How to use the clean grip for the front squat

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

At the request of Paul Nehaus, I got some pics of me doing front squats. They show how you hold onto the bar using the clean grip, not the sissy 'macarena' grip.


1. Lightly hold bar, slightly wider than shoulder width, with 4 fingers as in pic 3 below

2. Get under the bar and "push elbows up", bar on finger tips and resting against deltoids as in pic 4

3. Unrack bar and keep elbows up, make sure bar isn't blocking your windpipe.

4. Squat deep, keeping the upper back tight and elbows up.

Simple!

Remember, there is no need to grip the bar tightly. You keep the wrists and elbows up to stop the bar from rolling forwards. The lighter your grip on the bar, the better you'll be able to keep the elbows up and use the legs to squat the weight.

Make sense?

[Paul Neuhaus]

Thanks Jono! Looks like I was doing it correctly, but I just have zero flexibilty in my wrists.

[Chris Mathison]

my pinkies always slip off. No biggie right?

[DaneGarreau]

Originally Posted by Chris Mathison

my pinkies always slip off. No biggie right?

I never even put my pinkies on to begin with. Seems to work just as well.

[dave barron]

You got some freaky flexibile wrists Mac! I just use my first two fingers. How much are you Fsquatting these days?

[Billy Wolt]

Originally Posted by dave barron

You got some freaky flexibile wrists Mac! I just use my first two fingers. How much are you Fsquatting these days?

dave, where in the city do you train?

[benjamin d. moore]

Well sure, if you've got monkey paws...LOL.

J/K man, but I don't ever get my ring or pinky finger on the bar either. Just the first 2.

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

Originally Posted by dave barron

You got some freaky flexibile wrists Mac! I just use my first two fingers. How much are you Fsquatting these days?

Dave, sometimes my pinkies slip off too I guess. No big deal.

Best frontsquat to date is 210kg or 462lbs. Haven't maxed all year due to a sternum injury at the time I was meant to FS heav. I'm up to 350lbs this week for my reps and I'll hopefully hit 505lbs by year end if all goes well.

[Kevin McNease]

Is that how you hold the bar when you jerk or push-press?

Kevin

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

Originally Posted by Kevin McNease

Is that how you hold the bar when you jerk or push-press?

Kevin

Yup, thing is I find I have to have all 4 fingers on the bar before I dip to lift he bar overhead. If pinkies are off the bar I reset before I dip to jerk.

If I had a more strict press as opposed to a more leg driven push press/jerk, then I wouldn't have the elbows so high up. It's just about impossible to do a military press with elbows high like in a front squat IMO.