Take a look at any well-established training routine and you’ll find that they all have one thing in common: squat patterns!
This movement is integral to the foundation of any workout program, regardless of whether the goal is strength and conditioning, fat-loss, or hypertrophy.
Where there are so many variations of squats, we will take a look at two of the most common – the front squat and the back squat.
The immediate difference between a front or back squat is the rack position of the bar placed on the lifters upper body.
Simply, the front squat name says it all: the barbell, or other loading equipment, is racked on the front deltoids with hands slightly outside the shoulders in a lose underhand “grip” using 2–3 fingers in the bar and elbows high enough to bring the upper arm parallel to the floor.
The back squat is just as easily identified. The barbell, or other loading equipment, is racked on the athlete’s shoulders at the base of the neck or an inch below the top of the shoulder with a strong, overhand grip to keep the bar secure and in place.
Front Squats and Back Squats work different muscles in different ways because the placement of the bar causes slight changes in motion of the spine, hips, knees, and ankles.
Quite simply, Front Squats zone in on the quads and upper back, while Back Squats focus more on the hips, glutes, and lower back.
Both lifts recruit all these muscles together, but the emphasis shifts from one lift to the other.
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