Hitting a Front Squat PB
Why train front squats?
Training front squats differs from training back squats. While you can’t go as heavy, you can train different muscle groups.
Front squats work the quads and upper back due to the placement of the bar causing the body to have to maintain a more upright posture and further stabilise the core muscles.
Check out Bulk's 8 tips to getting a bigger squat!
This differs to back squats which work the hips, glutes and lower back harder.
Neither is better than the other and a combination of both is great in your weekly training schedule.
Today’s session
This is my Friday front squat session. Every Friday I train heavy front squats then follow it up with some heavy slingshot bench presses.
When this blog was written, my competition was eight days away. So this was the heaviest I would front squat and slingshot bench press during that training cycle.
It’s important to warm up to your heaviest weight if you’re looking to hit a PB. A few mobility stretches beforehand can always help too.
Try out today’s front squat session
Front Squats
| Intensity | Sets and Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 70kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 120kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 150kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 180kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 200kg |
| Top Set | 1 x 2 | 200kg |
| Back Off Sets | 2 x 3 | 200kg |
Here are 5 tips to improve your front squat.
What's better for women, parallel, full, or front squats?
Slingshot Paused Bench Presses
| Intensity | Sets and Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Warm Up | 1 x 3 | 70kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 100kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 120kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 140kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 160kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 170kg |
| Warm Up | 1 x 1 | 180kg |
| Top Set | 1 x 1 | 190kg |
| Back Off Sets | 2 x 3 | 180kg |
Paused Bench Presses
| Intensity | Sets and Reps | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Working Weight | 3 x 5 | 140kg |
Dave Napper is a world record breaking personal trainer, nutritionist, powerlifter and business owner.
He is the owner-operator of Brisbane North Barbell, helping to train the next generation of powerlifters and strongmen.
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