Back Squat to Front Squat ratio

[Skeletor]

So ive decided im going to do a blast on front squats for a while after some advice that it can increase your back squat dramatically the more the front improves. Curious as to what others front to back ratios are. My current raw in sleeves and a belt is 220kg back and 170kg front . Also interested in what Flat bench vs bar row is for you guys and do you train an equal back to chest count? For example if you hit 3 x 10 on chest will you match the reps on back?

[Wookie]

Practically everyone does 80-85%. If its lower you tend to not do them often or have poor form

[Hu Gh]

Bb rows I can do 10 reps 140. Bench pretty similar although if you talking 1rm no way I could row 200 which is my bench 1rm

[Leeroid]

180 front 230 back although I doubt both are true maxes. Have only tested 1rm for fronts once and the 230 was done in feb

[Spacebound]

122.5 to 140 squats. I did front squats exclusively for about 2/3 months and they went up by about 20kg or 20percent. I used to do them 2 times a week as a secondary before that so they weren't a new movement.

I could bb row more than bench. I've bench 95 for 1 and bb rowed than for 5. But poverty bench is poverty.

[Leeroid]

Bb rows you can cheat so much and have 1 inch rom but do lots of weight. No point comparing those cos most times I see people doing bb rows it's shitty ass form

[Spacebound]

Bb rows you can cheat so much and have 1 inch rom but do lots of weight. No point comparing those cos most times I see people doing bb rows it's shitty ass form

Pretty much this. But I think I could still strict row more reps on bb row than bench but couldn't get a higher strict 1rm. My form on bb rows seems to break down above 80%

[GyzzBrah]

around 100 front squat and 115 back.

Flat bench like 90 and is more than rows because cbf doing them with shit form etc. But poverty, squat is poverty.

[Hu Gh]

Bb rows you can cheat so much and have 1 inch rom but do lots of weight. No point comparing those cos most times I see people doing bb rows it's shitty ass form

Mine good form..down all the way up all the way closeish grip. In saying that I feel like 100kg sets much more productive. Similar reps to bench can probably bench 5-10 more reps though

[Pseudonym]

Practically everyone does 80-85%. If its lower you tend to not do them often or have poor form

Guilty as charged. :oops:

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

front squat 90 (or was it 85?) back squat 120, should be up to 100 front 125-130 back shortly. rows havent done for ages but when i did, my pendlay rows were way better than bench for reps, most likely because a lot of the explosiveness came from hamstring tightness or something wierd like that where i cheated a bit lol

[maccaz]

my front squat is shit but havent focussed on them for any decent length of time

back squat 160

front squat 100 (lol)

 

bench 95

row 70 (any more would be starting to cheat reps)

[Wookie]

I've seen guys with 260kg deadlifts supposedly row 200-220 for reps. Waste of time if you're not using good form.

[Skeletor]

Oh good because my row is wayyyyyyy off my comp bench lol. Been seeing a heap of posts of guys saying to try and keep your row strength equal to your bench but im in no way close. I mostly do mine on a chest supported row machine and its a big difference to the bar row . Good to know my front is roughly what it should be.

[reddog]

only ever did one small 6 odd week block of front squats few years back, managed 190 to a 222.5 back squat, the back squat was beltless and front squat was with belt I still remember both lifts at the end of that block, bloody love the front squat, awesome deadlift builder, need to get back on it!

 

for rows i always go pretty light and just hit reps, to feel a good pump in the back so rarely over 100, think iv done 130-140 for a few rugged reps at times, to a 155-160 bench

[Realtalk]

No point having big front squat or big bent over row if your goal is powerlifting. What's it matter if your row is shit and you can't front squat for crap?... As long as your bench and back squat is good then who cares. Never really bought into this other stuff like get your front squat up to increase your deadlift... I'd just get my deadlift up to get my deadlift up. All a strong bent over row tells me is you have a strong back and are good at bent over rows, doesn't tell me anytning about your bench press or your deadlift. I can't bent over row very much weight in gym but I'll out deadlift most. Plenty guys with big row and shit bench and versa. According to who makes these statements that one movement should be within this weight range of another? And where do they come up with it? I never really bother with these it's like the old this is your 10rm so your 5rm should be this and your 1rm should be that... Rubbish.

Thoughts...

[reddog]

yeah i pretty much on the same page, my training is real basic, just the big 3 then if i can be bothered something else, but i did find i had my best deadlift gains when i front squatted hard, really helped strengthen up my weak upper back, there is good  cross over gains to be had but its different for everyone, making your weakness into strengths will add poundage, put nothing will add more poundage than just hammering the actual lifts them self, from my findings any way

[Realtalk]

yeah i pretty much on the same page, my training is real basic, just the big 3 then if i can be bothered something else, but i did find i had my best deadlift gains when i front squatted hard, really helped strengthen up my weak upper back, there is good cross over gains to be had but its different for everyone, making your weakness into strengths will add poundage, put nothing will add more poundage than just hammering the actual lifts them self, from my findings any way

Gpc nats 2015? It's in June so plenty time before capo

- inb4 everyone's nats in June lol

[reddog]

 

yeah i pretty much on the same page, my training is real basic, just the big 3 then if i can be bothered something else, but i did find i had my best deadlift gains when i front squatted hard, really helped strengthen up my weak upper back, there is good cross over gains to be had but its different for everyone, making your weakness into strengths will add poundage, put nothing will add more poundage than just hammering the actual lifts them self, from my findings any way

Gpc nats 2015? It's in June so plenty time before capo

- inb4 everyone's nats in June lol

 

 

yea bro hard, haven't really looked into any feds calenders yet, but will hit that for sure

[Skeletor]

No point having big front squat or big bent over row if your goal is powerlifting. What's it matter if your row is shit and you can't front squat for crap?... As long as your bench and back squat is good then who cares. Never really bought into this other stuff like get your front squat up to increase your deadlift... I'd just get my deadlift up to get my deadlift up. All a strong bent over row tells me is you have a strong back and are good at bent over rows, doesn't tell me anytning about your bench press or your deadlift. I can't bent over row very much weight in gym but I'll out deadlift most. Plenty guys with big row and shit bench and versa. According to who makes these statements that one movement should be within this weight range of another? And where do they come up with it? I never really bother with these it's like the old this is your 10rm so your 5rm should be this and your 1rm should be that... Rubbish.

Thoughts...

Yeah I normally do follow that sort of road but my squat has stalled somewhat and I figure you're only as strong as your weakest link . The goal is to build a bit of muscle in the quads and strengthen any weak areas .Kind of like the Westside style where they change squat bars/stance etc frequently but I don't have access to the different bars they use so its just stance and fronts. Will still be squatting but just like one in 4 or so will be the back squat. Wasn't worried about the row because im cruising with the bench and my back strength is going up also but I just see posts everywhere in regard to keeping back and chest close which for me is impossible.  Im kind of in a situation where I see 2 different thoughts with guys like Jason Semmler (aussie bench champ) who only trains bench and arms without back at all and has an epic bench . That Zahir guy who only squats for legs and has the best squat. And a lot of the other bigger dudes who only perform the set lift but then others who say they need to work on weak areas . So I ill just try it for a few months and see how I go or until the main lift improves enough for another surge.  

[Wookie]

No one with a huge bench has weak lats.

 

Front squats have limited value for deads if your upper back is weak, as Red said. But I think you can get away with not front squatting. I actually think high bar squats are superior to front squats for building quads.

Personally I do fronts as a strongman accessory due to gains on overheads, carries, stone loads etc. Great for the abs too.