I’ve ever come across for teaching a weightlifter (like YOU) how to extend at the hip and not the low back when finishing your pull on the snatch or clean – by maximally contracting your glutes.
Your hip is able to hyperextend just a bit (you do it all the time when you walk). This is exactly the motion you need to do to finish your pull. But, when people are standing with a bar in their hand, and are asked to push their hips “through”, they will, at most, stand straight up. Worse, some will mimic the look of that “arched” position they see many high level lifters doing by extending with the low back.
Bad news!
That is only going to result in injury. Being able to extend properly with the hips is an essential skill the weightlifter needs. Given that I work primarily with adults, teaching this is a harder job for me than it would be if I was only teaching young kids who seem to learn everything 10 times as fast. I haven’t yet put the hip thrust into my full rotation for new lifters, but I plan to – especially for those that have the hardest time using the hips in the pull. I’ll keep you updated.
The last thing I noticed is that the lift isn’t very taxing, no matter how much weight you use. Yes, the glutes will be sore if you’ve never done it. But, you don’t have that, “Holy hell, I killed myself yesterday!” feeling that you get when you deadlift, for instance.
I think one of the best places to put this exercises is as part of your warmup. Just do 2 or 3 reps on each set. Add weight slowly until it actually feels like work. Then stop. You’ve just primed your body to use the hips and you’ve warmed up a bit. You are ready to snatch. I’ve had a number of lifters set PR’s on the Olympic lifts after doing exactly this. It works!
Conclusion
Let me be clear – again. I am in no way telling you NOT to back squat. If you love it, do it. If your coach told you to do it, for God’s sake, do what she says!! I have a number of athletes that back squat. But, if you are doing your own thing (as most of you are), and you are wondering if you can do things differently, then I say, “Yes! Yes you can.”
OK, here’s the Hip Thrust Technique video I promised you from my man Bret Contreras. (Be smart, buy his eBook which explains in MASSIVE detail why the hip thrust should be included in your program. If you can’t tell, I’m sold.)
Hi Nick, I’ve been following your work for a while and have learnt a tonne. My question which pertains to the back squat is: are your recommendations only for olympic lifters?
I’m currently on Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1 to improve my strength and power for mixed martial arts. I currently use the high-bar back squat and deadlift for my lower body days. Based on your recommendations, should I replace the back squat with the front squat for my next cycle?
I realise that the programme I’m using is for powerlifting, but I’d still like to hear your advice, as olympic weightlifters are one of the most explosive people on the planet.
Thanks!
I think it could be worth a shot. Of course, in powerlifting, you need to be able to back squat. It’s one of the lifts. So … that is the ONE sport where back squatting is mandatory.
If you just are trying to get stronger … then I like the combo of Deadlifts and Front Squats. Deadlifts for the back end, front squats for the front end. Throw in the Hip Thrust, and you have a rock solid lower body routine.
Thanks for the reply, Nick. I’ll definitely include the hip thrusts in my routine!
Just to be clear. Are you refering to the back squat in your article as being the high bar back squat, the low bar back squat or both?
High bar. I don’t advise anyone but powerlifters to do the low bar back squat. I’m not saying there isn’t a time and place for a low bar squat… but, as a rule, that time and place is a Powerlifting competition.
Why? The low bar squat engages the posterior chain better than high bar and will work your hams and gultes more. Also the back squat would engage your CNS more than front squats making it a more functional exercise. Don’t get me wrong, all of the exercises you proposed are great, but I consider them supplemental or assistance exercises and use them to work on weak areas with the low-bar back squat being the core exercise.
Hi Greg,
The point for me is this: The back squat (whether high or low bar) is not a specialist exercise. It is a jack of all trades. Yes, the low-bar squat hits the posterior chain a bit more, but nowhere near as well as the RLD and Hip Thrust combo. And the high bar back squat hits the quads, but nowhere near as well as the front squat.
Sometimes you want a generalist. Sometimes you need a specialist.
