front squats and floor press?

[dardog]

Hello Mark, I am looking in to starting SS and was curious about switching front squats for squats and floor press for bench press.

the reasons for this are,

front squats are easier on my knees, I am recovering for bilateral ACL knee surgery. Also I have a shoulder issue that hurts a bit on regular squats. Maybe a safety squat bar would help with these issues.

floor press is easier on my shoulder, my shoulder popped out late last year and when I go in to a deep bench I get a little tweak in my shoulder and the floor press does not aggravate it.

What do you think? Thanks!!!

[Tom Campitelli]

While I would question whether front squats are any easier on your knees than back squats, if you cannot get the bar on your back, then you do what you can. The low bar position in initially uncomfortable for a lot of people, but you get used to it. Not everyone needs to bench, either. Shoulder presses and dips are a possibility.

[Carlos Daniel]

Biomechanically, it would make sense that low bar squats are better for you knees than front squats. Rip doesn't have the ACL in one of his knees and seems to squat just fine. I dunno about the shoulder.

[Tom Green]

Biomechanically, it would make sense that low bar squats are better for you knees than front squats. Rip doesn't have the ACL in one of his knees and seems to squat just fine. I dunno about the shoulder.

This makes sense to me. Back squats = better for knees, worse for back. Front squats = better for back, worse for knees. I do front squats because of some back issues.

But obviously if a particular variation of an exercise bothers your joints less than the exercise, by all means do it instead.

[f4thpathway]

I'd agree with both opinions. But I have both back and knee problems. The severity of both issues dictates my training on a constant basis. I actually did 3 months of front squatting to be able to restart typical barbell training after my final deployment. It was great to just be under a bar, regardless of its position. I'd be all for the floor press as well. Not only will you get training value from it but the worst obstacle to progress anyone could encounter might be self-imposed limitation. So if injuries or pain will prevent you from going all out then you never will. If you can modify and dig deep then do so and tear it up.