Compound lower-body lift
Front Squat
The front squat holds the barbell across the front shoulders, forcing a more upright torso and heavy quad demand. It builds leg strength, bracing, and upper-back position.
- Primary muscles
- Quadriceps, Upper back
- Equipment
- Barbell, Squat rack
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Secondary muscles worked
Glutes, Core, Adductors, Spinal erectors.
Setup
- Set the bar at upper-chest height and step close enough that it rests on the front delts.
- Use a clean grip or crossed-arm grip and keep elbows high.
- Stand with feet about shoulder-width and toes slightly turned out.
- Brace hard before each rep and keep the chest tall.
How to do the Front Squat
- 1
Set the rack
Keep elbows high so the bar stays balanced on the shoulders, not in the hands.
- 2
Descend upright
Break at the knees and hips while keeping the torso as vertical as possible.
- 3
Drive through mid-foot
Stand up by pushing the floor away and keeping knees tracking over toes.
- 4
Finish tall
Lock out with ribs down, glutes tight, and the bar still stacked over the mid-foot.
Common mistakes
- Letting elbows drop as the weight gets heavy.
- Resting the bar in the hands instead of on the shoulders.
- Folding forward out of the bottom.
- Cutting depth short because the upper back loses position.
Notes by experience level
Beginner
Start with goblet squats or light front squats to learn the upright pattern.
Intermediate
Use front squats to build quad strength and reinforce bracing.
Advanced
Add pauses or tempo reps to strengthen position out of the hole.
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