Front Squat

Rack barbell on front delts with elbows high, chest up, feet shoulder-width. Brace core, sit straight down between heels, keep knees tracking over toes and heels grounded. Drive up through mid-foot to build quad and core strength.

Muscles worked

Equipment

Front Squat exercise demonstration

How to do it

  1. Set your feet about shoulder width and hold the bar in a front rack.
  2. Brace the core and keep the whole foot on the floor.
  3. Sit down between the hips and knees with the knees tracking over the toes.
  4. Reach the deepest position you can hold without the pelvis tucking hard.
  5. Drive up through the midfoot until hips and knees are straight.
  6. Keep the chest and hips rising together.

Watch for

  • Knees collapsing inward.
  • Elbows dropping so the bar rolls forward.
  • Low back rounding hard at the bottom.

Breathing

Inhale and brace before descending, exhale near the top.

Tip

If the elbows want to drop, work on rack mobility before adding load. The front squat fails at the elbows before it fails at the legs.

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