Is Your Squat 'Quad or Hamstring Dominant?' |
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- 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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Dr. Aaron Horschig is the founder of SquatUniversity.com. A physical therapist, coach, speaker, and author of 'The Squat Bible', Dr. Horschig is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He works with such athletes as international soccer players, MLB and NFL athletes, national-level Olympic weightlifters, and youth athletes.
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![Squat Form For Your Anatomy [Perfect Depth Stance And Width]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7FF6VLej_bY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Squat Form For Your Anatomy [Perfect Depth Stance And Width]](/img/tr.png)
Short answer is at 12:45
Yojax Guts be tryna find out how to get more torque on that dragonslayer swing
Yojax you da MVP
Thank you!
Good God thanks
That's not the answer to the title, what??
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 (:
Thanks so much Luke!
Totally agree! Keep up the great work Squat Uni.
Great information Stiffler
First thing i thought lmao
😂😂😂
How is he stiff? He's like the most mobile guy ever.
@@majmunovski American pie
I’m dead 😂😂 never noticed the similarities😂
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.
Thank you so much!
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
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.
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!
I appreciate it!
Thank you for teaching. We need more educators like you out there spreading quality knowledge, not bro science. This was wonderful.
One of the best in the game! Proper answers and science!
Thank you!
Is this Nicky P from soccer haha ?
Nah just a viewer :)
Long femurs relative to torso means hip dominant squat (particularly when lifting near your max weight or reps).
Short femurs relative to torso means quad dominant squat.
Squat creates a virtual right-angled triangle comprising femur (base), hypotenuse (back length), and altitude (vertical distance from mid foot to barbell).
Now it's a matter of simple geometry why some people naturally bend over a lot (hip dominant) and why others can stay upright (quad dominant).
Neither is better or worse for spine as long as you keep it neutral and rigid.
I am actually amazed that this piece of information is free
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.
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.
Loved the classroom format. I love that your videos are packed full of information
Thanks for finally making "torque" easy to understand .
Love your work 👍 helping my career in personal trainer grow . Thanks
You're very welcome Eoin! I'm so glad you liked the video - thanks for the feedback. Let me know if theres ever anything I can do to help you out in the future with your career!
Enjoyed the switch up in style Aaron. Especially liked the lone weightlifting shoe propping up the books 😂
Thanks Robert! I'll have to start adding to the collection - that's actually an old pair I had signed by a few Chinese weightlifters a long time ago
I just bought your book dr, I think the information you share is gold, It’s very generous of you to share your knowledge. Thank you.
People can feel it more on the quads because of lack of strength on the glutes, that's what I have notice myself and after watching so many of your videos I realize that one of my glutes is weak, hip restriction too and quads are compensated.
This channel deserves more subscribers than it has
Loved the video man. I can't get enough of this informative content!
Thank you Sam!
The explanation of the workings of two joint muscles is a big eye open, thanks a lot!
in conclusion its best to get below or atleast parallel for
best over all muscle activation.
Glad to have misconceptions addressed and corrected, creating a more accurate and nuanced understanding of how the body works under load and movement. Thank you.
The is awesome class room, I have been seriously training squat for 6 years. I just understand it now with your class. Please keep this up. Thank you very much
nice change, this format is great and the info on point, keep it up Doc
Thank you Alejandro!
Thats right, the key to activation.... Is in the foot
Im late, but this video is gold! To me that quad hamstring thing was never a paradox since both cross 2 joints and do flexion and extension in one of them. So its possible for these to contribute in flexion or extension at the same time, just at a different place. The Video just gave me that piece of science, clarificarion and depth i still needed to fully understand this. Thanks man!
I agree that depth is likely the reason she's not getting glute DOMS, but it could also be that she's not at the same RPE or that she's mistiming her ascent (possibly because of leaning forward). Difficult to say without a video of it.
Excellent tutorial!
Always love your stuff
Great channel. Thank you so much.
Very Nice explaination!
Very educative. Thank you Doc. Keep up with the amazing work. Much blessings
Thank you so much!!!
