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Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Front Squats & Your Forward Motion Skills

Squats.

You do them or some variation of them all of the time.

Driving, picking up trash, picking up a child, tying your shoe, taking a dump, working out, watching a sporting event...all encompass squats. So, you might as well develop a good squat technique and learn to work around or correct any knee pain you have.

Well, that leads me to front squats.

Some equipment you want to use whether you are an athlete or non-athlete: kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, body bars, bands...weight vest.

After my last front squat session, I have been thinking a lot about their benefits. When I worked at a former place of business called Velocity Sports Performance, I did not lead the workout design. However, front squats were issued a lot. Many times, they were included in a program after back squats. Almost twenty years into this profession, the young athletes who passed through our Velocity location did not need all of that double-legged squatting. 

How would I have changed the program design? Give some single leg squats. Now, I get that younger athletes need to learn the base of double-legged squatting. But, they did a lot of squats; and times have changed. Though single-legged squats, assisted ones, could have been issued at times.

Ah, the athletes were fine and turned out well.

Your Motion
Take a peak at how you walk. You may lean a bit. You may not move your arms as much. You may walk with your head down. The same posture counts for running. With your front squat, you cannot maintain poor posture; otherwise, you may fall over, strain a back muscle, or struggle to lift a desired weight. However, if you want to run well, walk or run upstairs well, and attack inclines and hills, then add in and perform good front squats.

You will feel a difference in your performance.

I Don't Have Heavy Weight
Front squats like loads, but if you cannot lift heavy then rep often. Or...grab your child or spouse. With a good grip, hold your loved one horizontally in your arms and squat with good posture. Chest up!

Happy lifting!

Much success to you | Derek | @teemptraining | derekteempt@gmail.com

 


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