![]() ![]() Duck under the bar and position the padded cradle around your trapezius, upper back, and shoulders. Set a safety bar in a rack at roughly shoulder-height. This exercise is also an efficient way to increase upper back training because the thick pads offset the center of gravity and increase trapezius and upper back activation. The safety bar squat is an ideal alternative if you cannot maintain the elevated arm position required for front squats. The forward-facing handles allow a more natural arm position which reduces stress on your shoulder and elbow joints. ( 2) The safety bar squat allows a more upright torso and increased upper back engagement, which can reduce lower back stress. If your gym has a safety bar, easily spotted with its thick pads and jutting handles, it can be a key player in building your lower body without straining your joints. ![]() Pause very briefly without losing tension. Don’t rest your full weight on the box - pretend it’s a deck of cards that you don’t want to knock down. Setup for a standard front squat and carefully step back to position yourself above the box.ĭescend under control, lowering your glutes to the box. Set up a stable box or series of aerobic steps at a comfortable height, generally above knee-level, a few feet behind a barbell set in a rack. A box can also be used by beginners as a target to ingrain consistent squat depths and technique. Program the front squat to box if you have hip or ankle mobility issues which prevent you from achieving a deep front squat position. By using a box to limit your range of motion, you change the muscle recruitment and alter the stress on muscles and joints. ![]() While the front squat with straps addresses upper body mobility restrictions, the front squat to box can be used to address lower body mobility restrictions. Take a small step back and squat, keeping your elbows aimed forward and your torso upright. Keep tension on the straps without lifting the bar off your shoulders. Step to the bar, bending your arms as you unrack the weight with your thumbs near the front of your shoulders. Grab one strap in each hand with your palms facing each other. Secure a pair of lifting straps to the bar just outside shoulder-width. Set a barbell in a rack at roughly upper chest-level. This exercise is particularly useful for any lifters with pre-existing upper-body joint issues which may restrict their mobility. The strapped movement can be programmed with the same sets and reps, and often with the same weights. ![]() The front squat with straps can be used identically to the classic front squat, or any time you need to support the bar in the rack position (across the front of your shoulders). These serve as makeshift handles to offer a slightly adjusted hand and arm position. While those attributes can be improved over time with dedicated work, you can reduce the mobility requirements without compromising results by attaching a pair of lifting straps to the bar. This position requires flexibility and mobility throughout your wrists, elbows, and shoulders. One of the biggest limiting factors for many lifters, when it comes to performing the front squat, is holding the bar in the “rack position” - held across the fronts of your shoulders with your arms flexed and your fingertips under the bar. Regardless of the reason, while the front squat has plenty of benefits to offer, there are some equally effective alternatives to consider which let you work around any restrictions and find comparable results.īruce Lee once talked about “the art of fighting without fighting,” so consider these exercises “how to front squat without front squatting.” Best Front Squat Alternatives Other lifters shy away from the front squat because they can move relatively more weight with other squat variations. However, some find the unique bar position to be a limiting factor because it requires ample shoulder and wrist mobility. The front squat is a staple movement for Olympic weightlifters, CrossFit athletes, and countless other strength-focused lifters. ![]()
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