How to Improve Back Strength for Front Squat

Front squats are a more quadriceps- and core-dominant squatting exercise than the barbell back squat, though they do work your hamstrings, glutes and calves, too. In a front squat, you hold the barbell across the front of your shoulders, resting on your collarbone. To maintain good front squat technique and avoid stooping forward, you must keep your shoulder blades retracted, which requires a high level of upper-back strength, as well as lower-back strength to stop your lower spine from rounding.

Things You'll Need

  • Barbell
  • Weight plates
  • Squat rack
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Instructions

  1. Technique

    • 1

      Place the bar at shoulder-height in a power rack and stand directly underneath it with your feet hip-width apart. Place your fingertips underneath the bar about shoulder-width apart with your fingernails touching your shoulders, palms facing up and your elbows high.

    • 2

      Lift the bar out of the rack and take a step backward. The bar should be resting across the front of your shoulders and collarbone -- don't try to hold it with your arms, as this will cause your back to round forward.

    • 3

      Squat while keeping your head looking up and your elbows high -- both of these are vital for maintaining back stability. Keep your core muscles tensed hard, too, as this aids your lower-back strength.

    • 4

      Pause in the bottom position when you're as low as you can go. Holding this position for a few seconds tightens your upper-back posture, according to weightlifting coach Daniel Green.

    • 5

      Keep looking up as you stand up and think about keeping your elbows high and core tight the whole time, as these will enable you to maintain good upper-back strength.

    Programming

    • 6

      Add in extra upper-back exercises to your program. Concentrate on ones that work the scapula retractor muscles, such as face pulls, where you sit or stand in front of a cable machine with a rope attachent in arm's length and pull it toward you until your hands are in line with your ears. Perform four sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    • 7

      Add an extra 15 to 20 percent to the bar when you've finished your final set of front squats, hold it in the front squat position, walk it out of the rack and stand there for 30 seconds. Keep your whole body as tense as possible. Do this three times, resting for 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Front squat holds are extremely useful for increasing your isometric back strength.

    • 8

      Perform one lower-back focused exercise such as back extensions on a weight bench, Swiss ball or on the floor at the end of every front squat session. Complete four sets of 15 to 20 reps.