Starting Strength Radio: The Squat, in Detail

[Mark Rippetoe]

Why We Low Bar Squat | Starting Strength Radio #7

[zft]

You mentioned front squat induced glute soreness. I also recall reading about this in the blue book. When I read that, I remember finding myself a bit unsure: sure, the front squat essentially leaves out the hamstrings, but the low bar squat doesn't leave out the glutes. Why wouldn't you experience this pronounced soreness from a low bar squat? The glutes may be responsible for a smaller fraction of the force production required for hip extension/controlled hip flexion in the case of the low bar squat, but the weight is also heavier!

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but the soreness is a product of the eccentric phase of the lift. The eccentric phase is already the "easy" phase of the movement, so unless the eccentric glute loading is really significantly different between the two variations, I'm unconvinced that such a loading discrepancy would result in noticeable soreness in the front squat and not the other due to the submaximal nature of the eccentric phase.

The only other culprit that I can think of would be that the front squat goes deeper than the back squat and as a result the glutes end up longer at the bottom of the movement. But, is that even true? You might go deeper in the front squat, but you're also more upright than in the back squat, so I don't know if the glutes actually end up being any longer in the front squat.

[Mark Rippetoe]

These secrets are discussed at the seminar. Think about the absence of hamstrings in the front squat and the resulting eccentric loading of the glutes.