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Performance Area => Strength, Power, Reactivity, & Speed Discussion => Topic started by: JackW on August 10, 2011, 09:17:17 pm
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Hi Guys
Just a random sort of topic they I thought I would share with you. I have always had a love hate relationship with doing front squats because as much as I love the challenge and the way it loads the legs, they have felt uncomfortable to hold the bar when the loads get heavier. I have tried a number of things to rectify this including the sting ray device, and all manner of different grips trying to find a good one with only marginal success.
Anyway, I recently bit the bullet and bought a Getstrength Front Squat Harness. $200 very well spent if you ask me (especially as I can claim it as a tax deduction).
http://www.getstrength.com/Front-Squat-Harness-s/GS-Front-Squat-Harness-Pro-Med-Large/flypage.tpl.html
Anyway, since buying the front squat harness I have gotten a bit addicted to the exercise. My actual training goal for this year is to safety bar box squat 180kg (including 32.5kg of chains each side i.e. 65kg of chains total, so obviously not a full 180kg at the bottom) for 5 reps. I have been following the fairly straight forward 531 Wendler program squatting once a week on Saturday (my best day to train) and making steady progress (squat is up from 147.5kg for 1 rep to a recent 152.5kg for 10 reps, even my vertical has gone up a few inches despite doing little jumping).
I have now added in another day of front squatting using the front squat harness on Wednesday with some medium load trap bar deadlifting singles tacked onto the end. It is too early to tell what difference it will make to my safety bar box squatting on Saturday but I will keep you posted.
Anyway, I know you all love a bit of front squatting for vertical jump purposes (I know I do anyway) so just thought I would give some feedback about the Getstrength device. Sorry if it sound like a sales pitch, but the device is proving very popular with myself and the guys I train. It makes a very good exercise much more comfortable to perform.
JW
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wonder what would happen if you fail midway up and had to dump a heavy weight.. the bottom part of the harness would dig into your lower abs?
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wonder what would happen if you fail midway up and had to dump a heavy weight.. the bottom part of the harness would dig into your lower abs?
Hi Kingfish
I think you would be f*cked if you failed half way through, as there would be no easy way to dump the bar. If I thought there was a chance I would fail to complete a set I would set up the safety pins to ensure I could deload easily and safely.
As for digging into the abs, the harness does this a little bit anyway, but it isn't particularly bothersome. Certainly much less bothersome than trying to get a comfortable grip when doing the front squat without the harness.
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^ lol. yes. it will be very uncomfortable to get rid of a heavy bar when its held it place nicely by a harness. its still a good investment IMO since i believe that the front squat is the best muscle building movement for a strong SVJ. id do it if i didn't care if my collar bones turns blackish.
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Hi Guys
Just a random sort of topic they I thought I would share with you. I have always had a love hate relationship with doing front squats because as much as I love the challenge and the way it loads the legs, they have felt uncomfortable to hold the bar when the loads get heavier. I have tried a number of things to rectify this including the sting ray device, and all manner of different grips trying to find a good one with only marginal success.
Anyway, I recently bit the bullet and bought a Getstrength Front Squat Harness. $200 very well spent if you ask me (especially as I can claim it as a tax deduction).
http://www.getstrength.com/CrossFit-Strength-Equipment/Power-Post/flypage.tpl.html
Anyway, since buying the front squat harness I have gotten a bit addicted to the exercise. My actual training goal for this year is to safety bar box squat 180kg (including 32.5kg of chains each side i.e. 65kg of chains total, so obviously not a full 180kg at the bottom) for 5 reps. I have been following the fairly straight forward 531 Wendler program squatting once a week on Saturday (my best day to train) and making steady progress (squat is up from 147.5kg for 1 rep to a recent 152.5kg for 10 reps, even my vertical has gone up a few inches despite doing little jumping).
I have now added in another day of front squatting using the front squat harness on Wednesday with some medium load trap bar deadlifting singles tacked onto the end. It is too early to tell what difference it will make to my safety bar box squatting on Saturday but I will keep you posted.
Anyway, I know you all love a bit of front squatting for vertical jump purposes (I know I do anyway) so just thought I would give some feedback about the Getstrength device. Sorry if it sound like a sales pitch, but the device is proving very popular with myself and the guys I train. It makes a very good exercise much more comfortable to perform.
