One of the 3 most common loaded variations of our standard air squat – the Front Squat is widely regarded as the most “athletic” of the weighted squat movements.
While we believe that any and all squatting has great benefit to performance, the Front Squat is indeed a great lift which comes with a host of benefits beyond basic below parallel strength. Due to the “front rack” positioning of the barbell, a vertical torso is not just helpful but required. This means that hip and ankle mobility become an even greater part of the equation. As does midline stabilization (aka core strength). Lastly, the front rack position itself is one requiring some coordination and upper extremity mobility.
When attempting the Front Squat for the first time, there are a few main coaching points to keep in mind when teaching the front squat:
1. Hand placement – the front rack is a difficult position for many athletes to get into. Instruct them to take a wider than shoulder width and loose finger grip. The bar should rest on the meat of the shoulder, not the collarbone. We address front rack mobility development in other videos.
2. Elbow Height – this is the most common issue for new athletes. We want to keep the upper arm as close to parallel to the floor as possible. Use visual, auditory or tactile cues to get them to keep the chest proud and elbows high (the “2 Potato Rule”). One great cue is to tell your athletes to lead from the elbows on the way out of the bottom of their squat, cueing them to drive the elbows up.
3. As always, we recommend that athletes master the basic squat first before attempting any loaded variations. Even more important, though, is to maintain our 4 points of squat performance during every loaded rep. We never add weight to an improper movement!
The key to development is to master the basics…then master them again!
Teaching the Front Squat
Share this article:
Recent Posts
Interested if PLT4M can work at your school?
Follow Us!
๐ฃ#WIBestPracticesHPE๐ฃ
@PLT4M is one of our amazing sponsors.
Our very own event coordinator @Mr_L_health will be presenting on how PLT4M makes a positive impact on his students.
Come learn with us! #physed #healthed
Registration:
https://www3.uwsp.edu/conted/Pages/Best-Practices-in-Health-and-Physical-Education-Conference.aspx
๐๐ฎ Chicken Taco Tag is HERE!
Explore 125+ new PE games, activities, and lessons from @pe4everykid โ now on PLT4M!
Fun, inclusive, and ready to roll!
Check it out ๐
Invasion games in elementary PE classes are more than just fun and energetic activities. They serve as an effective method for teaching essential movement skills such as offensive and defensive positioning, teamwork, spatial awareness, and agility. These engaging games encourageโฆ
PE games for elementary students are a fantastic way to get everyone moving and having fun! They not only boost physical activity but also help kids build essential motor skills, learn teamwork, and develop a love for fitness. Whether you're bringing back some old favorites orโฆ
๐จ PLT4M K-5 Is LIVE! ๐จ
Huge shoutout to @pe4everykid for teaming up with us to create 125+ standard-aligned, ready-to-use lessons!
Elementary PE just got easier, more fun, and more impactful for EVERY kid! ๐ช๐ #physed #elempe
Check It Out: https://learn.plt4m.com/k-5-curriculum
Hey, #PhysEd family! I'm proud to announce that the K-5 curriculum I helped design is now LIVE on @PLT4M If you'd like to download some free sample lessons or get more info, click the link below https://hubs.li/Q0362GMd0