Is Your Squat 'Quad or Hamstring Dominant?' |#AskSquatU Show Ep. 13|

This is one of the most ingrained myths in the fitness industry: front squats train your quads and back squats train your hamstrings and glutes more. I'm here to tell you today that's 100% false. The squat trains the squat muscles and does NOT exclusively train any specific muscle or group of muscles just by moving where you hold the bar on your body.

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[lukemadden]

So impressed by this channel. Anybody who takes weightlifting/powerlifting seriously can learn so much here. Anytime I've had questions or problems with my squats this channel always seems to have an answer. Keep up the good work (:

[yusrighouse]

Oh my god. This is the best channel ever. Love the detail you go into and how you still manage to keep it simple for ordinary folks.

[aloispfusterl]

Nice article, altough I noticed some points:
EMG: Same EMG activity does not equal "same training effect". i.e. Front squat: Quads and Glute may both have same EMG but quads may have more ROM and more raw stimulus (= Torque =r x Force) because of biomechanics in the front squat position. Summary: Two muscles may have similar EMG activation but different force production.
Torque = raw stimulus: Torque is defined as "Force times distance" T=r x F . Therefore more torque on the quads means more "training effect" (stimulus) of the quads.
Closed chain exercise: There is clearly more torque comparatively placed on the knee joint during a front squat (Horschig 2017). While quads and glutes always work together, glutes can support the quads in the front squat suboptimal. i.e. while one COULD perform a hip dominant front squat it would be coordinatively quit challenging... therefore most athletes will use their quads more in a front squat.
ROM: Quads have more range of motion in the deep front squat and more ROM means more training effect on a muscle group. Hip extensors (=glutes) have less ROM in the front squat because of lumbar angle.
EMG activation of quads: Your sources indicate there actually IS more activation of quads in the front squat: Yavus (2015) "Results may suggest that the front squat may be preferred to the back squat for knee extensor development and for preventing possible lumbar injuries during maximum loading."
Do front squats train the quads more than the back squat? YES the do, and hack squats train the quads even more...
Looking forward to an updated version of this article.
PS: Read your book - liked it.

[MatiasStrengthCoach]

Amazing explanation, talking with knowledge man! I studied this last year, and I thought the torque was the reason for muscle activation. Still is up to each individual anatomy. Keep it up!

[bluvapors]

Thank you for teaching. We need more educators like you out there spreading quality knowledge, not bro science. This was wonderful.

[BrandonLeclerc]

Dr. Aaron Horschig, So when I do my front Squat in order to bring my ''Quads weakness'', I'm actually not working my quads more than if I was doing my normal wide stance low bar squat (competition style squat) ? This is really confusing. Thank you.

[SamsonBiggz]

Can't forget about genetics either. Muscle fibers, facia thickness, and what your lifestyle. Everybody is different. Some muscles grow easier than others. Defends on your body. I personally grow huge adductors from squats. I have that grow big butts from squats and others that grow huge quads. Try different foot placements and experiment for different results but most of the time you can't change genitics.

[austinwillis]

Very pleased with all you have to say. Not only do you explain things in detail with the science of the body, you back it up with how to do it and how to address certain issues and why. I will be taking everything i have seen in your videos and apply it to perfect my form and fixing issues i currently have. Greatly appreciated

[roberttarn]

Enjoyed the switch up in style Aaron. Especially liked the lone weightlifting shoe propping up the books 😂

[Jimmy-ivnb]

I am actually amazed that this piece of information is free

[eoinryan]

Thanks for finally making "torque" easy to understand .
Love your work 👍 helping my career in personal trainer grow . Thanks

[liquidpebbles]

Loved the classroom format. I love that your videos are packed full of information

[sentientdogma]

I always feel my hamstrings and glutes in a good squat session. I was always perplexed by this but if I slowly go down on a squat, when I’m pushing up not only am I pushing my legs down with my quads by extending my legs down, but I’m also pulling my knees back and pushing my hips forward as well. I imagine a lot of hamstring activation is involved with the hamstrings being in a stretch position at the bottom of a squat, to a more neutral position with the legs being straight, as well as a butt activation with my hips being pushed forward. Also a lot of stability and bracing is needed in the legs and hips where a contracted hamstring is good at bracing the leg and making sure everything is strong and stable under load.

[hannahkate]

After squatting and upping the weight (not finding it too heavy a good weight for me) I now have one sore and tight hamstring. Zero bruising, zero loss of strength, still able to squat the same weight but with tightness. Only every get this sort of thing in my hamstrings never quads, any ideas?

[aroundandround]

Indeed, the deeper you squat, the more you’ll use your glutes. This observation is also consistent with the impact of feet width, i.e., if your feet are wider apart, but you descend your butt to the same ground height, your squat will use your glutes more because they take over your quads sooner compared to a narrower-apart-feet squat where quads are used for a greater fraction of the descent and ascent.

[Shirls]

One of the best in the game! Proper answers and science!

[nachtwaandler]

Thanks for this information. Quality! Please more of this!!

So it doesn't even make a different which bar I use for squatting? I won't hit my hams or quads differently?

But it's still a different for my erectors when I use different kind of bars and/or technique, or? Or does this rule apply to mostly every muscle even for benching (tri's & chest)?

[copernicus]

Much appreciate your videos, which are on a much higher level than most out there on these topics. So, given what you've taught us here, apart from personal preference, is there any advantage in terms of leg development in doing front squats vs back squats? Are the injury risks the same? Thanks!

[kasperlarsen]

I am so happy to find this channel!

I am studying physiotherapi in Denmark and I do a lot of strength training as well. I just thought I would let you know that your level of explanation and educating is by far the best I've seen on YouTube, and I actually wish I could go for a hands on evaluation just for educational purposes. What you're doing now is what I wish to do in the future!
You're both a big inspiration for me and probably even for many sport-related physios out there! Just thought you should know you're doing a fantastic job!

Anyway, I have a question that I hope you could answer for me.

If I have understood it right, there seems to be little to no difference in the muscle activation of quads/hams/glutes when it comes to which type of squat you choose.
I was wondering that since there is more external torque at the hip in a back squat where the strongest muscles are and therefore we can lift the most amount of weight in this type of squat. Wouldn't that mean we're stimulating the muscles more because it's possible to lift more weight in this position? My answer is then; when and why would you choose to front squat instead of back squat? Is that simply personal references or how we are anatomically build? Would you recommend that if your mobility allows to do both variations(front/back) you should go with back squats because that's the strongest variation?

I hope you get the question(s) as I find it a bit challenging to explain when it's not my mothers language.
Summarized; When and why would you choose front squat over a back squat?

[iforc]

My gluteus don’t get sore from squats at all and I definitely go to full depth. Any variation of a single leg squat makes me sore in my glutes and I can feel much more activation. Perhaps due to balance? Also my quads are exceptionally weak and my glutes are relatively strong.