Thanks!

Thanks for watching & commenting!

Thanks!

Makes sense

Definitely sounds like a candidate for the straps as mentioned in the video.

Center of feet...equally balanced between balls of feet and heels.

Many thanks for the promptness of your reply. It makes perfect sense, of course. But in my case, with my long legs, I find I risk using my back rather too much. And my elbows simply won't come high enough, either. I'll have to go back to light weights and highish reps and see if it improves flexibility and form. Best wishes from the UK, Roger. @@BarbellLogic

@@SpiritintheSky. Few different options with the front squat and grip - you can use straps as well (loop the straps around the bar - easier to get elbows higher).

@@BarbellLogic You are most obliging. Use of straps was mentioned in the video but I had discounted them as neither I nor others at the weightliting/training gym I used to frequent ever had any truck with them. However, it seems that that might well be the solution, thank you. (For information, getting my elbows up high enough - which is possible - results in my back becoming more erect and my centre of gravity, with the weight, shifting back onto my heels. This, as you previously pointed out, is not how to do front squats, an exercise I like because it works the quads hard. When I did powerlifting squats, I used my back far too much, for which I'm now paying the price late in life. An extra point: someone presenting another front squat video talked of driving up from the HEELS (my emphasis). A recipe for instability, it would seem! All the best, Roger,

@@SpiritintheSky. That other video might be emphasizing heels almost as an overcorrection cue. You could also do tempo front squats to really emphasize the midfoot aspect. Good luck!

Hey there! This is a great question! It can be a confusing cue. I am Barbell Logic Coach Rebekah Cygan. The cue is mostly intended to make sure you are keeping the rib cage in proper position. In the front squat, since the load is sitting on the front of an upright torso- it can easily throw a lifter forward in the hole. You may have heard of rib flare as something that happens when you don't have your abdominals clenched hard... in this case- Matt is using the cue to make sure the ribs are in a stable position, and that the upper back does not get over extended. If you make a "Tarzan Chest" and really puff it out- you will notice that your abs get longer and your upper back extends back. Sometimes people do this at the top of the front squat- and this sets them up to have the rib cage and therefore the load change position in the bottom of the squat. We want to do the opposite of that. We want the abs and the back muscles, as well as intercostals to lock the ribcage in a nice stable position. So a big breath with a neutral ribcage- with abs and back packed in tight is the goal. If the rib cage starts in a good position- this will ensure the load doesn't shift as much. This in combination with the elbows driving up out of the bottom will help to keep the back angle just where we want it to be! Hope that helps!

@@rebekahkrieg9424 Hi Rebekah thanks for the clarification. So basically the idea is to avoid rib flare, by taking in as much air as possible and bracing it down to almost (but not literally) bring the erectors and abdominals as close to each other as possible. Keen to give this a try today!

That’s one of our coaches! Alexis :)