The squat is a fairly common basic movement in strength training. It is relatively simple to carry out, but depending on where you place the bar you will be making very significant changes. The million dollar question is, which type of squat is better, back squat or front squat? What is more productive and healthy? Depending on the benefits we are looking for, one or the other will be more recommended, but in no way are they exclusive. Next, we are going to explain the differences, starting from the ideal that we already have the stability and mobility necessary to perform the technique correctly.
BackSquat
The back squat requires the structures of the lower body and core to work synergistically 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
- Involves the muscles of the posterior chain, such as hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
- abdominal area
- oblique muscle
Characteristics
- Greater anterior inclination of the spine, which means greater load on the lumbar area.
- Requires good flexibility in the hamstrings and mobility in the pectorals.
- Greater activation of the gluteus maximus extensor.
- Accepts greater load.
- Helps increase overall power.
- Simpler technique than front squat, requiring less mobility.
FrontSquat
The front squat is based exactly on the mechanics of the air squat. All that is added is a load resting directly on the upper chest and shoulders, and the elbows pointed forward so that the upper arms are parallel to the floor. This position, fundamental for weightlifting, demands and improves wrist and shoulder flexibility, while the load, supported by the torso, demands and improves midline stability.
Muscles involved
- It demands more from the anterior chain, involving the quadriceps, abdomen and knees.
Characteristics
- Unlike the back squat, the spine is positioned more vertically, making the load on the lumbar region less.
- Greater mobility is needed in the ankles, so some people may find it more complicated.
- Less weight is lifted than in the back squat, being approximately 70% of your RM.
- Compared to the back squat, it relieves tension in the glutes and hips.
Differences between backsquat andfrontsquat
The big difference is seen in the position of the bar. As we mentioned previously, in the back squat the bar is positioned behind the body and in the front squat it is positioned in front. The latter causes the position of the spine to be much more vertical, which causes the hip to be projected less backwards, leading to greater advancement of the knees and dorsiflexion of the ankle.
Specific muscle activation
Front and back squats emphasize knee flexion. But the position of the bar, and your torso, will encourage slightly different muscle activation patterns throughout the movements. The quadriceps muscle is activated more with front squats than with back squats. In contrast, the hamstrings were stimulated more with the back squat. Another characteristic in terms of muscle activation is that the front squat requires more stability in the core. The front squat achieves muscle activation similar to the back squat with less stress on the joints, making it more effective at lower risk.
Hypertrophy
As we have mentioned previously, if you want to emphasize the quadriceps it is better to use the front squat. If, on the other hand, you are looking for hamstring growth, the back squat is a better option.
