The squat is a fairly common basic movement in strength training. It’s relatively simple to do, but depending on where you place the bar you can get very different results.
The million dollar question is: are back squats or front squats better and which is more productive and beneficial? Depending on the benefits you wish to achieve, one or the other will be recommended, but they are by no means mutually exclusive.
In this article, we will explain the differences, assuming that you already have the stability and mobility necessary to perform the correct technique.
Back Squat
The back squat requires the lower body and core to work together to perform the exercise. Optimal performance requires adequate range of motion in the ankles, hips and knees, lower body strength, and a tremendous amount of core stability.
Muscles involved
Characteristics
Front Squat
The front squat is based on the same techniques as the overhead squat. All that is added is a load resting directly on the upper chest and shoulders, with the elbows pointing forward so that the upper arms are parallel to the ground. This position, essential for weightlifting, works and improves wrist and shoulder flexibility, while the load, supported by the torso, works and improves midline stability.
Muscles involved
Characteristics
Differences between back squats and front squats
The key difference is in the position of the bar. As mentioned above, in the back squat the bar is positioned behind the body, while in the front squat it is positioned in front. The latter positions the spine much more vertically, which results in less backwards projection of the hips, leading to a greater advancement of the knees and dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Specific muscle activation
Front and back squats require knee flexion. However, the position of the bar, and your torso, will encourage slightly different muscle activation patterns throughout the movements.
The quad muscles are activated more with front squats than with back squats Meanwhile, hamstrings are stimulated more with back squats. Another feature in terms of muscle activation is that the front squat requires greater core stability.
The front squat achieves similar muscle activation to the back squat with less stress on the joints, making it more effective at lower risk.
Hypertrophy
As mentioned above, if you want to work your quads, it’s best to use the front squat. On the other hand, the back squat is the best option for working your hamstring muscles.
Lumbalgia
Another thing to note is that front squats put less pressure on the lower back than back squats. If you are prone to discomfort in this area, it’s best to work it and avoid using very heavy loads until you feel comfortable.
For heavy lifting, we recommend using a lumbar belt. Find out all about what the lumbar belt is for in this article.
