Assistance exercises for front squats

[Preston Sprimont]

Any suggestions for good assistance exercises to strengthen the upper back for front squats?

I've already started including some one arm bent over rows (1.5 pood KB, 3 sets of 8-12 reps), and I regularly do weighted pullups and chinups in my programming.

Perhaps those assistance exercises are sufficient, but if anyone has any other tried and true assistance exercises for front squats, please share!

Thank you.

[Donald Lee]

Chinese rows and pendlay rows

[Mike Wazowski]

Are you going for more than 5 reps on front squats?

[Preston Sprimont]

Originally Posted by Donald Lee

Chinese rows and pendlay rows

Thanks Donald.
I used to do Pendlay rows in my Stronglifts days... forgot how great that lift is. Do you suggest going heavy? Or lighter weight for more reps?

Found a demo for DB Chinese row on CAthletics... same question: higher weight or higher reps?

Thank you again.

[Preston Sprimont]

Originally Posted by Mike Wazowski

Are you going for more than 5 reps on front squats?

Nope. I'm following CFFB collegiate (a few weeks behind)... It's been lots of 3s, some 5s, and a few 1s and 2s.

[Kirksman Teo]

Originally Posted by Preston Sprimont

Thanks Donald.
I used to do Pendlay rows in my Stronglifts days... forgot how great that lift is. Do you suggest going heavy? Or lighter weight for more reps?

Found a demo for DB Chinese row on CAthletics... same question: higher weight or higher reps?

Thank you again.

The single most significant variable of the so called "Chinese row" (We just call it "la" in Chinese) is actually the time under load. We always row up fast and control the descend as much as we can.

As for weights, unless you've the extended bench to increase your ROM, go lighter for higher reps. It's rare that I've seen anybody, hell...I've NEVER seen anybody keep their torso constant while rowing heavy weights.

[Preston Sprimont]

Originally Posted by Kirksman Teo

The single most significant variable of the so called "Chinese row" (We just call it "la" in Chinese) is actually the time under load. We always row up fast and control the descend as much as we can.

As for weights, unless you've the extended bench to increase your ROM, go lighter for higher reps. It's rare that I've seen anybody, hell...I've NEVER seen anybody keep their torso constant while rowing heavy weights.

Thanks for the info.

So I take it these are meant to be 'strict' in their form--i.e. no hip drive/body english?

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Originally Posted by Preston Sprimont

Any suggestions for good assistance exercises to strengthen the upper back for front squats?

More front squats. Specifically, my coach has me doing high rep sets (5x10, 5x8) at relatively low weight (65-75%). Easy for my legs, but maintaining the rack position that long is brutal for the upper back.

Katherine

[Preston Sprimont]

Originally Posted by Katherine Derbyshire

More front squats. Specifically, my coach has me doing high rep sets (5x10, 5x8) at relatively low weight (65-75%). Easy for my legs, but maintaining the rack position that long is brutal for the upper back.

Katherine

That makes sense.
But yikes, that sounds awful.

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Originally Posted by Preston Sprimont

That makes sense.
But yikes, that sounds awful.

Yep, pretty heinous.

Not as bad as 20-rep squats, but in that same general vicinity.

Edit: Actually, in some ways worse than 20-rep squats. With front squats, the weight gets heavier and heavier the more rest you take between reps...

Katherine