MovementsBarbell & Weightlifting
Front Squat
A squat with the barbell racked across the front of the shoulders. The front-loaded position demands an upright torso and directly carries over to receiving the clean.
Front SquatBarbell & Weightlifting
The standard
A valid rep begins at full standing extension with the bar on the shoulders, descends until the hip crease is below the top of the knee, and returns to a fully upright, locked-out finish.
How to do it
- 01Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders with a loose fingertip grip and elbows driven high.
- 02Set your feet about shoulder-width with toes slightly out and brace your midline hard.
- 03Keep the elbows up and torso tall as you send the hips down and back.
- 04Descend with knees tracking over the toes until the hip crease drops below the top of the knee.
- 05Drive through the heels and mid-foot to stand, keeping the elbows high the whole way up.
- 06Finish standing tall with hips and knees fully extended.
Common faults
- · Elbows dropping, which pulls the chest down and can dump the bar forward.
- · Torso pitching forward and shifting the load off the shoulders.
- · Knees caving inward under load.
- · Losing midline bracing and rounding the lower back out of the bottom.
Scaling & progressions
- · Reduce load to master an upright, elbows-high rack position.
- · Use a cross-arm rack if wrist or shoulder mobility limits the fingertip grip.
- · Perform tempo or pause front squats to build strength in the bottom position.
- · Front squat to a box to reinforce consistent depth.
Coaching tips
- · Keep the elbows pointed forward and high; where the elbows go, the bar follows.
- · You only need enough fingers on the bar to keep it seated on the shoulders, not a crushing grip.
- · Stay tall through the chest and drive the elbows up as you come out of the hole.
Related movements
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