front squat foot position, how to tell if I'm too wide

[peatr99]

Someone told me it looks like I'm doing a pirouette squat because my feet and knees are so far out. I'm hitting full depth but am worried I am doing front squats wrong. Is there a way to tell what is too wide for feet position or does it matter as long as its not extreme?

[Tom Mutaffis]

Someone told me it looks like I'm doing a pirouette squat because my feet and knees are so far out. I'm hitting full depth but am worried I am doing front squats wrong. Is there a way to tell what is too wide for feet position or does it matter as long as its not extreme?

Do you have any videos of you performing front squats?

[peatr99]

not at the moment I can try to take some tomorrow if I find a camera. Is there any indications or things I should be looking/feeling for to know if I'm doing it right?

[Tom Mutaffis]

not at the moment I can try to take some tomorrow if I find a camera. Is there any indications or things I should be looking/feeling for to know if I'm doing it right?

Hard to say since everyone has different physical geometry, do you have any knee issues or any issues hitting depth with your current stance? Also, are you front squatting specifically for carry-over to other movements or simply as a way to train your lower body?

[peatr99]

i don't have a squat rack. Also I mostly do crossfit and front squat seems to have the most carryover to the oly lifts, squat cleans and things like that. I have no knee issues and no problems hitting super deep depth.

The reason I am standing wide is because it feels more comfortable for getting proper depth, when I narrow my stance my lower back is not flexible enough to allow me to keep upright without leaning forward.

thanks for the responses. Up until today I thought I was doing fine with front squats but I'm always looking for tips and tricks to make sure I'm doing movements right since crossfit instructers aren't always the best experts at form

[RFabsik]

Post a video.
When you say piroutte, I think you mean plie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV5Dr7p19c

If so, my guess is you might be pointing your feet out too much and depending on your body type, you might be too wide or extending too far over your toes.

How do you do with a goblet squat?

[Bako Lifter]

It could also be wrist flexibility. Do you feel uncomfortable at all In the rack position? Falling forward in the whole means your elbows are not being pushed up enough. You need to keep them pointing as high as possible and really drive them up when you hit the bottom position. This will keep you up right.

[peatr99]

Post a video.
When you say piroutte, I think you mean plie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyV5Dr7p19c

If so, my guess is you might be pointing your feet out too much and depending on your body type, you might be too wide or extending too far over your toes.

How do you do with a goblet squat?

haha yep plie, goes to show up much any of us know about ballet.

I'm not extending over my toes and goblet i feel like i can go back further since I don't need to stay as upright as a front squat since the weights not going to fall off my shoulders.

wrist flexibility isn't an issue, I can hold a rack all day and I never feel strain on them as I go down. Its not falling forward at all. I'm just concerned I'm too wide and doing more a "plie" with a wide stance and that it might not be the best form?

[Jonathan E]

As long as your hitting depth and your form (heels on the ground/back in a good position) is good, I don't see a major issue. Personally, I've always found that my feet point out a little more doing fronts than regular back squats. I like the feeling better and I feel the burn.

[stephan0303]

thanks

[Tom Mutaffis]

i don't have a squat rack. Also I mostly do crossfit and front squat seems to have the most carryover to the oly lifts, squat cleans and things like that. I have no knee issues and no problems hitting super deep depth.

The reason I am standing wide is because it feels more comfortable for getting proper depth, when I narrow my stance my lower back is not flexible enough to allow me to keep upright without leaning forward.

thanks for the responses. Up until today I thought I was doing fine with front squats but I'm always looking for tips and tricks to make sure I'm doing movements right since crossfit instructers aren't always the best experts at form

If you are looking for carryover to your o-lifts then I would try to keep the stance similar to the stance that you use for cleans, jerks, etc.