Front Squat with bands

[ThomasG]

I've never seen anyone here do these are they a practical variation?

[Travis Bell]

Overloading the front squat for a powerlifter doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I suppose to each their own.

[dynamo]

i think having the bands the other way would be more beneficial. I really feel front squats kill my abs and quads out of the hole and it would seem doing it in the opposite direction would require you to stabilize the weight more and probably use more abs to stay upright

[ThomasG]

Overloading the front squat for a powerlifter doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I suppose to each their own.

If your quads are your weakness in the squat or you have weak abs why not over load the front squat?

[BloodandThunder]

If your quads are your weakness in the squat or you have weak abs why not over load the front squat?

For one, training economy and exercise selection. If quads are your weakness, you can use assistance work/extra workouts/GPP to attack it, rather than take more effort away from the big three. Same with abs.

[BloodandThunder]

If he's utilizing a conjugation approach and has a limited exercise selection due to a lack of equipment, ME FSs with an overload are probably one of his ME Squat workouts. I'd keep this movement further out from a meet, but maybe this guy is just trying to increase his FS. I don't always like to do ME box squats, so I change it up for Zerchers or SSB squats for a ME Squat workout. However, closer to a meet, I'd stick with BS.

[Travis Bell]

If your quads are your weakness in the squat or you have weak abs why not over load the front squat?

Because the bands will make it easier at the bottom. I should have said using reverse bands doesn't make sense to me. Using bands from the bottom would be fine I suppose.

If quads are your weakness, I'd just go with regular ol' front squats. I'm not a huge fan of complicating your accessory movements

I think front squat is an excellent accessory movement, but reverse bands in my opinion just isn't going to help. There are plenty of variations you could use such as 5 rep max, 3 rep max, front squat to a box, free front squat, front squatting from pins, 5 rep max from pins, 3 rep max from pins/box....you get the idea.

[ThomasG]

Interesting! Thanks for the posts guys.

[ThomasG]

I'm going to disagree with you guys here somewhat. Since I made this thread over a year ago I've had an extreme amount of success with overloading front squats with bands an chains. Haven't tried reverse band and I agree that's not a proper way to overload a FS. We mostly use chains.

First time I went for a 405 Front squat I popped out of the hole and failed. Then I front squatted with bands and chains for a couple weeks and came back and hit 405x2.

I also Rotate front Squat as a ME movement not just an accessory. There has been a definite correlation to my back squat.

[Travis Bell]

How does that disagree? Most here (including myself) said that reverse band front squats weren't beneficial. Not front squats themselves.

[ThomasG]

For one, training economy and exercise selection. If quads are your weakness, you can use assistance work/extra workouts/GPP to attack it, rather than take more effort away from the big three. Same with abs.

Disagree

Overloading the front squat for a powerlifter doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I suppose to each their own.

Disagree. But as you said to each their own.

If he's utilizing a conjugation approach and has a limited exercise selection due to a lack of equipment, ME FSs with an overload are probably one of his ME Squat workouts.

Disagree I do not lack equipment I believe front squat has it place as an me movement depending on the lifter.

[Travis Bell]

LOL you didn't overload the front squat. you added accomodating resistance

[Brian Hopper]

[Travis Bell]

LOL!

Thomas I'm not trying to take away from your front squat and full squat PRs. You did a nice job. I'm just confused is all. Your post came across as if you had proved us all wrong and were having an "ah ha!" moment and I just didn't see it. If you wanted to showcase your PRs just create a new thread explaining what you learned throughout your training.

[ThomasG]

LOL you didn't overload the front squat. you added accomodating resistance

LOL!

Thomas I'm not trying to take away from your front squat and full squat PRs. You did a nice job. I'm just confused is all. Your post came across as if you had proved us all wrong and were having an "ah ha!" moment and I just didn't see it. If you wanted to showcase your PRs just create a new thread explaining what you learned throughout your training.

This is not about showcasing my pr's it's about personal experience and anecdotal evidence. The disagreement may be a simple confusion of terms. I've always heard accommodating resistance as a form of overloading. For example overloading the top of the movement by %30 with bands or chains. Also Eccentric overloading with bands and chains.

[BloodandThunder]

Look at all variables first before making a conclusion. Causation and correlation.

You said you missed a 405 then after a few weeks hit 405x2. If you used the same stance, you were becoming lift specific in training. This in itself can explain the increase. On a true conjugate cycle where you are rotating exercises constantly, you are hitting a number that does not represent a true max since you are not being lift specific. If I can hit a 500 conventional GM when I pull sumo primarily, my conventional GM will go up if I start training it every week with a proper loading scheme.

You should also compare the depth of both training sessions. If you're squatting higher the second time, this can also explain the difference. You may have also added quad assistance which would correlate to a larger BS.

Remember there's 315 in the hole. If the setup is correct, you're locking out 315 + 120ish (some of chain might still be on floor). Chains are a much different way to deload than the reverse band setup up top. Most FS will fail though midway though because of premature rounding of the upper back and a loss of tightness in the torso.

Most of the time I go back FSing after a meet, the hole is always a weird point since it differs so much from that of a powerlifting squat. I think most of this is lift specific.

[Travis Bell]

This is not about showcasing my pr's it's about personal experience and anecdotal evidence. The disagreement may be a simple confusion of terms. I've always heard accommodating resistance as a form of overloading. For example overloading the top of the movement by %30 with bands or chains. Also Eccentric overloading with bands and chains.

For purposes of this discussion - what it originated from - the term overloading was referring to reverse band front squats.

You are mixing some terms yes, but not terribly so that it makes a huge difference.

My point was simply that you didn't really prove anyone wrong per se with your experience, in regards to what was said in this thread.

[joey54]

Keep up the good progress!

[Tom Mutaffis]

Just figured that I would add that Craig is a strongman, not a powerlifter...

Reverse band work for overloading movements can be helpful - especially for someone who typically has trouble at the lockout of the movement. The only downside here would be that you would probably need a rack with two sets of catch pins (unless you looped the bands over the top... but that could provide too much help from the bands).

[Thuggish]

Nobody has mentioned that front squats work the posture muscles really well. That's the biggest reason I like them, personally.