Front Squats Mobility Problems (FIXED!!)

Fix your joint mobility issues and train at your best here…

The front squat is one of the toughest leg exercises to master, mostly because of the mobility it requires for you to perform it correctly. While the hips, knees and lower back are certainly areas that you will need to have adequate mobility and flexibility in to perform this lower body exercise, you're also going to need proper wrist mobility if you are going to do this right.

In this video, I show you how to work around wrist extension mobility issues to perform front squats. First, I show you a wrist mobility drill that you can do with no equipment at all before attempting your front squat exercise or even cleans. The link for this is included in the upper left corner of the screen when it is mentioned.

If you are not able to fix your front squat mobility problems with that tip however, it may be because your joint mobility issues are more chronic and mechanical. If this is the case, then you will need a way to train around this since you will not be able to fix the structural block present in your wrists. Enter wrist straps.

You can use wrist straps attached to the olympic bar to allow you to extend the range of motion you have in your wrists and also keep them in a neutral position. This modified wrist position is much more comfortable and will let you do the front squats for the first time, if wrist extension immobility was preventing you from doing it in the past.

[jludwig]

I wish I saw this video sooner. I can't do front squats because it hurt my wrists thanks Jeff

[tomvalletta]

From someone who WANTS to do front squats, but has had two surgeries on the right elbow which is now full of arthritis and can't hold that awkward bend for very long without major consequences, THANK YOU! I can't wait to try this technique later today at the gym.

[tozzy]

Loving these vids. Breathing new life into my old routines, and teaching my aging body how to preserve itself.

[thoughtsonfitness]

Jeff Training for 40 plus years thank you thank you thank you! You fire the imagination-absolutely brilliant!

[santomon]

I'm really excited to try this out...My personal trainer thinks he knows everything and pretty much just made fun of the fact that I was having trouble doing front squats because of my limited flexibility in my wrists...he just told me to to stretch them out against the wall but failed to mention the distraction method or give me this fix to use in the mean time...Thanks again Jeff for having the answers!!!

[waltersobchak]

Nice to see how far you have come. Congrats, you deserve it.

[TheEguzman]

This helps tremendously! I'm one of those guys that lack the wrist flexibility to do front squats but this helps! Thanks jeff great info as always.

[Steve.Dunphy]

Jeff, you just made my day!! I've been lifting for 40yrs., but just recently joined CrossFit. I've also been striking for the same number of years and as a result my wrists hurt like hell trying to do front squat or cleans. This wrist strap solution is going to at least resolve my wrist pain for the front squat. Thanks so much for your video! My CrossFit coach just says for me to work on wrist mobility, not asking what kind of pain I'm experiencing muscle/tendon, or joint.

[AllAmericanGuy]

I like when Jeff ask and answer his own questions.

[BoussainFitness]

I've been trying to do front squats for a while now and having problems, this video is very helpful and I'll be using my wrist wraps for front squats from now on. 

[vinum]

went to gym and tried this just an hr ago, and it improved my stability tremendously.

[ruhhills]

1:20 easy squat grip
2:32 pull up grip

[kodomotim]

Thank you for this video.  Many people need it. I needed  I broke my elbow years ago... I had limited range of motion in turning my left hand.  But thanks to videos like these, I do most exercises that I love.  The front squat is one of them.
Thanks Jeff!  Love ya and miss ya!
Tim in Japan!!!

[christiancontreras]

Thank you so much. I had been so uncomfortable for years, and had stayed away from front squats as a result. I’m very excited to incorporate front squats back into my training.

[tomtrammel]

This is genius! I have always had wrist problems and struggled to do front squats. Thanks for the help!

[choosetolivefree]

Great idea. I can't do normal squats with the barbell across the back because of back injuries. Haven't done squats for 10 years because every time I tried even light weights I would get pinched nerves that sometimes was crippling. Front barbell squats work just fine, and I'm so happy to be training heavy on my legs again. Squats and deadlifts are among my favorite movements. But the front squats do hurt my wrists a little. So this will help greatly

[dude]

This could be the most important video you have ever done, at least for me. 

[jansnauwaert]

Great video. Yep, this helps me a lot as I do have that wrist mobility issue.

[vma]

I`m just thinking how to combine those two techniques.. since if i use my grip, i feel like im out of balance and scared to squat and doing those non-grip i have a sharp pain between my shoulder and chest.. luckily this fix everything.. OLD but GOLD!!! tnx

[StandForSomethingGood]

I'll try the straps. I'm 55 and my computer-worked wrists are pretty tight. I'll check out your wrist vid to see. Thanks Jeff. I use this stuff weekly.