Now, I prefer the High Bar in large part because I train Oly lifters. The Low Bar back squat has no place in the program of an Oly lifter. It just doesn’t drill in the right qualities we’re looking for. You need to be able to handle heavy weights with an upright torso, with the knees far over the toes, if you are ever going to be a good weightlifter. The front squat and high bar back squat do train this. The low bar teaches you to bend over with heavy weights, and keep your knees behind your toes – bad news for a weightlifter!
If you are NOT a weightlifter, or someone trying to get good at cleaning and snatching heavy weights, then maybe the low bar is fine. But, if you ever hope to clean and snatch something serious, you gotta drop the low bar squats.
Given your feeling that the high bar squat doesn’t hit the posterior chain enough, would a low-bar, more glute and hamstring intensive squat solve some of those issues (complemented of course with front squats)?
I personally find the front squat to be a bit difficult to load heavily since the upper back tends to be a limiting factor after a while – hence, for leg/posterior chain development, the back squat seems a better choice since the upper back no longer limits the weight. Obviously one can cheat (generally by using more posterior chain), but that’s where attention to form comes in.
I don’t think the high bar does a bad job of hitting the posterior chain. But, it just isn’t a specialist – at anything.
Like I mentioned in an above comment, the low-bar squat has no place in the program of someone trying to get good at snatches, cleans, or even front squats. It screws with the motor patterns. You NEED to AUTOMATICALLY squat straight down with the knees forward and the torso as upright as possible. This has to become your natural squat position, without thinking. The low bar teaches you the opposite: bent way over, shins perpendicular to the ground, sitting back not down.
The front squat is hard at first. But, if you do it long enough, you should be able to front squat A LOT of weight, very close to your high bar back squat. Everyone is different, but 80% is about right. Some of us can get even higher.
But it takes a lot of practice!
Great post!
I like the RDL too (some don’t, like Bud Charniga http://www.biggerfasterstronger.com/uploads2/08_JanFeb_RomanianDeadlift.pdf ), but what is your opinion about the other exercises for the harmstrings (Good Morning, dumbell swing, stiff-legged deadlift…)?
I don’t like Good Mornings anymore. I think they are too easy to hurt yourself with. And you can’t go max out on them without it getting very dangerous.
Dumbbell Swings are great, but they are a glute exercise, AND they can’t be loaded heavy. Again, if you can’t do a max set of 1 to 3 reps, it is NOT a core exercise for those looking to get truly strong.
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts are also problematic for the same reasons. But, honestly, an RDL is basically a stiff leg dead that you modified just enough to make it safe enough to do some really heavy lifting on. That’s why I like the RDL.
By the way, the negative things Charniga points out about the RDL in his article are precisely the ones I worry about in mine. But, we come to different conclusions as to whether (given these limitations) the exercise is good for you do add into your arsenal. He doesn’t. I do.
Very good points! Thanks! I’ll stick to the RDL.
And about Bud Charniga, I’ve read several things from him. There is a lot a things he doesn’t like anyway
Maybe off topic but its about front sqauts, when i started my bulgarian style träning I get really sore and stif in my qauds. How do i prevent this?
Keep squatting! Seriously. LOL
Most of the time, little issues like that will work themselves out. If they don’t, don’t ask me, ask a good Physical Therapist.
As an alternative to the bar bell hip thrust I employ RKC style heavy two hand swings. Five sets of 20 rep explosive swings as a finisher not only hits the glutes but is also a great conditioner.
Ya, those are great!
Again, however, for a weightlifter, one has to be able to max out. There is no way to do a 1 rep max on the K-Bell Swing. Hip Thrusts are almost perfectly designed for exactly that.
Great points to the front squat, but I disagree to the removal of back squats. I have read Ivan’s theories and tested them and realized how come the back squats were always included. It may be more specific, but the lifters (myself included) have noticed a few problems.
1. We feel a sense of confidence if your back squats are solid.
2. The back needs that static positioning which pulls alone cannot give.
3. Our front squats rise much faster with the inclusion of the back squats. And vice versa.
I saw some videos of your lifters. I think it’s best that you improve the technique of your lifters first before thinking about all this. When I teach my athletes to lift, they don’t even have to bother with back or front squats. They just snatch, clean and jerk, push press, drop snatch, pull and squat until they find their middle. Once this “middle” is found, it doesn’t matter if they squat, snatch, CNJ, it’s always safe and they can always progress.
