Preferred Hand Placing On Front Squats

[Evidence]

I've noticed a lot of people use different hand position when performing front squats. Which do you do and can you explain maybe if the preference is just through personal trial and error, or is one truely better than the other? And can we assume that one is safer than the other?

I have kept my hands a little outside of shoulder width with the bar very close to my throat with my chest, shoulders and elbows up. (close to an olympic lifter after catching the bar and front squatting a clean). I have seen many guys cross their hands, use straps to hold on to, was just curious as what people feel is correct.

[Pan]

Purists would say that the crossed arm version is a bastardised front squat and not the correct way to do it etc.

However, it is very helpful to people who have typically less wrist flexibility than is required for a 'true' olympic squat. Now while I would only do the olympic style elbows up, front squat, I think that if an altered technique allows people to do this very worthwhile exercise then that's great. I'd rather have everyone do it the 'wrong' way than do leg extensions and leg presses.

I'd say the crossed arm version may even be a bit safer, because it's hard to dump the bar if you get pinned in the hole when using the correct form. However, by pushing the elbows up it really pulls your torso upright and helps you keep it that way throughout the lift.

[CJB]

Clean grip. Index finger on smooth. Index, middle, and ring fingertips holding the bar; pinky off the bar. Sometimes I only use the index and middle fingers.

I use this grip because it feels more stable and I can push up and back with my elbows. Thus helping my upper body stay upright. The cross-arm method always made me fold over and the bar would roll around.

When I switched to the clean grip, it was uncomfortable for about 7 minutes. Then I got used to it. And as odd as it sounds, it got more comfortable and felt more stable as the weight increased.

But remember, this is the internet - everyone has 22" arms, 19" forearms, cannonball delts, and is generally lacks flexibility due to being 2FukknJakked to be able to use the clean grip.

[TAZ]

Purists would say that the crossed arm version is a bastardised front squat and not the correct way to do it etc.

However, it is very helpful to people who have typically less wrist flexibility than is required for a 'true' olympic squat. Now while I would only do the olympic style elbows up, front squat, I think that if an altered technique allows people to do this very worthwhile exercise then that's great. I'd rather have everyone do it the 'wrong' way than do leg extensions and leg presses.

I'd say the crossed arm version may even be a bit safer, because it's hard to dump the bar if you get pinned in the hole when using the correct form. However, by pushing the elbows up it really pulls your torso upright and helps you keep it that way throughout the lift.

I use the crossed arm version for the dumping reason and the lack of flexibility. To me the bar fits naturally in the dents in my delts and I feel that I have more control. Might not be the "correct" way but I am working my quads not trying to score points for being pretty..... lol

-TAZ

[trivial]

not trying to score points for being pretty..... lol

-TAZ

I was gonna be a smart ass here, lol....nah.

[RagingBull666]

For me it's simple. I don't do them!! LOL!!

[G-REX]

Crossed arm version. Another variation that I've used though is to turn the SSB apparatus around backwards and hold the weight that way. Bombs the quads, and torches the low back as well as being a bit more comfortable.

[Mr.Meat]

Oly grip only. I started out with the mummy grip and then built up my flexability to be able to go with the oly grip. Took me 1 year to get my front squat form down, so its a long term process.

With oly grip you get the added benefit of being able to perform cleans as well as various over head pressing with the same standardized grip.

My hands are about 1 hand spacing from my shoulders.

[Shakes]

I grip shoulder width, oly style, false grip (small hands and flexibility). It does feel better on heavier sets and sometimes I will finish a set with only one or two fingers still under the bar. A lot of the weight seems to rest on my thumbs.

One trick is to roll into the initial pickup with "racks" or locks the bar into place.

There is a video on my youtube of some of these: YouTube - tmutafs's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/tmutafs)

As some others mentioned it may take time to get the proper form but in the end it will allow you to safely handle a lot more weight.

[Pan]

Clean grip. Index finger on smooth. Index, middle, and ring fingertips holding the bar; pinky off the bar. Sometimes I only use the index and middle fingers.

I use this grip because it feels more stable and I can push up and back with my elbows. Thus helping my upper body stay upright. The cross-arm method always made me fold over and the bar would roll around.

When I switched to the clean grip, it was uncomfortable for about 7 minutes. Then I got used to it. And as odd as it sounds, it got more comfortable and felt more stable as the weight increased.

But remember, this is the internet - everyone has 22" arms, 19" forearms, cannonball delts, and is generally lacks flexibility due to being 2FukknJakked to be able to use the clean grip.

Yeah, I know what you mean with it feeling more stable as the weight increases. When I have more weight to fight against I tend to activate my core much better. It's like I'm just lazy and cruising with the lighter weights, which ironically makes things harder

[kook]

I used to crossover, switched to clean grip on fronts. did not take long, maybe 2 sessions and all is good.

there is so much carryover to other things(if needed) like flexibility to hold a bar after cleaning on the clavicles, so that there is greater push for a press. ( and what I mean by that is some guys have no flexibility so when bar is cleaned it gets racked and held up near your mouth or chin, takes to omuch energy to hold it there, and then not much leg drive can be used through the push)

[Polski Byk]

Can do both versins cross armed and shoulder width front grip. I mostly do cross armed..feels more stable and easier on the wrists.

[pjb923]

When I was first learning to front squat the clean grip would cause really bad wrist pain. I would force myself to do as many sets as possible and then switch to crossed arms for the rest of my workout. I never felt like the bar was stable with my arms crossed so I kept working on wrist flexibility. Now that I am getting into Olympic lifting this is really starting to pay off. My clean form is improving and I can comfortably hold the bar in the rack position with no wrist pain at all. My hands are just wider than shoulder width.

[GTLifter]

I use the crossed arm method.