JW
very good idea and than k you much for sharing! I noticed you also have realized the superiority of Wendlers 5/3/1 program to other popular vertical jump program and are doing his program now, that is great! I do it too haha!
thank you for sharing this device even tho i personally prefer avishek drops i will try and see if i can get me one in the near future.
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Thanks for the post man. I had considered one of these but couldn't justify the plunge based on reviews I didn't trust. I trust your view.
What kind of weight have you put on it? Do you think it will get unusable at a certain point/ weight? Does it force you very upright since the weight is even more forward than a normal FS?
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very good idea and than k you much for sharing! I noticed you also have realized the superiority of Wendlers 5/3/1 program to other popular vertical jump program and are doing his program now, that is great! I do it too haha!
thank you for sharing this device even tho i personally prefer avishek drops i will try and see if i can get me one in the near future.
Hi JDub
I don't specifically train my vertical these days, any increase in vertical jump I am getting from my strength work is a nice bonus, but not something I am too worried about. I am using the Wendler 531 routine because my goal for 2011 is to get my squat up. I am a fan of the 531 set up though as it simple to follow, seems to work pretty well, and, damn, if you want to get your squat up, then Jim Wendler is as good a guy to take advice from as any.
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Thanks for the post man. I had considered one of these but couldn't justify the plunge based on reviews I didn't trust. I trust your view.
What kind of weight have you put on it? Do you think it will get unusable at a certain point/ weight? Does it force you very upright since the weight is even more forward than a normal FS?
Hi MJ
The harness is very sturdy. In terms of weight loaded on it my front squat is pretty average. I hit 125kg for 5 reps on Wednesday morning (which when I think about it isn't really that bad at a bodyweight of 78kg = 1.6x BW). I couldn't see the harness having any problems loading the bar with a lot more weight than I will ever be able to front squat.
As a side note to this I tried front squatting without the harness today to see what I could do and fair enough i was a little sore in the glutes from yesterday, but I had great difficulty doing 105kg for 3 reps just because the bar is so damn uncomfortable. The 125 i did yesterday was hard on the legs where it is supposed to be, not on the collar bones and wrists.
In terms of staying upright I think it is easier to do so with the harness even though the bar might be slightly more forward. It doesn't feel like it is much more forward but because it isn't digging in like a regular front squat it is much easier to focus on maintaining good body position on the lift when you aren't thinking about how much your harms, wrists etc hurt.
I know there is a certain school of thought about using training tools like the front squat harness, and the Manta Ray which I also own, that says just get used to it, but unless you are a competing Olympic lifter or Powerlifter I personally am more than happy to find ways to make these exercises more comfortable. For the front squat the Getstrength Harness is a good solution. If $200 NZD isn't a stretch for your training budget then I would happily recommend it.
JW
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Thanks for the post man. I had considered one of these but couldn't justify the plunge based on reviews I didn't trust. I trust your view.
What kind of weight have you put on it? Do you think it will get unusable at a certain point/ weight? Does it force you very upright since the weight is even more forward than a normal FS?
Hi MJ
The harness is very sturdy. In terms of weight loaded on it my front squat is pretty average. I hit 125kg for 5 reps on Wednesday morning (which when I think about it isn't really that bad at a bodyweight of 78kg = 1.6x BW). I couldn't see the harness having any problems loading the bar with a lot more weight than I will ever be able to front squat.
As a side note to this I tried front squatting without the harness today to see what I could do and fair enough i was a little sore in the glutes from yesterday, but I had great difficulty doing 105kg for 3 reps just because the bar is so damn uncomfortable. The 125 i did yesterday was hard on the legs where it is supposed to be, not on the collar bones and wrists.
In terms of staying upright I think it is easier to do so with the harness even though the bar might be slightly more forward. It doesn't feel like it is much more forward but because it isn't digging in like a regular front squat it is much easier to focus on maintaining good body position on the lift when you aren't thinking about how much your harms, wrists etc hurt.
I know there is a certain school of thought about using training tools like the front squat harness, and the Manta Ray which I also own, that says just get used to it, but unless you are a competing Olympic lifter or Powerlifter I personally am more than happy to find ways to make these exercises more comfortable. For the front squat the Getstrength Harness is a good solution. If $200 NZD isn't a stretch for your training budget then I would happily recommend it.
