Fysiqal

Squat · Intermediate

Front Squat

Compound squat exercise using barbell, squat rack.
Front Squat demonstration (no audio).
Movement pattern
Squat
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Barbell, Squat rack
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Sagittal

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How to do the Front Squat

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Bar rests on the front delts/collarbone, elbows driven up and forward (high enough that the bar can't roll off), fingertips or a cross-arm grip supporting it lightly.

  1. Keep your elbows up throughout the descent -- as they drop, the bar drifts forward and you lose the upright torso this lift depends on.

  2. Sit down between your heels more than back, since a front-loaded bar punishes forward lean far more than a back squat does.

  3. Drive up keeping the torso as vertical as it was at the bottom.

  4. Don't lock your knees out hard at the top -- stand to full hip/knee extension without slamming into a rigid lockout.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the elbows drop mid-rep, which tips the torso forward and can dump the bar.

  • Treating the wrists/shoulders as fixed and not scaling the grip (cross-arm grip) for someone with limited wrist mobility.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Knee extensionprimary action

    Rectus femoris (prime mover, high emphasis); Vastus lateralis (prime mover, high emphasis); Vastus medialis (prime mover, high emphasis); Vastus intermedius (prime mover, high emphasis)

  • Hip extensionprimary action

    Gluteus maximus (prime mover, moderate emphasis); Biceps femoris long head (synergist, low emphasis); Semimembranosus (synergist, low emphasis); Semitendinosus (synergist, low emphasis); Adductor magnus (synergist, moderate emphasis)

  • Spine extensionsecondary action

    Erector spinae (stabilizer, high emphasis); Multifidus (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Rectus abdominis (stabilizer, high emphasis); Transverse abdominis (stabilizer, high emphasis)

  • Ankle plantarflexionsecondary action

    Soleus (stabilizer, low emphasis); Gastrocnemius (stabilizer, low emphasis)

Related exercises

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From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.