Input on progressing Front Squat & Squat one time per week frequency

[JamesFazz]

Hi everyone,

I have just completed a training block and was hoping to discuss the design of my next training block with the learned lifters here.

Stats:

• Bodyweight:82kg (180 pounds)
• Squat 1RM: 160kg (350 pounds)
• Front Squat 1RM: 136kg (300 pounds)

Last training block I trained 4x6 Back Squats on Saturday with some single leg hypertrophy work after. I added 2.5kg each week for eight weeks (having re-implemented back squats after a long layoff), ending up at 4 sets of six at 120kg (265 pounds). On Tuesday I completed Front Squats with traditional periodization, so starting at higher reps and working down to low reps over eight weeks, finishing up with some heavy singles plus 3 sets of 2 reps at 120kg (265 pounds).

For testing, I completed 128kg, 134kg and failed 140kg. I probably should have attempted 138kg but I digress. My goal for the next training block is to hit the 140kg Front Squat PR.

I previously completed two successful training blocks where I instead Front Squat on both Saturday and Tuesday but have now re-added Back Squats and I think that while this may have hurt me in the short-term last block, it should help in the long run as it will allow me to move heavier loads.

I have two observations regarding why last block perhaps did not go so well - insufficient exposure to very heavy singles in the Front Squat, which is a more technical lift and so benefits from repeated exposure and I probably needed to push up my Back Squat numbers higher before attempting a Front Squat 1RM again.

With all this in mind, I would propose starting with the following:

Session 1 - Back Squats: 5 x 5. Aim to add load every week and get to 125-130kg.
Session 2 - Front Squats: 1 heavy single (practice) then 5 x 3. Aim to add load every week. Threes work better than fives in my experience with Front Squats.

I would look to run this for about six to eight weeks then start to taper at which time I would switch the Front Squats to 5-8 heavy singles for practice while retaining the Back Squat volume.

I'll pre-empt people asking about training only two days - due to life circumstances, I'm stuck with only two hard sessions a week for the foreseeable future unfortunately.

INPUT
- would you suggest any modifications to the proposed training protocol?
- would you suggest adding any supplementary or hypertrophy movements?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate any and all input and love the opportunity to learn. Please feel welcome to ask any questions and I will of course answer.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Are you an Olympic lifter?

[JamesFazz]

Hi Mark,
Strictly speaking I’m just a recreational lifter, I don’t compete in weightlifting or powerlifting. I do clean & jerk on occasion and my background was wrestling, hence the front squat specialisation.

[Maybach]

The front squat has kind of a high skill floor, but it doesn't have a particularly high skill ceiling. Your front squat is currently 85% of your back squat. You are probably not going to get much better than this. Focusing on your back squat will not hurt your front squat in any way that isn't recoverable in a few weeks at the most. Get your squat to 405x5x3 and a 300 pound front squat becomes *light weight*. Seriously! This is how it works every time! I am telling you this from the other side.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The Front Squat has very little application in general strength training, although it is necessary to train for Olympic lifters. And the squat directly carries over to the front squat, while the converse is not true. Without fucking up your knees.

[JamesFazz]

Thanks both for talking some much needed sense to me. I’ll work on back squats twice a week with the occasional front squat when I sometimes have time for a third session. Maybach’s point regarding my front squat already being 85% of my back squat was very convincing.

[JamesFazz]

Just to share some humour, I started mapping out the next training block and quickly realised I was just reinventing the Texas Method, albeit the very early version with Front Squats on the light day… there really are new ideas sometimes.

Thanks again Rip!