Which squats are better

Popular squat variations you might already know include the goblet squat, the Zercher squat , and the front and back squat. The front squat and the back squat are two of the most valuable squat exercises in a weightlifter's arsenal, but which one is better for your workout?

These two similar exercises work out a lot of the same muscles, so how different can they really be? Read on to discover the most important information you need to make a decision when planning your next leg day workout. Although the two exercises can appear similar, a few small changes have a huge impact on the effects of each exercise. The back squat is probably better known out of the two, this exercise has weightlifters place a barbell across the back of their shoulders to increase resistance while performing squats.

The weight rests across the trapezius and rear deltoid muscles loaded securely on the back side of your body. During front squats, your center of gravity shifts forwards. The barbel is held using your fingertips across the front deltoids, essentially sitting across your collarbone. Because this brings your center of mass forward, the weight forces lifters to maintain a more upright position during front squats.

If you were to lean forward, the barbell could slip from its position and fall to the floor, so upright posture is a huge difference between front squats and back squats. For much more detail on every step, check out our fantastic article on how to front squat like a pro. Visually, the most obvious difference between front and back squats is the degree of your hips and knees.

The back squat requires a less sharp angle and allows you to lean forward into the movement. Conversely, the front squat requires a greater bend in the hip and knee in order to keep your back straight. Just make sure you got your trusty Ultimate Shred Stack supplement pack before getting started.

While all squat variations activate similar muscle groups, the primary activation of your largest muscles differs between the front squat and the back squat. In a front squat, your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, abdominals, spinal erectors lower back , upper back, shoulders, and lats are all used.

During back squats, all of the same muscles power the movement. However, because your center of gravity is different, these two squat variations activate muscles in different ways. Because of the sharper angle of your hip and knee joints in a front squat, your anterior muscles are more important. While both exercises are incredibly quad-heavy, the front squat activates your quads to a greater degree. When ascending from the lowest part of a front squat, your quad muscles are pushed to their limit to re-extend your knees.

This gives the front squat a much higher degree of quad activation and takes some pressure away from the glutes. On the other hand, the back squat is a much more hip-dominant movement.

It activates your posterior chain more than the front squat, meaning the muscles along the back of your body get more of a workout. The barbell's position on your back allows you to lean forward during the exercise, taking more of the weight on your back. The front squat is more challenging in this area as to balance the more upright posture, far more engagement of core muscles is needed.

Most squats are first and foremost a lower body workout, but the front squat offers some muscle training to your upper body too. The back squat is a heavy lower-body exercise, like our kettlebell leg workout , while the front squat transfers some attention to other areas of the body.

One aspect that many fitness fans might find important is the muscle building abilities of the front and back squat. This can help you make a decision on which exercise is best for you, as depending on your goals when working out, one or the other might offer more benefits.

Both exercises offer huge potential for growing your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Well, it depends on your training goal, overall joint flexibility, and safety. Electromyographical studies show both back and front squats recruit many major muscle groups - the upper back, abdominals, lumbar spine, gluteals, thigh adductors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. But the emphasis on these muscles shifts from one lift to the other.

One is not superior to the other. Again, it depends on your training goal, overall joint flexibility, and adherence to safety guidelines. Back squats can be performed with heavier resistances, thus many feel this is more effective at stimulating gains in muscle strength and size gains.

But other things also factor in, such as set and rep scripts, dietary intake, and genetic potential. So deciding on which squat is not that simple. Squatting in general builds stronger muscles that can lead to increases in speed, power, and quickness for sport. Neither the back or front squat is superior to the other because they both engage the aforementioned muscles and emphasize ankle plantar flexion and knee and hip extension. Both squats make those muscles stronger, but specific sport skills must be practiced to thoroughly enhance them, independent of the mode of squatting used.

And naturally, if your sport is powerlifting, you need to back squat. Whereas, an Olympic lifter needs to be adroit at front squatting due to the front-squat component in the clean and jerk. The upper back needs to be mobile to keep your chest up. The shoulders and wrists need to be mobile to properly rest the bar.

The low back and gluteals need mobility to allow a low enough squat while keeping the knees in line with the toes. Finally, exceptional ankle mobility allows you to keep your feet flat and your lower back from rounding.

And when done with a barbell, they challenge your entire upper body, demanding core strength and stability and even challenging your shoulder and back strength, too. The big question: Where do you actually put that bar? Plenty of lifters wonder, and for good reason. There are two main ways of squatting with a barbell: the front squat and the back squat. Each has a place in your routine but learning how and when to use each move is the key to building the perfect leg program for your goals — and the key to learning and properly progressing the squat.

So which squat should you be doing? Truth be told, neither move is superior to the other; each squat has strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, you want to be capable of doing both squats, but, depending on your goals, you may want to prioritize one over the other. To do a back squat, the bar is loaded at the top of your traps think of them as human barbell pads , near the base of your neck.

Then you simply squat down, bending at the knees and hips, working to not let your knees track too far in front of your feet. The front squat is a move on the rise, most recently popularized by Crossfit. To do a front squat, you load the bar on the meaty parts of your shoulders, in line with your collarbone. From there, you squat down, just as you do during back squats.

Yes, the moves seem similar.