2 SQUATS – FRONT vs. BACK – RESEARCH
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MOMENT ARM & EMG STUDY
KNEE JOINT FORCES & EMG for QUADRICEPS, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Front Squat vs. Back Squat
A Biomechanical Comparison of Back and Front Squats in Healthy Trained Individuals – 2009 – Gullett
Procedure
– To assess the net force and torque placed on the knee and muscle activation levels
– A combination of video and force data, as well as surface EMG data, were collected from 15 healthy trained individuals.
Moments and Forces Results
Knee Flexion: Maximum forces and moments occurred at 95° of Knee Flexion (KFA) during the ascent phase.
EMG Results
Rectus Femoris: Back 70% . Front 55%
Vastus Lateralis: Back 60% . Front 60%
Vastus Medialis: Back 80% . Front 80%
+ Erector Spinae: Back 55% . Front 50%
– The back squat resulted in significantly higher compressive forces and knee extensor moments than the front squat.
– Shear forces at the knee were small in magnitude, posteriorly directed, and did not vary between the squat variations.
– The front squat was as effective as the back squat in terms of overall muscle recruitment, with significantly less compressive forces and extensor moments.
EMG STUDIES
GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Front Squat vs. Back Squat
EMG during front and back squat variations in maximum loads – 2016 – Yavuz
Subjects
– experienced at front and back squats
Procedure
– EMG: front and back squat exercises with maximum loading
Results – MVIC%
Gluteus Maximus: front squat 47% . back squat 47%
Rectus Femoris: front squat 46% . back squat 37%
Vastus Lateralis: front squat 51% . back squat 47%
Vastus Medialis: front squat 55% . back squat 49%
+ Erector Spinae: front squat 46% . back squat 43%
GLUTEUS MAXIMUS & MEDIUS, QUADS, ADDUCTOR LONGUS, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Full & Parallel Back Squat, Full Front Squat, Wide Squat, Wide Squat with toes out
Gluteal, Quads, Adductor Longus, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders – 2021 – Coratella
Procedure
– 10 male competitive bodybuilders perform back-squat at 80% 1-RM:
(1) full back squat (F-BS)
(2) parallel back squat (P-BS)
(3) wide stance – sumo (WS-BS)
(4) wide stance sumo feet external rotated (WS-ER-BS)
(5) parallel front-squat (P-FS)
Results
Gluteus Maximus: Parallel Front 80 . WS-ER-BS 65 . Parallel Back 60 . Full Back 55 . WS-BS 50
Gluteus Medius: Parallel Front 32 . WS-ER-BS 28 . Full Back 28 . Parallel Back 27 . WS-BS 26
Rectus Femoris: Parallel Front 105 . WS-ER-BS 85 . WS-BS 85 . Parallel Back 80 . Full Back 80
Vastus Lateralis: WS-ER-BS 95 . WS-BS 90 . Full Back 75 . Parallel Back 70 . Parallel Front 70
Vastus Medialis: WS-ER-BS 125 . WS-BS 110 . Full Back 110 . Parallel Front 110 . Parallel Back 90
+ Adductor Longus: WS-ER-BS 60 . WS-BS 50 . Parallel Back 40 . Full Back 40 . Parallel Front 30
+ Erector Spinalis Longissimus: Full Back 105 . WS-BS 100 . WS-ER-BS 95 . Parallel Back 90 . Parallel Front 85
+ Erector Spinalis Iliocostalis: Parallel Front 32 . Full Back 30 . WS-ER-BS 30 . Parallel Back 28 . WS-BS 25