I think the hamstrings act differently in a squat than during the hamstring curl.
During the curl, the hamstrings contract to lift the weight.
During the squat, as the hamstring releases the load, it contracts.
But when you come out of your squat to a standing position, you can certainly feel your quads as well as your glutes contracting. If your glutes contract, your hamstrings not only have to relax and extend, they are put in tension by the glute contraction.
Amazing video... gives Really deep understanding of squat... thankyou for making this great information available ..
Awesome educational video, definitely would want more of these 👌👌👌
Thank you!
This video blew my mind
Had to watch it a couple times over, but I think I got it.
Great format. Diagrams really help with the scientific explanation
I appreciate it! Thanks for the feedback
Thanks, Doc. Appreciated your in-depth information.
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.
Yes that is true, now you are changing up how well other muscles are contributing to the movement, like your calf muscles and adductors by changing you stance width. You also are changing the movement balance point by moving from a wide to narrow stance so all of those factors can contribute to feeling different in each stance.
Hello Dr.Aaron. I have been following your channel and your blogs for a long time. Frankly i have improvised my squatting techniques vastly after seeing your videos and digest the knowledge bit by bit. Thanks to you and keep uploading more informative videos.
Thank you so much for following for some time - I really appreciate it!
Thank you Dr. to drop some knowledge !!!!
You're very welcome! Thanks for checking it out!
6'4 lifter here born with a Tiny torso, with long legs and arms😅. Ive always been more comfortable in low bar and im happy to know i can still get resultswhile enjoying the movement
I like both teaching technics getting into a more scientific approach the classroom is probably better. Gym demonstrations are a practical example both have their place.
Beautifully explained sir
this is incredible, love the video!
Good stuff man. Those books in the background brought back some memories. Spent a lot of time in that Physical rehab book.
Thanks Anthony!
You are great, guy. Thanks for all the information.
Simply addictive content... Thank you! Great physiotherapist and awesome professor.
Really informative. Great content!!
Thank you John!
But what kind of back squat were they doing in the study? Low or high? I wouldn’t be shocked if it was high. If it was low I would be.
Lombard's paradox also applies to the shoulder joint in regards to the biceps and triceps. It's imperative to get to understand if you want to exercise the biceps and triceps properly.
Doc you're great
10:45 - i knew it! I' m a wizard!
Very good explanation 👍👍
I'd say my squat is back dominant. I'm incorporating front squats to correct this but right now, when I'm at the highest weights I can do, I get a few good reps but after that I good-morning my squats quite a bit.
Well done. Solid explanation.
Thank you Christopher
I like the practical demonstration method of yours. I would blindly trust u over anyone on squats and rehabilitation 💪💪
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 RUclips, 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?
Great questions Kasper! And let me start by saying thank YOU so much for the kind words of support. So even though the amount of muscular activation doesn't change much at the different muscle groups between squat types, the amount of torque changes due to the changes in moment arm lengths. This is like changing the length of the wrench your using to turn a bolt - obviously its much easier to turn a bolt with a longer wrench with the same effort in pull than with a shorter wrench. This is why you can lift more weight with a back squat than with a front squat, you're manipulating leverage at the hips which allows our bodies to lift more weight because of how we are built with the hips being the most powerful area of the body. Now I think when it comes to exercise selection its still a great idea to use a variety of techniques as a changing training stimulus can be great for strength and performance development. So I dont recommend many athletes ONLY train 1 or the other even though you can lift more weight in the back squat often.
Squat University thank you for the answer :-)
Looking forward for future content!
You're very welcome!
I love this man
Bravo sir. Well done
Thank you!
Thnx man!!! So helpful and valuable!!!
awesome vid bro. great info
Thank you!
Great video, thanks!
Thank you!