People don’t get hurt from lifting. They get hurt from losing their balance when lifting. Think about it.
Samson,
I was in no way suggesting that Oly lifters, who are serious about the sport, should NOT back squat. I made this quite clear in the article.
But, lets be serious. There is a huge wave of people, adults, out there who do CrossFit, or other things, who may or may not ever compete, and even if they do, they likely aren’t going to be that serious about it. I think most of these folks don’t really need to back squat – if they don’t want to.
Rather than being spurious in your comments about the technique of some of my lifters as evidenced by a few vids on Youtube, I think it would be better to stick to the matter at hand. The ONLY question my article attempts to answer is, “Are back squats NECESSARY for all lifters, no matter what their goals are.” My answer is, “No.” It’s that simple.
Yes, very good article. In fact, there is no reason for olympic weightlifters to do back squat, unless they do not use this movement in competition. On the other hand, there are some weightlifters that are very strong in back squat ( they are proud for it) but do not use this strength in clean and jerk. For example, in my country ( Albania) we have a few lifters who can back squat 100 kg more(300 kg) than their clean and jerk (200 kg). Stupid!
Good insight, Perparim!
The back squat can be a troublesome exercise for most weightlifters in the beginning. The limiting factor for the people I train is the ego. The back squat for weightlifters is only useful if it looks very similar to the front squat in execution, just look at the weightlifting gyms who swear by it like John Broz’s gym and Pendlay’s. They both use back squats the majority of the time with front squats mixed in on occaision, but they are disciplined enough to keep their chest up while driving through the legs. The people I get are not accustomed to squatting like this and because they want to put heavier weights up (ego), before they can perform it perfectly there are always problems. I’ve always agreed with Dan John and Dick Notemeyer leg strength for a weightlifter is displayed by a butt to heels front squat.
Good points, Jerell.
Lots of great weightlifter back squat all the time. There is nothing wrong with this. But, like you said, they do so in a way that looks like a front squat.
Great article, Nick.
I’ve been Olying for 11 months. Before I took the sport seriously, I was (and still am) proud of the fact that my 1RM back squat was 340-lbs. Then when I became a self-taught Oly, I managed to (incorrectly) do power cleans up to 155-lbs. When I hired a coach, he taught me the full lifts, with front squat as the key accessory exercise. It took several weeks of preparation (mainly due to my age of 38 at the time – mainly lack of flexibility…) of doing empty bar front squats as well as technique work before I earned the right to load the bar. As my front squats went up so did my cleans and snatch. My 1RM back squats probably went down, but so what? My clean PR is currently stuck at 230-lbs. I have not done RDL since becoming a full-time Olyer, but I actually added it to my routine this week. I still plan to keep back squatting in the range of no more than 85% of my max, but my focus this cycle is to establish new front squat PR. (My front squat 1RM is 280-lbs). So between setting new front squat PRs and the addition if RDL and push press into my routine, I hope to set new PRs in my snatch and C&J in the near future.
Keep fighting the good fight, Nick!
PS. How is your joint-project with Doctor Hartman coming along?
Thanks Joel!
Sounds like your training is on the right track. That’s awesome! I’ve found it common for my lifters who do back squats that the Front and Back squat weights start to get really close to each other. I only have one lifter who’s backs squat is substantially higher than his front squat. But, he’s what you might call a “natural” back squatter. It just happens to be a strong lift for him, and always has been.
The project/book that Hartman and I are writing is going well. We’re both so busy that it isn’t going as fast as we’d like. But, our first priority is quality, and packing it with as much info as we can. So, while that takes time, I think it will be worth it in the end. Besides, as this blog makes obvious, I love to write, so I’m having a great time doing it.
I have exclude the back squat from my routine because I have long legs and could not fell the transfer of power for the classical lifts ( just like the clean and snatch pull). By the time that I exclude this exercise, I had more time to spend on the classical lifts and the FQ, so my numbers began to increase.