JW
Just the detail I was after. I get stuck at around the 110kg mark on FS like that too. Bruised collarbone and breathing restrictions. I don't subscribe to the macho crap either. If it gets the job done its a good tool. Thanks again. Top post :)
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I know there is a certain school of thought about using training tools like the front squat harness, and the Manta Ray which I also own, that says just get used to it, but unless you are a competing Olympic lifter or Powerlifter I personally am more than happy to find ways to make these exercises more comfortable. For the front squat the Getstrength Harness is a good solution. If $200 NZD isn't a stretch for your training budget then I would happily recommend it.
JW
Hey Jack,
I am not against solutions like this when it lets you train the way you need to. But I have to wonder how you front squat that the weight you are using does hurt so badly that you cannot perform a max set of 5 with that exercise. It seems to me like your bar position is off and your torso and/or elbows are not doing what they are supposed to do when your wrists hurt as well (they are not supposed to be loaded in the FS).
So what I don't understand is why someone would buy that harness instead of trying to do the exercise correctly first. If it does not work, fine, do what needs to be done if you have the money. But good technique will help with more things than just comfort. It will make training safer and more effective and overall more satisfying than doing things with bad / inconsistent technique - harness or not.
Sorry for thinking that you are doing the exercise wrong, I might be off base. But what you said suggested that you have not really tried to correct your form. And about the "getting used to" thing: It usually does not take a lot of work if you know what to do. I remember switching from high-bar to low-bar squats and the latter felt very uncomfortable for my back and elbows. I got used to it in a few training sessions though and have not looked back since. Had I known how to correct my grip and positioning I am sure this would have gone even quicker. It feels good to handle a problem this way too instead of giving up on it.
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Hi Steven
I understand where you are coming from and for a long time I thought I wasn't doing it right so I went and had coaching from some of the coaches at the Victorian Weightlifting Centre (our state weightlifting training facility). According to those guys I seemed to be doing everything pretty much ok and it has always felt fine using lighter loads but as the loads got heavier it never felt entirely comfortable across the wrists and shoulder blades. I have been doing the lift on and off for a few years know and the awkwardness of it just kept putting me off using it as regularly as I would have liked. So I bought the Front Squat harness. And I love it! :D
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Hi Steven
I understand where you are coming from and for a long time I thought I wasn't doing it right so I went and had coaching from some of the coaches at the Victorian Weightlifting Centre (our state weightlifting training facility). According to those guys I seemed to be doing everything pretty much ok and it has always felt fine using lighter loads but as the loads got heavier it never felt entirely comfortable across the wrists and shoulder blades. I have been doing the lift on and off for a few years know and the awkwardness of it just kept putting me off using it as regularly as I would have liked. So I bought the Front Squat harness. And I love it! :D
Hey Jack,
seems that you made an effort to get the problem addressed. I am not sure about the feedback you got from that weightlifting facility though. If wrists hurt doing front squats with 120 kg, there have to be ways to correct that. When lighter loads felt fine and heavier loads did not, this means that you are putting load on the wrists where there should be none and it is not just a wrist flexibility thing. I am pretty sure that this could have been solved easily enough if those guys made an actual effort to help you with your problem. Sucks that they did not.
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Hi JDub
I don't specifically train my vertical these days, any increase in vertical jump I am getting from my strength work is a nice bonus, but not something I am too worried about. I am using the Wendler 531 routine because my goal for 2011 is to get my squat up. I am a fan of the 531 set up though as it simple to follow, seems to work pretty well, and, damn, if you want to get your squat up, then Jim Wendler is as good a guy to take advice from as any.
Awesome. All the old guys are doing 531. I did it for 6 months while I went through hell in my family life. Simple to follow, felxible so it's not too time consuming. And you get results. I did the just north of vag template :)
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seems like a cool design. lol'in at this guy, though:
(http://www.getstrength.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/GS_Front_Squat_H_49b72e62371c9.jpg)
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Hi Steven
I understand where you are coming from and for a long time I thought I wasn't doing it right so I went and had coaching from some of the coaches at the Victorian Weightlifting Centre (our state weightlifting training facility). According to those guys I seemed to be doing everything pretty much ok and it has always felt fine using lighter loads but as the loads got heavier it never felt entirely comfortable across the wrists and shoulder blades. I have been doing the lift on and off for a few years know and the awkwardness of it just kept putting me off using it as regularly as I would have liked. So I bought the Front Squat harness. And I love it! :D
Hey Jack,
seems that you made an effort to get the problem addressed. I am not sure about the feedback you got from that weightlifting facility though. If wrists hurt doing front squats with 120 kg, there have to be ways to correct that. When lighter loads felt fine and heavier loads did not, this means that you are putting load on the wrists where there should be none and it is not just a wrist flexibility thing. I am pretty sure that this could have been solved easily enough if those guys made an actual effort to help you with your problem. Sucks that they did not.
