Front squat
A squat with the bar on the front of the shoulders — quad-focused and upright.
What it is
A squat holding the barbell across the front of your shoulders. The front-loaded position forces a more upright torso and shifts emphasis toward the quads.
Muscles worked
Primary: Quadriceps. Secondary: Glutes, Upper back, Core.
How to perform it
- Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, elbows high, using a clean grip or crossed-arm hold to keep it secure.
- Un-rack, step back and set your feet about shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
- Brace and squat straight down, keeping the torso tall and elbows pointing forward.
- Descend to at least parallel, then drive up through mid-foot without letting the elbows drop.
Common form faults
- Elbows dropping, letting the bar roll forward. Actively drive the elbows up throughout; improve wrist and lat mobility so the rack position is easier to hold.
- Rounding forward out of the bottom. Reduce load, keep the brace tight, and think 'elbows up, chest up' as you drive out of the hole.
Programming
Excellent quad-focused main or secondary lift. Rack position usually limits load before the legs do, so build the position gradually.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Why can I lift less on front squats?
- The front-loaded position demands a very upright torso and is limited by your upper-back and core's ability to resist folding forward — so loads are typically lower than the back squat, which is normal.
- My wrists hurt in the rack position.
- That's usually a mobility issue. A clean-grip with fingers under the bar (rather than a full grip) and some wrist and lat mobility work usually fixes it; a cross-arm grip is a fine alternative.
Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale — MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
Last reviewed: