Front squats or back squats? Which one is better for building muscle?? Well, it depends on your training goal, overall joint flexibility, and safety. Both the back and front squat recruit the same muscles-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.
Here are the differences in muscle recruitment:
- Front Squats: Emphasize the quadriceps and the upper back. They require a more upright posture, thus minimizing flexion in the lumbar spine and increasing core stabilization to a greater degree of potential spine flexion.
- Back Squats: Focus more on the gluteals and lumbar spine, and are less tedious when performing high-rep, deep fatiguing sets.
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 same muscles and emphasize ankle plantar flexion and knee and hip extension. So depending on your goals will depend on the squat you choose! If you are lifting for power and strength, back squats are more in your favor. However if you are an olyimpic lifter, having a stronger front squat is the one to practice more often.
Front squats require appreciably more flexibility than back squats. 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 glutes need mobility to allow a low enough squat while keeping the knees in line with the toes. Finally, ankle mobility allows you to keep your feet flat and your lower back from rounding. Front squats place the bar on the front of the deltoids. Again, a healthy shoulder can hold this position, but an AC joint separation or shoulder impingement can be irritated by it. The front squat puts the elbows in full flexion and the wrists in full extension.
Back squats require less flexibility in the shoulders, gluteals, and ankles,but that does not mean if you lack flexibility in these joints you can still back squat properly. With either one of these squats, the better your joint flexibility, the better you can execute the movement. Back squats give you the option to place the bar either low or high on the traps. This requires the shoulders to be externally rotated and abducted. Having no shoulder joint issues allows you to maintain the bar in this position.
Both back and front squats can strengthen the knees to reduce the potential for ligament and meniscus tears. To ensure this, the key points are as follows:
- The initial movement should be pushing the butt backward.
- Shins stay vertical.
- Chin up and inflate the chest holding your breath on the way down.
- Heels remain flat during the descent and knees drive out on the exhale to standing position.
Front squats are safer than the back squat due to less excessive forward leaning if your shoulder and elbow flexibility is good. However, this does not mean back squatting is more dangerous to the lumbar spine. If the back squat is performed with good technique and appropriate weights, it is safe.
So which is better on the back or front squat debate? One is not superior to the other. It depends on your training goal, overall joint flexibility, and adherence to safety guidelines.