Front Squat is a weightlifting movement on Fiz. Squat with barbell on front of shoulders. Primary muscles: quads, glutes. Scored by reps + weight. Featured in 10RM Front Squat, 1RM Front Squat, 3RM Front Squat, 5RM Front Squat, Front-Rack Doubles, Front-Rack Eighty-Five, Front-Rack Fives, Front-Rack Fours, Front-Rack Ninety, Front-Rack Ninety-Five, Front-Rack Sixes, Front-Rack Triple Digits.
Weightlifting

Front Squat

Squat with barbell on front of shoulders

Category
Weightliftingloaded barbell and dumbbell work
Logged as
Reps, Weight (kg)
Primary muscles
Quads, glutes
Secondary
Hamstrings, core, upper back
Appears in
10RM Front Squat, 1RM Front Squat, 3RM Front Squat and 9 other workouts on Fiz

How to do a front squat

3 steps
  1. Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders with your elbows high and your fingertips under it.
  2. Keep your torso as upright as you can and descend between your hips.
  3. Reach full depth with the elbows still up, then drive straight back up.

What counts as a rep

Movement standard
  • Depth is judged as it is in any squat, hip crease under the top of the knee. The upright torso usually makes it easier to reach here than under a back squat.
  • The bar stays racked on the shoulders. A bar that rolls onto the arms is not a front squat.

Common faults

2 faults

The elbows drop on the way up and the bar rolls forward off the shoulders.

FixFight to keep the elbows up as you stand. The rack position fails before the legs do in most missed front squats.

Leaning forward at the bottom, which pulls the bar away from the middle of the foot.

FixStay tall and think about your sternum rising first. A front squat that leans is a front squat you are about to drop.

Scaling ladder

2 harder, 2 easier
Overhead SquatSquat with barbell overhead Back SquatSquat with barbell on back
Front SquatWorks quads, glutes
Goblet SquatSquat holding dumbbell or kettlebell at chest Air SquatBodyweight squat

Workouts using the front squat

12 on Fiz
10RM Front SquatMax 1RM Front SquatMax 3RM Front SquatMax 5RM Front SquatMax Front-Rack DoublesSets Front-Rack Eighty-FiveSets
Show all 12 workouts Front-Rack FivesSets Front-Rack FoursSets Front-Rack NinetySets Front-Rack Ninety-FiveSets Front-Rack SixesSets Front-Rack Triple DigitsSets

Frequently asked

5 answers
What muscles does the Front Squat work?
Front Squat primarily works quads, glutes, with secondary engagement of hamstrings, core, upper back.
How do you do a Front Squat?
Rack the bar across the front of your shoulders with your elbows high and your fingertips under it. Keep your torso as upright as you can and descend between your hips. Reach full depth with the elbows still up, then drive straight back up.
What counts as a rep on the Front Squat?
Depth is judged as it is in any squat, hip crease under the top of the knee. The upright torso usually makes it easier to reach here than under a back squat. The bar stays racked on the shoulders. A bar that rolls onto the arms is not a front squat.
What's an easier alternative to the Front Squat?
Scale it to Goblet Squat or Air Squat.
What's a harder progression from the Front Squat?
Progress to Overhead Squat or Back Squat once the Front Squat is comfortable.
Weightlifting movementsThe other 92 entries in this category The full movement library221 movements, with muscles worked and scaling both ways Log the front squat in FizFree on iOS and Android