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March 5, 2007
The Front Squat
The front squat, one of our standard exercises, has many virtues. Among them:
The FS teaches the importance of remaining upright. The human leg is a third-class lever. To attain maximum mechanical advantage, using a third-class lever, the weight must stay over the fulcrum (hip), to avoid forming an extremely inefficient structure.
Put simply, if you allow the weight to come forward on a front squat, it will no longer be over your center of gravity. With a significant weight, this will make the lift impossible (or very difficult) to complete. Imagine a teeter-totter with one end twice as long as the other. While this is a First-class lever, the principle is the same, and it should be obvious you would want to be on the shorter end for maximum mechanical advantage. Another, perhaps more cogent example, would be the overhead squat. Since the load (the weight) is so far from the input force (the lever of the leg) you can really feel any deviation from directly overhead. The principle is the same here, but less pronounced.
We also like the front squat because it teaches part of the Clean & Jerk. Getting the bar "racked" on the shoulders is key. The weight is not held in the hands (no, not even a little bit), but rather rests on the declivity formed by the medial and anterior deltoids (easier to see on someone muscular). The fingers "babysit" the bar. They do not grip it (no, not even a little bit).
Finally the front squat teaches you to push through the heels, because if you don't you will come up on your toes as the bar pulls you forward (see above for why not to do this) and you will experience what we technically call a "yard sale".
Post poundages to comments.
Posted by Max Lewin at March 5, 2007 11:51 PM
Comments
Connie,
you look like a model.
Posted by: annie Vought at March 6, 2007 10:53 AM
Connie fan club is at conniemoreno.com.
115x3
135x3
155x3
185x3
205x1
175x3
165x3
Posted by: Max Lewin at March 6, 2007 11:12 AM
nice weight!
good wrist flexibility as well!
Posted by: angela at March 6, 2007 1:39 PM
she's got the demon eyes. check it out. just kidding, good work. how'd the back hold up, Max?
Posted by: Jonathan at March 6, 2007 5:35 PM
I would characterize my back as 95% better. I feel pretty lucky. I have video of how I messed it up, which I will post as "How Not To Do the Deadlift".
Posted by: Max Lewin at March 6, 2007 5:40 PM
Hey, i don't think i gave anyone permission to post this (especially not this BIG) geeez!
Posted by: connie moreno at March 6, 2007 6:19 PM
Go Connie!!!
Wow, what a difference from when you first started.
Keep up the good work.
Jim
Posted by: Jim at March 6, 2007 8:53 PM
happy birthday, connie!
great work.
joe
Posted by: joe p at March 7, 2007 7:54 AM
Happy Birthday Connie! theres a present for you sitting on the metal shelving as you walk in the door...
Posted by: Nicole Okumu at March 7, 2007 10:43 AM