I have to disagree with you here Steven, from talking to a number of coaches it seems that extra coaching or not, for a lot of people it can take some time to get used to the way the bar feels for front squats which is one of the main reasons why many recreational athletes and trainers, even the quite serious ones, prefer to back squat.
I took the approach that as neither I, or anyone I train, is a competitive weightlifter, the quickest and easiest way to overcome the comfort issue was with a very simple, effective and relatively cheap solution that clearly saves a lot of time in the learning curve. For me my goal is to find the quickest way to strengthen the legs. This achieves that nicely.
It seems to be a bit dogmatic to ignore the training tools available that really can make things easier, especially as in my case, their is no actual need to perform the lift without the harness.
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I have to disagree with you here Steven, from talking to a number of coaches it seems that extra coaching or not, for a lot of people it can take some time to get used to the way the bar feels for front squats which is one of the main reasons why many recreational athletes and trainers, even the quite serious ones, prefer to back squat.
I think the reason most prefer to back squat is because it is, in general terms, the "better" strength exercise. The front squat has its uses, but increasing the back squat comes easier and it benefits the average athlete just as much if not more. When the question is between the two nearly everyone prefers the back squat for this reason. I have never heard or read of discomfort being the problem - especially discomfort of the wrists since it does not speak to the correct execution of the exercise.
I took the approach that as neither I, or anyone I train, is a competitive weightlifter, the quickest and easiest way to overcome the comfort issue was with a very simple, effective and relatively cheap solution that clearly saves a lot of time in the learning curve. For me my goal is to find the quickest way to strengthen the legs. This achieves that nicely.
Are only competitive weightlifters required to perform an exercise correctly? Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise. If that is the goal, fair enough.
It seems to be a bit dogmatic to ignore the training tools available that really can make things easier, especially as in my case, their is no actual need to perform the lift without the harness.
Especially in your case doing the front squat without the harness might prove to be a useful learning tool in improving your skills of assessing technical errors in an exercise and finding ways to correct them. The harness does not help with understanding of execution unfortunately.
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Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise. If that is the goal, fair enough.
Huh? Why does it mean he has shitty control of the exercise if the rack position is uncomfortable?
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Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise. If that is the goal, fair enough.
Huh? Why does it mean he has shitty control of the exercise if the rack position is uncomfortable?
The shitty control part comes into play when your wrists hurt with heavy weights but not with light ones. I suspect either dropping the elbows or too much forward lean on the concentric to be the reason - something not rarely observed in heavy front squats. The thing is that this is not "good" technique. It is part of the exercise to keep the torso really, really upright. Failure to do so and treating that condition with a front squat harness is taking away work that the muscles of your body should do in controlling the movement better. Instead Jack keeps omitting that work which used to be inherent in the exercise with help of the harness.
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I think the reason most prefer to back squat is because it is, in general terms, the "better" strength exercise.
I know a lot of coaches who don't agree with this statement.
I have never heard or read of discomfort being the problem
This might be your problem right here Steven. A lot of coaches I have spoken to about the front squat will say the same thing - discomfort in the way the bar sits is a common thing. It isn't necessarily all about the wrists either. Most of the discomfort is in the load on the shoulders as it gets heavier.
Seriously I can't believe you have not ever heard of people finding front squats uncomfortable - and it has nothing to do with doing the exercise incorrectly. Even back squats can be uncomfortable when people start doing them. It is almost like you are being intentionally naive here.
Are only competitive weightlifters required to perform an exercise correctly?
No but when the main goal of the lift which is to overload the legs is easier to learn and perform and load because you aren't being held back by having to painfully bear the load on your shoulders, well spending time getting used to something that you don't need to would be wasting peoples time.
Seriously Steven, it isn't that difficult to understand. The goal is to overload the quads, core etc. The front squat is a unique exercise in how it does that. There are two ways to do things
The hard way - spend a few weeks trying to get used to how a weight feels on your shoulders using lighter loads because "that is the way we always did it"
The easy way - achieve the exact same thing in about 2 minutes, with the added advantage of being able to use heavier loads by using a simple but effective front squat harness.
If your definition of "perform an exercise correctly" means without the use of any training aids, then yes, using your definition, pretty much just competitive weightlifters are the only ones "required" to perform the exercise "correctly".
