Should I try and get better with the front squat?

I don’t do any Olympic style training right now, but I am Olympic lifting curious.

I have been playing around with front squat this last week and I am terrible at them.

I can low bar squat 255# for five reps at an RPE of 8. I have never tried a one rep max.

Trying out front squats this week, and I am really struggling with 135# for a set of ten. I know exactly what I am doing wrong. Heels lifting as I shift to my toes going down. My whole torso caves in at the bottom, my wrists hurt trying to hold the bar.

According to the Internet, this is all the result of a poor rack position, which is itself a result of poor mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles.

I can get all the fingers around the bar when using an empty bar, and I don’t have any issues with caving forward. But as the weight goes up the problems get worse.

Also according to the Internet, the way to fix the rack position and mobility issues is to front squat more with low weights.

Alan Thrall had a video about this. He made the point for some people this might not be worth the effort. Really taking the time to develop the correct positioning in the front squat is time taken away from other squat patterns which might be a better use of time.

So I am asking for advice. How long should I reasonably commit developing the front squat before giving up? I was planning on rerunning the Beginner Prescription out putting the front squat in as a variation in all these cycles.

I’m also doing some “mobility work” four times a week. Which is pressing for ten reps, front squatting for ten reps, and then pressing from the bottom of the squat for ten reps with a PVC pipe, then a 35# bar, and finally a 45# bar. The pressing from the bottom of the squat is extremely difficult for me with the 45# bar without shifting onto my toes and I can feel it in my upper back afterwards for a day or two.

Thank you for your time.

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How long should I reasonably commit developing the front squat before giving up?

There’s not an absolute timeframe I would commit to here. Often times people can see significant improvement in their tolerance for the rack position over a few sessions/weeks, whereas others may need a bit longer; if you wanted additional tips or guidance, it could be worth taking advantage of our form check service with one of our coaches. There are also alternative rack positions (such as the “crossed arm” position) you could also try, even though those aren’t conducive to cleans & jerks.

If you are having difficulty with shifting onto your toes, I would consider using heeled weightlifting shoes if you aren’t already.

Yes I am wearing lifting shoes.

My reason for wanting to front squat is to later move into doing some Olympic lifts, so an alternative grip doesn’t seem beneficial to me. I could also probably do a “quad dominant” squat variation with the standing hack-squat machine or pendulum squat machine at my gym if I wanted to.

I think for now I will just give two to four weeks. If I don’t see progress I will look into the form check service.

Let us know how it goes David. I’ve been considering the front squat myself and have similar issues.

I’ve been front squatting 3x week for the last 8 weeks on the Beginner Rx after a years long hiatus from lifting.
I had some of the common difficulties you mentioned when I started back but have been able to progress to the point that I can do the movement relatively comfortably without major limitations with a 185# 1RM today, after starting at 95#.
Front squats still suck in a special way, and they feel substantially less enjoyable than the low bar back squat still, but for my goals I felt it important to spend time on them and it has been worthwhile.
All that to say, if you’re Oly-curious, stick with it, trust the process, and you can improve. have fun