How to Front Squat With Straps by John Phung | 01/23/14

How to Front Squat With Straps

by John Phung | 01/23/14

Here's what you need to know...

1. If you find front squatting with the clean grip painful or simply don't have the patience to develop the flexibility for it, try attaching a pair of straps to the bar.
2. By using straps, the front squat can be more comfortable and ultimately more productive, allowing you to focus more on the exercise.
3. The act of pulling on the straps keeps your elbows up by acting as a proprioceptive tool, making it easier to maintain the rack position.

   1.  Attaching the Straps

   Wrap the strap around the bar and weave it through the loop. It should look like this:
   

   2.  Positioning

   Position the straps about shoulder-width apart. They should be just outside the spot where the bar applies the most pressure to your shoulders.
   During the front squat, you may experience a tendency to pull your hands towards each other, which could force the straps to slide out of position. Setting the straps at the spot where the bar pressure on the shoulders is highest prevents this.
   You don't want the straps wedged in between the bar and shoulder either, as this will push the bar into a slightly higher position. That could result in the bar rolling off your shoulders as you start the concentric portion of the rep (because that's the point where the elbows have a tendency to drop).
   

   3.  Gripping

   There are a couple ways to grip the strap. You can simply grab the strap or you can wrap it around your fingers. I like to first wrap the strap around two fingers (index and middle finger) for added security before gripping the strap. This will keep the hand from sliding to a different position on the strap during the exercise.
   Where you grab will depend on your flexibility, length of the straps, and personal preference. Generally, the less flexible you are, the farther away from the bar your hands will be.
4. For the REST of THE ARTICLE<CLICK HERE>