front squat problem

[Tanktop]

Hi.

I started front squats yesterday but unfortunately my gym doesn't have a squat rack.I already do back squats but these are on the smith machine.

Because there is no rack means me having to start the bar from the floor, this isn't too bad but then i have to mess around positioning my hands to balance the bar and after my sets its difficult getting the bar off my shoulders as my fingers are bent right back. I have tried a couple of warm up sets using the cross over grip with a light bar which i find alot more comfortable than the standard grip but its almost impossible to get a heavy bar off the floor and cross my hands underneath it without help.

I know i have banged on quite a bit but i wanted to add front squats so that i wasn't just doing all squats on a smith. Should i just do the front squats on a smith aswell or do i just have to used to struggling and starting with the bar on the floor?

[daffy]

You could do bottom squats. If your gym has some step up boxes that you can rest your bar on, you want the bar height to be where you would be at the bottom of your squat. You then position yourself under the bar, and lift up.

[Tanktop]

Cool, never thought of that! I think stepup boxes are a little too low but i am sure that i can grab me a couple of benches, the gyms pretty dead when i get there of a morn

[mxd]

Look at it this way, at least you will get good at cleans

[hailtotheking]

Quote

Look at it this way, at least you will get good at cleans

Yeah, cleans were the old-fashioned way of getting into position for front squats. Despite the fact that my gym has squat racks, alot of the 'old-school' lifters and athletes there still like to clean the bar into position - and some of those guys do it with 200+kg!

[sendos]

Quote

Yeah, cleans were the old-fashioned way of getting into position for front squats. Despite the fact that my gym has squat racks, alot of the 'old-school' lifters and athletes there still like to clean the bar into position - and some of those guys do it with 200+kg!

A 200kg clean is much more impressive then a 200kg front squat!! I might start doing this on high rep front squats.

[kalmis]

Just start with light weight your hands will get used to it. Mine did after 4 weeks
Check out also bb hack squats:
Barbell Hack Squat

[Siman.]

you could consider zercher squats too. they are very simmilar to fronts, but can be a lil painfull.

[hailtotheking]

Quote

A 200kg clean is much more impressive then a 200kg front squat!! I might start doing this on high rep front squats.

Whilst on the subject of heavy front squats, check this out Koklyaev 300kg Front Squat. Sugden Barbell.

[sendos]

Crazy strength, that site has some awesome videos on it.
Mish 200kg snatch - from the hang!. Sugden Barbell.
200kg hang snatch!!!!!!