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Hey guys! In this week’s episode of the VERSUS SERIES we are going to be comparing the FRONT SQUAT to the BACK SQUAT! Which is better for building muscle? Which builds more strength? And, which has a lesser risk of an injury?
If you missed the last episode where I compared the Barbell Bench Press VS. Dumbbell Bench Press, you can check it out HERE!
But before we begin, let’s talk about why we squat and learn a bit more about THE CORE. The core refers to the group of muscles that are used to stabilize the thorax and the pelvis during dynamic movements such as the front or back squat. These muscles include the pelvic floor muscles, transversus abdominis, multifidus, internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae, and the diaphragm.
Now, in general, squatting builds stronger muscles that can lead to an increase in speed and power which can be applied to general lifting purposes or sports. However, when evaluating the risks and benefits of each exercise you first must take into consideration the reason WHY someone is squatting, THEIR strengths, THEIR weaknesses and THEIR goals. Many studies have shown that both back and front squats recruit many major muscle groups such as the upper back, abdominals, lumbar spine, glutes, thigh adductors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. But the emphasis on these muscles shifts from one lift to the other. So in order to see which exercise is best for you, let’s compare them starting with the barbell back squat!
Barbell Back Squat
The barbell back squat focuses more on the hips, glutes and lumbar spine and places more of the load on the posterior half of your body. The main muscles involved are your glutes, quads, hamstrings, lower back and calves and you’ll activate your core for stabilizing purposes as well.
To perform the back squat you are going to get underneath the barbell and rest it across your shoulders, traps and upper back.
Now the set-up for a back squat is also much easier for when performing high rep sets because the barbell rests across your shoulders & traps. Once in place you are going to lift the barbell off the rack, step back, and stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. For the sake of this comparison I am going to be using the HIGH BAR version of the back squat. For actual muscle engagement the bar position doesn’t matter.
You can also choose to have a wide stance or a close stance. Which stance you choose will come down to personal preference.
As soon as you are in your preferred stance you are going to sit back and lower yourself to the ground. Keep your chin up, chest up, and push your knees out as you descend. As soon as your body is fully descended you are going to push through your feet and drive the barbell back up to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Now another thing you need to keep in mind for when performing this movement is that you need to engage your core before descending by drawing in a breath and then holding it while flexing your core. This is how you stabilize your body so you don’t bend in half under the pressure of the barbell on your back and as you become stronger you will use this same technique when lifting heavier weights while wearing a weight belt.
Now let’s take a look at the barbell front squat. This movement places more emphasis on the quadriceps and the upper back but the main difference is that because you are holding the barbell in front of your body, this exercise requires a more upright posture which will minimize flexion in the lumbar spine.
However, because of this you will need much more core stabilization throughout the movement to avoid spinal flexion, or rounding of your upper back.
Now the reason why this movement places more emphasis on your quads is because there is more knee flexion. This is because the barbell is in front of your body resting across your anterior deltoids and clavicles thus pulling you forward as you descend which also takes a bit of the emphasis off your glutes and hips as well.
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28 авг 2024
