Front Squats

Front squats are one of the most effective of all exercises but they are usually neglected by most athletes in favor of the more traditional back squat. Everyone should include front squats into their exercise regime simply because they are probably the best leg exercise you will ever find. Both the front and back squat are fantastic compound exercises but in this article I will hopefully show you why you should consider using the front squat in your exercise regime.

The front squat is a variation on the traditional back squat where the bar rests on your front shoulders rather than your back and focus a lot of stress onto the quadriceps. One great thing about front squats is that they target both your quads and your core to a large extent. Front squats utilize more of your core muscles than the back squat and so they are a great exercise for toning up both your quadricep and abdominal muscles. The front squat pretty much works your muscles in the same way as the back squat but puts a lot more emphasis on your quads and that makes it one of the best leg building exercises around. Like the back squat, the front squat is a compound exercise which works almost every muscle in the body making it a brilliant mass building exercise.

There are two main ways to hold the bar when doing the front squat, the Olympic lifting style and the crossed arm style. Bodybuilders tend to use the crossed arm style while weight lifters stick to the Olympic style. One think you really need to be aware of is that front squats are harder than back squats and as such you will not be able to lift as much weight when training the front squat. Make sure that you start with a fairly light weight if you are new to the front squat and make sure that you get your technique right before increasing the weight.

It is much easier to get good form with the back squat and your spine is forced to stay in a more upright position during the exercise. You will find that you are really forced to keep your back straight on the front squat just to keep the bar up. You can cheat when performing the back squat but if you do not keep your back straight on the front squat then you will drop the bar. This makes front squats a great alternative to back squats if you have any back trouble or difficulty getting good form in the back squat. Because you are forced to use less weight with the front squat, they are also a good way to build up leg strength without being forced to use ungodly weight.

If you are new to this exercise then I would definitely recommend giving the front squat a try. Despite the front squat being one of the most effective leg builders ever, very few people take the time to get to know this exercise. The more front squats you do, the better your physique and fitness levels will be. If you want to build better legs and better abs then you should certainly add the front squat to your workout and see the results of this great exercise for yourself. Nothing will challenge or develop your leg muscles more than a brutal set of front squats.