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Thread: Front squat head angle/gaze?

  1. #1
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    Default Front squat head angle/gaze?

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    Where should one be looking when front squatting? I'd been thinking straight ahead (to keep as straight a spine as possible), but I seemed to shift my weight forward less when looking down, as I do in the back squat. Could also have to do with the mirror distracting me when staring straight ahead, but not sure. Thanks.

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    Straight ahead is good. This is a time when having a wall (with no mirror) in front of your rack is nice.
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewLewis View Post
    Straight ahead is good. This is a time when having a wall (with no mirror) in front of your rack is nice.
    ^this
    In this case I don't focus on a single point, but rather a point ahead of me and a line straight down a a couple of feet below that on the wall to another point. If you get the bar up by the clavicles keeping the chin fixed and down adds to the stability of the rack.

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    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewLewis View Post
    Straight ahead is good. This is a time when having a wall (with no mirror) in front of your rack is nice.
    Suppose I could always squat with my eyes closed... Or else, unlike the back squat, would it really be that bad to go "backwards" and step forward out of the rack, and then back into it to re-rack, so I'm staring out into the room instead of into the mirror?

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    "Suppose I could always squat with my eyes closed"

    No expert here, but I would expect that to do unpredictable and undesirable things to one's balance. When I was learning to press, and didn't want to stare at goofy mug in the mirror in front of me, I tried closing my eyes. My SSC immediately said, "Keep your eyes open."

  6. #6
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    ^Noted. Was thinking it might feel weird.

    So, do these look OK (other than being a little too heavy, buckled on last one); I was looking straight ahead:

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    Hi,

    Quote Originally Posted by DannyP View Post
    So, do these look OK
    They look ok. I think you could/should go a little deeper.
    Keep a proud/high chest and upper back; I know it's difficult, especially on heavy sets, but it really helps.

    To answer your previous question, stepping out of the rack the other way round, and walking backwards to re-rack the bar is perfectly feasible. Just make sure your hooks are in the right position, so that you will be guaranteed to have the bar above them when you hit the uprights (even when your upper back is a little caved in because of the weight).

    Hope this helps.

    IPB

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    Quote Originally Posted by IlPrincipeBrutto View Post
    Keep a proud/high chest and upper back; I know it's difficult, especially on heavy sets, but it really helps.
    How does one do that while pulling the delts forward to create the proper "shelf" on the front squat? I don't have a ton of upper chest/shoulder muscle mass, so I feel like I need to pull my delts as far forward as possible to keep the bar from resting entirely on bone but welcome any tips you have on this.

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