By the away I think that the BS is a great exercise, I see that some lifters love it, like Taranenko, he did 266 C&J and BS 385 Kg, I can see that he believed a lot in this exercise. In the other hand We have Pisarenko, 265 kg C&J (away faster than Taranenko) I can see that Pisarenko used a lot of his low back hams strenght and the great ability to generate speed and power on the bar.
Congratulations for this great site, and sorry about my bad english.
Roberto, your English is rather good, actually!
Your experience is one I’ve seen a lot. Lifters who have a background in lifting weights (but not in weightlifting) are used to emphasizing the Back Squat. And, they will often work it to the detriment of their Oly training. Getting them to drop it for a while can result in some improvement. (Sometimes, I’ll throw it back in eventually. But, the time off helps them learn to prioritize the lifts first.)
Hey Nick, great article. I like the way you explained both sides of the argument, and how different people can approach it (rather than making a definitive statement that just incites argument).
Question about the hip thrust: you mentioned that it helps teach people full extension when finishing the second pull, can you elaborate on that? I tend to cut my second pull short, so I don’t get the “layback”. Will practicing hip thrusts help me learn to finish the pull? And can you describe the glute contraction at the top of the second pull — should I be actively squeezing my butt at the top?
As you mentioned, I think doing them during the warm-up makes sense. Should I just use bodyweight, or eventually work up to some load?
Thanks again, Adam
You know … I should do a video explaining that a bit in detail, since connecting the hip thrust with the snatch may seem odd at first.
But, I’ll try. Basically, your hip can hyper-extend about 10 or more degrees. You do this when you walk. But, that’s with one leg at a time. When you snatch, you want to do this with both legs at the same time. Hard!
In order for that to happen, your glutes must do a maximal contraction – so yes, squeeze the hell out of them! Oly lifters have huge butts for a reason, LOL.
The hip thrust is designed to isolate this particular motion, without all the complicated crap associated with snatches and cleans. Just think of getting a maximum contraction of the glutes. That’s it.
Don’t start heavy on the exercise. Get that contraction. Once you are able to do that, then you can add weight. Eventually, you can use A LOT of weight. But, don’t jump into it just yet.
BTW, that “layback” should be, IMO, a hinge at the HIP, not a leaning back via a hinge at the low back. You WILL hurt yourself over time doing it the wrong way. Learn to use your hips. And you will get that full extension.
Also, not every lifter gets all Banana-position on their lifts. Some are just standing straight up with a slight hyper-extension of the hip, that’s it. All I’m concerned with is a full glute contraction when the bar hits your hip bones.
Awesome article!
Question: would you recommend adding front squats (in conjunction with low bar back squats) for a powerlifter?
I’m doing the Texas Method now which calls for low bar back squats 3 days a week. I was thinking about adding front squats during the recovery day.
Would love to get your insight.
Thanks!
Hi John!
Yes!! Fred Hatfield (Dr. Squat) used to promote doing front squats and high bar back squats for the powerlifter because he believed them to be great leg builders in a way the low bar competition squats aren’t.
Texas method can be done with High Bar, in fact most Oly lifters who start with a Texas method will do it that way. I’ve even had people do Texas Method with front squats as the main exercise with remarkable results.
Powerlifters DO need to practice low bar squats, though, as it is a different “feel”. So, keep those. But, doing your recovery day with front squats will work your legs in a more comprehensive way. Also, front squats are one of the best ways to teach yourself how to get LOW in a squat. I’d make that your focus with them. It’s not as heavy, so getting deep should be a high priority.
Let me know how it goes!
Also … just read your training blog. Great results in 3 months, brother!! Congrats!
Thanks, and thanks for the advice! Will be replacing back squats with front squats during recovery days
Sadly, this article came too late for me.
I’m a home/work gym lifter, 45 years old, and started lifting about 2 1/2 years ago with the Starting Strength program. Over time my squat got heavier and the bar slowly moved lower until I was doing wide-stanced, heavy, low bar squats.
In the beginning of May I lost my balance coming out of the hole and injured my left knee. I’ve been unable to squat since then, have exhausted all my physio, and am waiting on an MRI. So far I’ve lost six months of potential lower body progress due to my poor form while performing a heavy (for me) technical lift incorrectly.