You can still perform the lift correctly without having to be annoyed by the pain of the bar with a heavy weight on the shoulders. And look, obviously there are plenty of non-competitive weightlifters who have indeed got used to the pain and are front squatting some big loads without any sort of help. Good for them.
I would suggest that there are a LOT more non-competitive weightlifters who are missing out on the benefits of front squatting because they haven't been able to get used to it.
Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise.
Riiiiiiight. And this observation is based on what exactly?
Especially in your case doing the front squat without the harness might prove to be a useful learning tool in improving your skills of assessing technical errors in an exercise and finding ways to correct them. The harness does not help with understanding of execution unfortunately.
Actually this is wrong too. By eliminating the most common issue, i.e. how uncomfortable the bar feels sitting on the shoulders, it actually allows you to focus more on the key aspects of the lift such as torso and neck position, heels on the ground etc.
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The shitty control part comes into play when your wrists hurt with heavy weights but not with light ones. I suspect either dropping the elbows or too much forward lean on the concentric to be the reason - something not rarely observed in heavy front squats. The thing is that this is not "good" technique. It is part of the exercise to keep the torso really, really upright. Failure to do so and treating that condition with a front squat harness is taking away work that the muscles of your body should do in controlling the movement better. Instead Jack keeps omitting that work which used to be inherent in the exercise with help of the harness.
If it was just about the wrists I would agree, elbows dropping, poor wrist flexibility, poor form etc are more likely to be the culprits. The real pain I am referring to is the load sitting on the shoulders.
The harness allows you to eliminate this issue easily and quickly. Why make something harder than it needs to be when you can get the same or a better result in less time using a bit of help.
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Haha. Jack can I ask more questions about your apparently useless harness. Does it hit your jewels or inner thighs at depth? Do the sharp corners bother you? And finally does the whole thing move forward or sit unevenly under load requiring you to 'push it off your torso' with your hand etc?
All things I've read on the interweb. Curious if you see any of that occuring.
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Haha. Jack can I ask more questions about your apparently useless harness. Does it hit your jewels or inner thighs at depth? Do the sharp corners bother you? And finally does the whole thing move forward or sit unevenly under load requiring you to 'push it off your torso' with your hand etc?
All things I've read on the interweb. Curious if you see any of that occuring.
Hi MJ
The version I have, which is the basic one with the shorter length which doesn't hit anywhere near the jewels. It only goes to about midway down your stomach. If there is any discomfort it is on the harness pressing against your stomach, but as mentioned in my original post, this is minimal.
No. I wasn't even aware of sharp corners, so it isn't bothering me.
With the load being at the front there is a very slight move forward if you start leaning forward. However, and Steven will love this no doubt, if you perform the lift "correctly" and maintain a fairly upright torso it is no problem. It sits nicely on the pins. Also you still need to keep the elbows high like a regular front squat.
The load doesn't really move at all when it is sitting on the pins. I have done quite a few lifts with my elbows up parallel to the floor and my forearms straight up without actually holding onto the bar at all and at no point have I felt like the bar was going to fall off.
I will eventually do a review for verticaljumping.com of it because I do think it is a beneficial training aid that some people will be interested in (obviously not everybody :D) and you guys can see for yourself how simple it is to use.
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Nice man. Look forward to that. And thanks for the responses.
Didn't realise you were an aussie too. Good sh!t 8)
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I know a lot of coaches...
Before you wrote the above I was under the impression that your wrists are the main problem. You say that this is not the case and I can understand that he harness helps with the shoulders. Albeit I have to wonder if you have corrected your execution by now despite the harness or if this device encouraged you to just continue with bad habits that might negate some of the unique qualities of a front squat.
About the shoulder issue... I am not saying anyone should go light for weeks to get accustomed to the bar. I say you should not be a sissy and go heavy anyways and have dealt with it in a couple session and save yourself 200 bucks in the process. If your technique is correct it won't do you much harm aside from the slight discomfort for the time of the sets. If your execution is not up to par you should correct that first, harness or not. Sometimes I wonder how certain athletes are even able to compete since they seem to whine about the slightest ailments. I guess sometimes coaches even reinforce that behavior.
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Sometimes I wonder how certain athletes are even able to compete since they seem to whine about the slightest ailments. I guess sometimes coaches even reinforce that behavior.
