You can’t be one of the most decorated Olympians of all time without working out in the gym. legendary swimmer Michael Phelps he may have finished his professional career, but his training routine is still emulated (at different levels of success) by fitness influencers. In fact, prior to his retirement, Phelps’ competition preparation became such a subject of speculation that he had to go on record and say that his infamous The 12,000 Calorie Diet Wasn’t Real.
In a new workout video Phelps shared on Instagram, the legendary former swimmer, and the most decorated Olympian of all time, gave his followers a quick look at a milestone in his weight training. While being watched by fellow swimmer and Team USA medalist Allison Schmitt, Phelps posted a new one-rep max of 240 pounds in the front squatsaying, “It’s slowly coming back.”
The squat has been one of Phelps’ strength-building moves for a long time: when men’s health asked the legendary swimmer “deadlift or squat” in 2016, he chose to squat. However, the barbell front squat variation, which hits the glutes, hamstrings, hips, and quads, can present an entirely different challenge than the more common barbell back squat.
One of the aspects of the front squat that can make this movement more challenging is the way one holds the bar. The traditional clean grip, as used by Phelps in the clip, can put your wrists in an overly extended and uncomfortable position, specifically if you have mobility issues, which can cause you to have to drop out of a set due to pain.
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One way to minimize this problem is perform regular mobility exercises that flex, extend, and rotate the wrist joints. Not only will this minimize soreness and stiffness, but it will also improve your range of motion when you attempt the front squat. If those stretches don’t work for you, you can switch to a bodybuilder’s grip, which allows you to rest the bar on your collarbone and shoulders and hold it with your hands.
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