Front Squat

How to do it

1. Set the bar at shoulder height. Cross your arms and rest the bar on your front shoulders, elbows pointed high.
2. Unrack, step back, feet shoulder-width.
3. Keeping your elbows up, sit straight down between your feet.
4. Drive up, keeping the bar over mid-foot the whole way.
5. If your elbows drop, the bar rolls forward - stop the set.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

How it compares

Compared with the Barbell Squat, it loads Abs 15 points higher, Glutes 10 points lower, Hamstrings 5 points lower. Compared with the Barbell Reverse Lunge, it loads Abductors (outer hip) 35 points lower, Abs 30 points higher, Quads 25 points higher.

Other ways to train this

• Barbell Squat BarbellIntermediate
• Leg Press Machines
• Hack Squat Machines
• Dumbbell Front Squat DumbbellsIntermediate
• Smith Machine Squat Smith machine
• Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight
• Jump Squat BodyweightIntermediate
• Kettlebell Front Squat Kettlebells
• Band Squat Resistance bands
• Dumbbell Squat Dumbbells
• Single-Leg Press Machines
• Smith Machine Front Squat Smith machine
• Pistol Squat BodyweightProfessional
• TRX Squat Suspension trainer
• TRX Pistol Squat Suspension trainerIntermediate
• Kettlebell Squat Kettlebells
• Horizontal Leg Press Machines
• Overhead Squat BarbellIntermediate

Other exercises for the Quads

• Barbell Reverse Lunge 75% BarbellIntermediate
• Barbell Thruster 70% BarbellIntermediate
• Sumo Deadlift 55% BarbellProfessional
• Trap-Bar Deadlift 50% BarbellIntermediate

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.