I agree on this entirely. And there are definitely times when I see people try and get out of things just because they are a bit soft, but in this case I feel that for everybody I train, their isn't any need for them to deal with the discomfort when I can get the same result or better in an easier way, and ultimately, that is more important.
Also for what it is worth I was showing the harness to a coach I know recently who does have a background in Olympic lifting and does use front squats with his athletes in their programs as one of their primary lifts and he loved it. I know that this is a sample of 1, but I just did a google search and found a few other people with shared experiences.
T-Nation
http://tnation.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/null/getstrength_front_squat_harness
This from the Iron Woody site http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/accessories.php
This lack of attention is usually due to deltoid load, or lack of flexibility though the shoulders during the movement. This weakness is caused by the fact of not being able to hold the bar in the right position on the shoulders. You can over come this positioning problem with the Front Squat Harness®.
The front squat is one of the most effective power building exercises, however many strength athletes do not get full benefit from the front squat, because they cannot position the bar comfortably nor correctly on the shoulders.
Jason Ferrguia - who isn't a massive fan of the front squats in the article
http://jasonferruggia.com/front-squats-n-stuff/
most people find front squats tedious and uncomfortable. If you do them correctly the bar will be resting on your front delts and nearly crushing your throat. They can also be stressful on the wrists and elbows as well, especially if you have big arms. Another problem is that with heavier weights form breaks down on front squats before it does on back squats and not due to the legs being fatigued.
I knew I wasn't the only one!
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Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise. If that is the goal, fair enough.
Huh? Why does it mean he has shitty control of the exercise if the rack position is uncomfortable?
The cause of pain in the rack position is nearly always bad thoracic and scapula mobility once the basic technique is covered.
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Your harness does not save time in the learning curve btw., it just lets you get away with shitty control of the exercise. If that is the goal, fair enough.
Huh? Why does it mean he has shitty control of the exercise if the rack position is uncomfortable?
The cause of pain in the rack position is nearly always bad thoracic and scapula mobility once the basic technique is covered.
Hi Tychver
The pain I am referring to that is instantly eliminated is from the actual weight of the bar resting on the shoudlers. Essentially the front squat harness is spreading that load across a greater surface area which is why it is more comfortable. You no longer have to bear the load on the smaller surface area.
The fact that you don't need to worry about wrist, scapula or most of the other mobility and flexibility issues that are associated with the lift is just another handy bonus from using the device.
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From what I have read (not saying it's right) heavy weights year round dampens elasticity.
How do the guys with the best hops get round that & maintain there great elasticity?.
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From what I have read (not saying it's right) heavy weights year round dampens elasticity.
How do the guys with the best hops get round that & maintain there great elasticity?.
Simple: I don't.
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From what I have read (not saying it's right) heavy weights year round dampens elasticity.
How do the guys with the best hops get round that & maintain there great elasticity?.
What is elasticity supposed to be?
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I have a harness, it definitely changes the dynamic of the front squat into more of a hybrid between a zercher squat and a front squat, but for people with mobility issues or just another exercise altogether, its a great tool.
I think what steven and tychver are trying to say is that the reason the shoulders hurt most of the time, is not the shoulders themselves, but a mobility issue or weakness in the front squatting movement pattern and I agree, once you are tracking a more vertical bar path, most of the pain will usually go away. The issues are very often not in the shoulders, but in the movement pattern that is much different than a back squat. Once there is any forward lean at all, there will be tremendous pressure on the shoulders and wrists regardless of how strong or mobile the shoulders and upper back are.
I like the harness for variety, but if someone just wants to front squat without the wrist/shoulder mobility issues they may run into, its very easy to just use straps ala Poloquin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipCmj8t5aXg
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Yeah I foud the harness completely changed the exercise from one where you had to stay upright to avoid losing the bar to one where you were pulled forwards by the weight. GetStrength are based in NZ and if you're involved in either powerlifting or weightlifting you've ordered from them and probably met some of them. Small country :P
Even using proper front squat technique and maintaining as vertical torso as possible there will be a slighly forward lean which increases the mobility demands compared to simply holding a loaded bar in the rack position.
One of the other major technical differences in the front squat that people run into is they try to pinch the scapula back as in a back squat. You need to shove the shoulder girdle forwards and up. Trying to squeeze your elbows together can be a good cue for bringing the shoulder girdle forwards and up and externally rotating the shoulders.
I'm not saying you should never use the harness, just that if you had trouble just holding a loaded barbell in the rack position without pain I'd be doing a serious evaluation of mobility and posture.