The science of the art... It's truly deep😆
That was a very scientific answer, but, that still dosen't explain the experienced difference between the these two variations of squats, why dont the science make a twin experiment? Take two twins with absolutly similar proportions and starting point, and make them perform exclusively, either low bar squat, or strict front squat, performed to the same depth, and let the course last at least 6 month, and then compare the difference. Dont interrupt and confuse the studie with electro impulse measurement, and complicated torque equations that's only a static picture. Has a twin experiment ever been conducted like that? When ever i do front squat, i feel it massively in my quads, and only a little in my hams and glutes, and when ever i do low bar sqauts i feel it massively in my hams/glutes/erectors and at varying degrees in my quads. Isn't the whole premis then, that i doesn't matter what kind of exesice you do, cause it's all the same? One person doing only front squats is getting the same strength and muscular development in the exact same areas of the thighs as someone doing only low bar squats! I dont buy that.
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.
Lightbulb moment - cheers
Great video! I love the science.
so based on your thesis, why should a trainee train back squat, front squat and hack squats in their routine? based on this you only need to do 1 squat varant.
Great question - it really depends on a few things. I think changing the stimulus for where the weight is placed can add a huge benefit to the way the body maintains stability and coordinates itself. Also if we think position specific work, a weightlifter who wants to improve his ability to clean well can integrate front squats as a way to overload the positions more specific to the clean movement. I think the point of this video is to clarify on muscular activation only. I think there's a lot to say for the benefits in changing techniques for your training goals and what feels most comfortable for you.
This is the best video!!!
Thank you!
Awesome, thank you for this clip.
You're very welcome!
Hola Dr . Don muy interesante sus instrucciones y muy valiosas para aprender ... que posibilidad hay que pueda traducirse simultáneamente en español,,,muy agradecido un abrazo gigante
1% smarter. Thx man
For my high bar squat I go down until my hamstrings are against my calves and yet my quads feel way more trained than my hamstrings or glutes. That makes me believe it's not just a depth issue.
Its a Squat and not a deadlift
So ofcourse you'll feel that mote in the Glutes instead of Hamstringa
Why the change in the external moment arm of the knee and hip in front squat and low bar squat play such a role that we can't lift that much weight in front squat??? Since biarticular muscles trasfer forces across the hip and knee joint it would be reasonable that the change in the external moment arm whouldn't affect our force output
Great video. I have a question. In the studies performed on leg muscle activation between front and back squats, how did each study account for the ability to lift higher loads with the back squat than with the front? The first mentioned - Sinclair, used 70% of 1rm for FS and then used the same weight for BS. Did you mean the subjects used 70% of their FS 1RM and then used 70% of their BS 1RM? In the Contreras study, they used 10RM weight and found no difference between leg muscle activation in the FS and BS. How did they account for the presumably different loads used in 10RM FS and 10RM BS in their conclusion? For example - if the subject’s FS 10RM is 80kg, but their BS 10RM is 100kg, you would expect the higher load used in the BS to bias the result. Did the FS achieve the same muscle activation with a lighter load?
Great question - there's a few different methods, but here's the long form blog article on the topic with all the research linked at the bottom! squatuniversity.com/2017/08/08/is-your-squat-quad-dominant-or-hip-dominant/
for me front squats target my glutes and is an uncomfortable exercise for me. So I choose to low bar back squat for overall development.
Thanks for sharing!
Really interesting. Why would front squats be done over back squats then?
If the force generated is the same with different squat styles ( front vs low bar vs high bar) , Why do we have different squat techniques then?
Yes, you use less posterior chain in high bar and more posterior chain in low bar but in both squats quads is one of the primary movers, the other is glute (which is more emphasize in low bar). In equipped powerlifting, the things are quite different and the squat is much more posterior chain dominant even compared with low bar and that's why equipped powerlifters do so much work for posterior chain. People read articles for equipped lifting and they think that for raw low bar squat quads aren't much important, but according to Greg Nuckles "Hamstring is the most overrated muscle group for the raw squat".
Leverages , Leg/torso lengths moving center of power generation/Balance .
