Healthy Living • YMCA Health and Fitness
Ask A Personal Trainer: What's the difference between a front and back squat - and which one should I be doing?
01 March 2018 - by Nicole Meredith
Setting foot in a weight room for the first time can be intimidating. How much should you be lifting? How many reps and sets do you need to do? And what’s that scary-looking contraption in the corner?! We want to take the guesswork out of your healthy living routine so you can make the most of your time at the gym. So we asked Paul, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor at the Toronto West End College St. YMCA, to answer some of your most frequently asked fitness questions. This week, he’s talking about the wildly popular squat, and why you might want to try one of its lesser-known variations:
The barbell squat is considered by most muscleheads to be the most effective lower-body strength training exercise. A compound, multi-joint movement, the barbell squat hits all the major leg muscles including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes (that’s your butt, FYI), and calves. And, unlike isolation exercises like seated leg extensions, the barbell squat also trains the abdominal and spinal stabilizer muscles. It’s because of this efficiency in recruiting multiple muscles that the barbell squat is a standard weapon in every personal trainer’s arsenal.
That said, just because barbell squats are popular and effective doesn’t mean they’re the best option for your training needs. If you are recovering from an injury, have chronic knee pain, or are lacking in the mobility department, the barbell squat might not be for you. Fear not, though! You can still reap all the same rewards by turning to its often-overlooked cousin: the front squat.
Because of its loading pattern — the barbell is placed across the front of your shoulders and collarbone, rather than across your upper back and traps — the front squat forces you to use less weight. In my personal experience, less weight during a squat is almost always a good thing: it gives you greater control over the movement, as well as happier, healthier knees.
Don’t take my word for it, though. Listen to science.
A 2009 study [PDF] published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared back and front squats in order to determine how the two differed in terms of muscle activity and forces placed on the knee joint. The result? Both use the exact same muscles. That’s right: there’s no difference between back and front squats if you’re just looking at which muscles they’ll make stronger. In fact, the data showed a greater activation of all measured muscles during the front squat, except for the hamstrings, which are used more during back squats.
There’s also evidence pointing to the front squat as one amazing back and core exercise. In a 2011 study comparing core muscle activation during various exercises, the front squat edged out both the back squat and military press for erector spinae activation. And it lost out only narrowly to the military press for rectus abdominis activation (read: your six-pack muscles).
The results of these studies have practical applications for both fitness and rehabilitation therapy. Incorporating front squats into a strength training program will make for an efficient lower body workout — one that demands similar muscle recruitment as traditional back squats, but with far less weight. This decreased need for heavy weight makes front squats ideal for post-operative ACL patients, as well as people who suffer from chronically overloaded knee joints. Even if you don’t have any knee injuries, front squats are a great addition to your routine: the added benefit of increased erector spinae activity makes for a nearly perfect exercise — one that can increase functionality on both the playing field and in everyday life. Given this information, it’s time to reassess the back squat’s reputation as the number one lower body exercise, and afford the front squat the credit it rightfully deserves.
Paul graduated from Humber College’s Fitness & Health Promotion program (with honours!), earning a certification in personal training and group fitness from the Ontario Fitness Council along the way. His training specialties are bodyweight training, strength training for older adults, and plant-based nutrition.
Have questions for our personal trainers? Message us on Twitter or Facebook.
The barbell squat is considered by most muscleheads to be the most effective lower-body strength training exercise. A compound, multi-joint movement, the barbell squat hits all the major leg muscles including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes (that’s your butt, FYI), and calves. And, unlike isolation exercises like seated leg extensions, the barbell squat also trains the abdominal and spinal stabilizer muscles. It’s because of this efficiency in recruiting multiple muscles that the barbell squat is a standard weapon in every personal trainer’s arsenal.
That said, just because barbell squats are popular and effective doesn’t mean they’re the best option for your training needs. If you are recovering from an injury, have chronic knee pain, or are lacking in the mobility department, the barbell squat might not be for you. Fear not, though! You can still reap all the same rewards by turning to its often-overlooked cousin: the front squat.
Because of its loading pattern — the barbell is placed across the front of your shoulders and collarbone, rather than across your upper back and traps — the front squat forces you to use less weight. In my personal experience, less weight during a squat is almost always a good thing: it gives you greater control over the movement, as well as happier, healthier knees.
Don’t take my word for it, though. Listen to science.
A 2009 study [PDF] published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared back and front squats in order to determine how the two differed in terms of muscle activity and forces placed on the knee joint. The result? Both use the exact same muscles. That’s right: there’s no difference between back and front squats if you’re just looking at which muscles they’ll make stronger. In fact, the data showed a greater activation of all measured muscles during the front squat, except for the hamstrings, which are used more during back squats.
There’s also evidence pointing to the front squat as one amazing back and core exercise. In a 2011 study comparing core muscle activation during various exercises, the front squat edged out both the back squat and military press for erector spinae activation. And it lost out only narrowly to the military press for rectus abdominis activation (read: your six-pack muscles).
The results of these studies have practical applications for both fitness and rehabilitation therapy. Incorporating front squats into a strength training program will make for an efficient lower body workout — one that demands similar muscle recruitment as traditional back squats, but with far less weight. This decreased need for heavy weight makes front squats ideal for post-operative ACL patients, as well as people who suffer from chronically overloaded knee joints. Even if you don’t have any knee injuries, front squats are a great addition to your routine: the added benefit of increased erector spinae activity makes for a nearly perfect exercise — one that can increase functionality on both the playing field and in everyday life. Given this information, it’s time to reassess the back squat’s reputation as the number one lower body exercise, and afford the front squat the credit it rightfully deserves.
Paul graduated from Humber College’s Fitness & Health Promotion program (with honours!), earning a certification in personal training and group fitness from the Ontario Fitness Council along the way. His training specialties are bodyweight training, strength training for older adults, and plant-based nutrition.
Have questions for our personal trainers? Message us on Twitter or Facebook.