When I’m ready to squat again I can assure you that it will be a front squat.
Tony, I’m SO sorry to hear that! While it is possible to hurt yourself doing any lift if you lose balance or do something incorrectly, when you combine it with a lift designed to maximize total weight on the bar – bam!
That’s the downside of the powerlifting squat. It puts you in a position that is awkward to say the least with an amount of weight you’d NEVER be able to squat with a high bar and ass-to-grass. In otherwords, it’s not too unlike wearing a bench shirt.
When you heal up, front squats will be your friend! And make sure you let me know how your progress is going.
Just updating – my injury was diagnosed as a partial tear of the posterior fibers of my left distal quadriceps tendon. On the bright side it is healing nicely, and I’ve been able to do deep controlled front squats as part of that recovery process. I’m not up to moving body weight yet, but am about 65% of it. I’ve been doing the RDLs and hip thrusts as well – and my deadlift is within a few pounds of my preinjury max. I’m hoping that it will actually be stronger once completely healed.
Eeek!
Well, I’m glad to hear you’re on the road to recovery! I think it is quite likely you’ll be stronger.
One new recommendation that I would suggest if you have the access and or resources is to replace the standard bar back squat with the safety bar back squat (SSBS). The SSBS has the loading benefits of the back squat (just slightly less) with the the upright positioning of the front squat. The other exercises you mentioned I think can exist in their own right, it’s hard to replace RDL/good mornings etc…
Hi Nick,
I am an avid reader of your blog and I have to say this is one of the best posts you ever made!
I got a question about front squats and how to progress them that I hope you have time to answer. Right now I am doing a linear progression on my front squats, I have hit a point now where I can still add weight to the bar but my form is getting very ugly. Whats your advice at this point, reset weight and focus on crisp execution, switch to 3×3 or continue on, form be damned? Here is an example of what my fronts looks like right now (any and all advice on how to strengthen the upper back in order to keep back and elbows up would also be greatly appriciated).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOTck_5TfsE
(I also have a post up on pendlay forum about it http://www.pendlayforum.com/showthread.php?p=25303#post25303)
Thanks for the complement, brother!!!
Here’s my advice:
Drop the weight down a touch. I consider failure to be anything you can’t make with about 90% Good Form. Until you are able to get the upper back to stay tighter, you’ll not be able to progress much farther.
The main way to do that is to simply reset, and work back up with better form. Be AGGRESSIVE about good technique. The act of struggling to keep your upper back tight as hell goes a LONG way in actually making your back stronger.
The Front Squat IS a back exercise in this way.
But … you can help this process along by getting really good at rowing movements, like the Pendlay Row or T-Bar Rows. When you do them, do reps 3 to 8 range. Ramp the weight until it’s too hard to do with good form. And focus on the upper back and traps. 2 days a week of that will help you out, for sure.
Still, most of it is just the shear determination to lock up the upper back as tight as possible and not letting it roll forward for anything. You’ll be forced to use lighter weight for a while, but that’s OK. You’ll be stronger in the long run.
Keep me updated!
Hey Nick
l’ve only now found your site and went through yor poste. Great stuff!
I’m a crossfiter and currently using wendler as my strength program.
What do you think about subbing the deadlift and back sqaut in the program, with front squats and rdl? I read the part about rdl and cf, and I don’t cf and strength train on the same sessions. Is it ok to use the rdl if it’s on the last training day and I have my rest day after that?
As I mention in my book, I find the deadlift to be very problematic when a weightlifter is learning how to do the Snatch and Clean correctly. During that initial 12 weeks or so of intensive technique work, I think you’re best off avoiding the deadlift completely.
NOw, the back squat is great … but ONLY if you do it like a weightlifter, high bar, deep as hell, knees forward, etc. IMO
Since most people back squat wrong … and they don’t have a coach to watch them, I prefer front squats. They teach you HOW to squat like a weightlifter. Once you have that down, if you can mimick it with a back squat, then you’re golden.
Ooops, forgot to talk about the RDL. LOL
RDL’s are awesome … but just like the deadlift, they can pose a technical learning problem. Check out my video on how to perform the Romanian Snatch Deadlift for my views on this subject.