I think I’m squats the hamstrings do absolutely contribute a lot BUT you’ll never get big hamstrings squatting
No wonder. This is can probably answer why barbell squats (After newbie gains), is primed alot more at strength than hypertrophy as it stimulates just about everything and is not as focused on a single muscle compared to benching. If front / back squats were best at focusing quads or hams/glutes then more bodybuilders would use it
Loved it thank you
i liked your no BS channel
So what are the practical implications of this? In terms of leg development why would someone choose a high bar squat or front squat over a low bar when you can use more absolute weight for more stimulus?
Great question - so the practical application is that if you're strictly going for muscular development you don't need to only do one type of technique. If you have really bad mobility and have a difficult time getting into a front squat position, you'll still get plenty of quad work doing a back squat.
Nice answer, but what IF an individual can actually go lower on the front vs. back squat? (but of course gives up a bit on the amount of the load doing fronts, which is common) Is it "more" beneficial to go for a fuller ROM , or is the max. amount of load the more significant factor? In my case I simply have more DOMs after a back squat session than a front session. You also do not mention the benefits of unilateral squat variations such as Bulgarians, etc...my understanding from recent research is that those movements actually contribute more to obtaining a higher 1RM than staying with bilaterals "forever"? Your thoughts...?
Harley Baldwin I’ interested in this question as well actually: benefit of unilateral squat variations in increasing bilateral squat 1 RM
Harley Baldwin he talks a lot about unilateral squats, and uses it in all of his athletes including incredibly strong people. The video is already 16 minutes long plus answering all questions in one video will leave him with no more content.
Harley Baldwin full range of motion is always better no matter what muscle it is.
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?
well explained man, i like these type of video setup too but nothing can beat the real life instructions, btw Omar gave your site a little S.O in his last video hope you can gain some new subs :p
I really appreciate it!!
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.
Yup learned this from the smart guy called Greg Nuckols but I didn't really understand it completely from his video. But watching your video cleared up a lot of confusion. The only real reason you can't front squat more than you can back squat is that of the moment arm acting upon the thoracic erectors when a front squat is done. Am I right in this Dr. Horchig?
That is a big part yes! I'm glad this video was able to help you understand the topic more!
You say big part, care to tell me what other factors dictate why front squatting is limited? Other than the moment arm of the spinal erectors. Also, thank you for replying!
The moment arm of the hip is probably the most important part. A front squat will almost always have a smaller movement arm at the hip joint compared to the back squat.
But you said that in a front squat, the external torque on the hips is less compared to the back squat so, in turn, the hips can help more in knee extension via the rectus femoris, so that evens out the amount of torque happening at both joints, right?
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)?
If hamstrings are activated, does that mean they produce equal force to quads as well? Dr. Greg Nuckols for a long time has been of the opinion that they're not a prime mover and I recall hearing there was some research (more recent than this video) that implied a confirmation to that.
Hella fascinating man.
Thank you!
Going back to this one only to see McG in the beginning
keep takin 'em to school, doc 🤘🏼🕶
Will do! Thanks for the support!
Me googling how to engage hamstrings, getting this video, and the person asking the questions name is also Cassandra 👁 👄 👁
Great stuff! Would you ever do a video on forward bar path going down and how to fix it?
I sure can! Thanks for the suggestion!
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!
Thank you! And from what I have gathered in my research the answer is no. It's all about stance width, depth and the weight lifted rather than the type of lift if we're talking bout strictly muscular development! And as far as injury risk - no difference between the three from what I have found either!
Thanks for the reply. Isn't there however a difference between front and back squats with regard to the 'weak-links' that might limit progress and development? For instance, (and correct me if I'm wrong) the weight lifted in a front squat will be partly limited by upper back strength required just to keep the bar from rolling off the shoulders, whereas the lower back may be a limiting factor in the back squat.
Very true! Yes there are different types of weak links in each that can limit technique. The back is one like you mentioned. Also, if your ankle mobility is very poor, you will have more trouble with the front squat compared to the low bar back squat.
If the muscle activation is the same, why do I "feel" back squats more in my hamstrings and hack squats more in my quads? Is it simply a slight difference in squat depth that I haven't noticed?
Very possible - everyone is slightly different in where they feel squats working.
very constructed debate.
I appreciate it