- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternSquat
- Reps3 to 10 reps
- Joint loadKnee, Wrist and Lower back
Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders against your throat, fingertips under the bar or arms crossed, elbows high. Stand with feet about shoulder width apart.
First cueKeep the elbows high.
How to do the Front Squat
Set up. Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders against your throat, fingertips under the bar or arms crossed, elbows high. Stand with feet about shoulder width apart.
- Brace and keep your elbows up.
- Squat down between your heels with an upright torso.
- Go as deep as your mobility allows with a flat back.
- Drive up to standing, leading with the elbows.
Form cues
- Keep the elbows high.
- Stay upright.
- Keep the knees tracking over the toes.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the elbows so the bar rolls forward.
- Rounding the upper back.
Take care. Squat inside a rack with the safety pins set, and if a rep fails, push the bar forward off the shoulders onto them.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Front Squat, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Romanian Deadlift Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Front Squat first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Front Squat 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Romanian Deadlift 3 × 6 to 12 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Goblet Squat
Kettlebell
Gym or cable swap
Hack Squat
Machine
Less load on the lower back
Leg Press
From the app's workaround table: less load through a bending spine.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Back Squat.
Other variations of the Back Squat: Hack Squat, Smith Machine Squat, Pause Squat, Belt Squat, Goblet Squat, Leg Press and Box Squat.
Do before it: Wall Slide (shoulder range), Thoracic Rotation (upper back range), Goblet Squat (same movement, lighter) and Front-Rack Kettlebell Squat (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Front Squat is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Front Squat?
Set up: Rest the bar on the front of your shoulders against your throat, fingertips under the bar or arms crossed, elbows high. Stand with feet about shoulder width apart. Steps: 1. Brace and keep your elbows up. 2. Squat down between your heels with an upright torso. 3. Go as deep as your mobility allows with a flat back. 4. Drive up to standing, leading with the elbows. Form cues: Keep the elbows high. Stay upright. Keep the knees tracking over the toes. Common mistakes: Dropping the elbows so the bar rolls forward. Rounding the upper back. Take care: Squat inside a rack with the safety pins set, and if a rep fails, push the bar forward off the shoulders onto them.
What muscles does the Front Squat work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes and abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Front Squat?
At home: Goblet Squat. In a gym: Hack Squat. With less load on the lower back: Leg Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Front Squat with?
Good partners in the same workout are Romanian Deadlift, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Front Squat be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.