Front Squat Question(s)

[SCStrong]

I just added front squats to my routine, today. Compared to my low back squat I lift like a little girl.....

Question One : What is the correct bar position? Even with light weight, I was killing my shoulders.

Question Two: What is a good target ration ( or typical ratio) of weight lifted on back versus front squats?
Example- Hypothetically,if I can lift 250 for 5 on low back then what should my goal be on front squats?
Signed,
Weak and confused in Texas

[MikeM]

Front squats are hard at first SC! DOn't get discouraged and don't think in percentages yet as that doesn't really matter. It's a different lift, it's like saying what percentage should your BTN be to your military. Everybody is different and has different issues with various lifts.

Where on your shoulders do they hurt? If your elbows are up properly, the bar should be resting on meat, not bone. Your front delts should be able to hold the weights you're starting with without pain.

Hang in there! They get a lot better as you go along.

[SCStrong]

Originally Posted by MikeM

Front squats are hard at first SC! DOn't get discouraged and don't think in percentages yet as that doesn't really matter. It's a different lift, it's like saying what percentage should your BTN be to your military. Everybody is different and has different issues with various lifts.

Where on your shoulders do they hurt? If your elbows are up properly, the bar should be resting on meat, not bone. Your front delts should be able to hold the weights you're starting with without pain.

Hang in there! They get a lot better as you go along.

Thanks for the advice- the pain (front delts) is not intense- just different I suppose. I will take it slow.
The weight was very low (135 last set max)... I am weak and worthless. I lost sight of the Force.
Jedi, I am not.

[1morerep]

I invest is a front squat harness. Well worth it!!! But yes, they are hard and painful if use a lot of weight Position (at least in my case before the harness) was about two inches below shoulder joint. I do same day as back squat, good mornings and dl. Yeap, all in the same day!!!

[fenrisulfr]

Shit man cheer up. Nobody was good at anything before practicing it. You just need to get your core strength up. Start doing cleans and powercleans for synergistic training. Keep practicing. As for ratios of back to front my 1rm back is 400, front 315.

[big_swede]

Originally Posted by SCStrong

I just added front squats to my routine, today. Compared to my low back squat I lift like a little girl.....

Question One : What is the correct bar position? Even with light weight, I was killing my shoulders.

Question Two: What is a good target ration ( or typical ratio) of weight lifted on back versus front squats?
Example- Hypothetically,if I can lift 250 for 5 on low back then what should my goal be on front squats?
Signed,
Weak and confused in Texas

Try getting your elbows up and the bar as close to your throat as possible, you should feel like choking when unracking. I think that if you do 250 for 5 on the back squat, 200 for 5 on the fronties is a good short term goal. Also as Mike said its a painfull lift at first but when flexibility gets better you learn to love it =)

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by SCStrong

I just added front squats to my routine, today. Compared to my low back squat I lift like a little girl.....

Question One : What is the correct bar position? Even with light weight, I was killing my shoulders.

Question Two: What is a good target ration ( or typical ratio) of weight lifted on back versus front squats?
Example- Hypothetically,if I can lift 250 for 5 on low back then what should my goal be on front squats?
Signed,
Weak and confused in Texas

I use one of these:

Amazon.com: Sting Ray: Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com: Sting Ray: Sports & Outdoors

Question 2: I suck at front squats. kill my lower back. My front is maybe 60% of my back.

[1morerep]

This is the best option for the money!!!

AGGRESSIVE SPF 2013 315lbs front squat - YouTube

AGGRESSIVE SPF 2013 315lbs front squat - YouTube

[SCStrong]

Originally Posted by fenrisulfr

Shit man cheer up. Nobody was good at anything before practicing it. You just need to get your core strength up. Start doing cleans and powercleans for synergistic training. Keep practicing. As for ratios of back to front my 1rm back is 400, front 315.

I am not bummed - I was justt razzing my self. ( I have perpetual smart ass disease ha ha ) Thanks for the advice.

[SCStrong]

Originally Posted by big_swede

Try getting your elbows up and the bar as close to your throat as possible, you should feel like choking when unracking. I think that if you do 250 for 5 on the back squat, 200 for 5 on the fronties is a good short term goal. Also as Mike said its a painfull lift at first but when flexibility gets better you learn to love it =)

Cool, thanks