As far as fatigue is concerned, I wouldn’t worry about that. RDL’s are great. Find a way to use them, and you’ll get strong. No doubt!
Hey Nick,I was wondering how you feel about the “Widowmaker” squat routine that people will often do for their squats or deadlifts. Would you recommend incorporating them into your workouts? If so, when and for what exercises? This may be a bit unrelated, but I wasn’t sure how to contact you directly and I am curious. Thanks,- Alex
@YingYang21 I have done that basic 20-rep routine a couple of times in my life. But I don’t honestly think it makes any sense any more for someone who’s goal is to be strong. 20-rep squats are OK (not great) for helping a beginner put on some muscle. And they are certainly a challenge!! So … if you’re looking to show off a bit, it’s one way to do it.
But for serious strength improvements AND muscle gain I’d stick to something like the following workouts:
- Starting Strength
- Smolov
- My own Squat Nemesis program
- Any kind of Bulgarian squatting = all day every day for singles …
- etc
Basically, programs that have you sticking to no more than 9 or 10 reps (usually less than 5), and if you want volume, do more sets.
I LOVE high volume (sets x reps). I do. But, I believe it works better when spread out over many sets so that the total LOAD = sets x reps x weight is higher by the end of the workout. That results in more adaptation.
For example:
1×20 reps at 200 pounds equals a Load of 4000 pounds
5×5 at 250 pounds is a load of 6,250 pounds
the 5×5 was better from a stress/adaptation stand point in my opinion. I’ve had very poor results with lifters doing really high reps, no matter how hard they work. where as I’ve had insane results with lifters doing very low reps very often.
@NickHorton This makes a lot of sense. I’ll definitely check these out. Thanks!
My vote goes for the front squats too. I almost had a back injury doing back squats before and although it is also my fault, I wouldn’t subject my body to something like that again
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I think a lot of people feel the same way, my friend.
I just finished Kick *** the graphic novel after seeing the movie and I can’t wait to start the Balls to the Wall comics. Anyone know when I can buy the first issue??
I had never heard of the hip thrust until I found your website today. Amazing. Never even thought about doing that movement. Going to give that a shot.
What do you think about the trap bar deadlift? Gives you more leverage than the romanian deadlift. I can always lift much heavier weight with the trap bar deadlift than any other exercise, including squats, traditional deadlifts, etc.
I always high recommend the trap bar deadlift and was wondering what you thought.
So, my hamstrings are really pretty flexible and I can do RDL’s with a straight back all the way to the floor or perhaps even further if on a platform, is there anything that would make them less effective for a flexible person? I’ve heard normal range of motion for these is just a bit below the knee…..
Thanks much,
Ben
I’m thinking of trying Smolov and subbing Olympic front squats for backsquats. What do you think? I feel more comfy front squatting because I do get concerned that my backsquats turn into ugly goodmorningish things. That and front squats I can just ditch the bar worst case. I just started the intro cycle today, for someone who’s not been lifting much in a while, used my old front squat max of 185 (basically bodyweight now) and I’m liking it. I plan to use Smolov (maybe the mini-cycle for the press, though) for my strict overhead press, too.
Your thoughts on using Smolov and front squats together?
Hi Nick,
Is this modification OK for a beginner who trains only for GPP?
Front squats 3×5
Conventional deadlifts 1×5
Bodyweight Hip Thrusts 3×10 (as recommended by Bret Contreras)
Sure, I see nothing wrong with that. Try it out and let me know how it goes!
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Dan John put me on to you. You have some great info. I have a trap bar what about it as a replacement for squats and olympic lifting.
Thanks in advance
Hey Dudley!
Dan’s awesome, no doubt.
The trap bar stuff can be a decent replacement for squats in many situations. You don’t get quite the same effect when you don’t have a bar on your back, but that’s ok for many people in many situations. sure, if you’re a strength athlete, you should probably squat (though… there are elite Chinese Olympic Weightlifters who rarely do).
But… you really can’t replace the Olympic lifts as easily, and certainly not with trap-bar work. That’s a whole other can of worms, LOL
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