Learn How to Do Front Squats to Fire up Your Quads and Power Up Your Core

Front squats are undoubtedly one of the best components in your muscle-building toolbox and neglecting to add them in your programme could leave you missing out on many of the benefits. As a compound movement, they ignite multiple muscle groups and deliver tremendous bang for your buck in just one move. You will see them in many functional training plans and bodybuilding programmes alike due to their impressive list of advantages and variations.

Here, we cover the muscles worked, the benefits, how to do the front squat, the different front squat grips, the easy mistakes, variations, workouts and how to improve your mobility to nail the technique. Grab a barbell and let's get going shall we?

The Muscles Worked in the Front Squat

The front squat hits all the major muscles, primarily in the lower body:

• Quadriceps: Evidence is mixed however it is thought that the quads are the main mover in the front squat, with some research showing more activation of the quads in comparison to back squats due to their upright torso position.

• Glutes: The glutes help power the lower portion of the front squat.

• Spinal erectors: The spinal erectors are responsible for keeping your back upright and straight during the front squat.

• Core: Front squats make you brace your core due to the front loading and the additional work this causes.

• Shoulders: Holding the bar in the front rack position means that your delts will be firing to keep the bar high.

Benefits of the Front Squat

Leg Hypertrophy

Exercises like front squats increase the size of your wheels. Using progressive overload (increasing weight, reps, sets, etc) effectively, will result in massive muscle-building gains. Choosing not to swerve leg day will not only benefit your athletic performance, but build a more balanced physique, too.

Great for Beginners

Front squats are the preferential beginner's barbell exercise in comparison to back squats. This is because they allow a deeper squat for those with less mobility and helps maintain an upright torso. This means it is far easier to keep technique as fatigue starts to kick in.

Increased Testosterone

Training legs using exercises like front squats use multiple muscle groups, which will result in higher spikes in intensity and therefore testosterone in comparison to isolation exercises that work fewer muscles. Research states that this is ideal for muscle building due to the increase in muscle protein synthesis. According to trainer Jeff Cavalier, 'The more muscles that participate in a particular exercise, the higher the intensity that exercise becomes, and the more of an increase we see in testosterone.'

Improved Posture

According to trainer Tony Gentilcore, 'Front squats nudge people into more thoracic extension which is going to be a game changer in terms of helping to improve posture. As you descend closer to the ground you have to 'fight' to keep from folding over. If you don’t maintain thoracic extension the barbell rolls off your shoulders.'

For the front squat, a locked upright torso is highly important to keep the bar in place, which has carryover in your day to day life. Research suggests that being aware of your habitual posture can improve symptoms of chronic pain. According to a 2018 study, 'self-reported postural awareness is associated with clinical symptoms in chronic pain patients and improvements in postural awareness are longitudinally associated with reduced pain in patients with spinal/shoulder pain.'

Exercises like front squats that bring an awareness to posture could actually reduce our chronic pain symptoms.

Improved Bone Health

Resistance exercise, like front squats, have a range of benefits for bone health, especially as we age. According to evidence, due to increased bone strength through mechanical loading, 'exercise training, especially resistance exercise, is important for the maintenance of musculoskeletal health in an ageing society. Based on the available information, resistance exercise, either alone or in combination with other interventions, may be the most optimal strategy to improve the muscle and bone mass.'

How to Do Front Squats

1. In the squat rack, set the bar up to be mid shoulder height and bend the knees to set the hips under the bar. The bar will be under your chin, by the clavicle.

2. Take your thumbs to the outside of your shoulders, this is where your grip will be on the bar.

3. Pull your elbows out and forward under the bar.

4. Straighten the legs and unrack the bar, take some small steps back.

5. Lock your core and keep your chest proud with the elbows in line with your shoulders.

6. Keep the barbell over your mid foot and sink your hips into a squat with your thighs hitting parallel or lower.

7. Explosively drive through the floor to push yourself back to standing.

Front Squat Mistakes

To get the most out of your front squats, try to avoid these mistakes:

• Letting the bar pull you forward. Try to focus on keeping your chest open and lifted with the core locked.

• Your elbows dropping towards your waist. Keep them nice and high.

• The knees coming out of alignment with the feet and caving inwards. Try to keep them in line with your feet by focussing on pushing onto the outside of your trainers.

How to Use Straps to Help Your Front Squat Grip

Many people who lack wrist mobility may struggle with the front squat. Lifting straps will help strengthen wrists, here's how to best use them:

1. Wrap the straps around the bar and through the loop to secure at shoulder width apart.

2. Pull your elbows forward under the bar and grab onto the straps.

3. Straighten the legs and unrack the bar, take some small steps back ready to squat.

How Many Reps, Sets and Which Weight Is Best?

If you want to find out what weight to load up the barbell with, get to know the RPE scale. Firstly, pick a weight you can comfortably complete 10 reps. At the end of the set, judge where you are on the RPE scale:

After gauging where you are on the scale, you can adjust the weight from there. Ideally, for muscle and strength gain, it's important to be sitting at around an 8 out of 10 exertion to see the results you want. As a general rule of thumb, for hypertrophy (building muscle) 4 sets of 6-12 reps should be sufficient.

Best Front Squat Variations

Sandbag Front Squats

Pick up the sandbag from either end and lift it in front of your chest with your elbows up. Squat down until the crease of your hip passes your knee before returning to standing. Maintain an upright posture and tight grip on the bag throughout.

Dumbbell Goblet Squat

Keeping your dumbbell close to your chest. Sink your hips back and descend into a squat. Your elbows should come in between your knees at the bottom. Drive back up, tensing your glutes at the top.

Dual Front Rack Squat

Clean a set of dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders. From here, drop into a front squat, until your thighs pass parallel to the ground, before driving back up. Keep upright, keeping your core tight throughout.

Front Rack Carry

Hold the barbell in the front position, knuckles almost grazing your chin. Walk forward with purpose: head and chest up, eyes forward. Try to ensure you walk in a straight line and avoid lateral movement as much as possible.

Best Front Squat Workouts

There's one thing knowing how to do the front squat, it's another incorporating them into your workout routines. Luckily, we have ten workouts that centre around front squats that will upgrade any leg day routine.

1. This Strongman-Inspired Leg Day Packs a Quad-Building Punch in Just 30 Minutes

2. Use This Old School Technique to Build Serious Leg Mass

3. 'Quad-Killing' 15 Minute Dumbbell Leg Workout

4. Two Dumbbells,15 Minutes and 115 Reps Are All You Need for Serious Leg Day Gains

5. The Hyrox Workout Simulation You Can Do in Any Gym

Front Squats Vs Back Squats: Which One Should I Do?

It depends on your goals, biomechanics, training history and preferences.

While back squats target the posterior chain muscles (back of your body) a little more and front squats the anterior chain muscles (front of your body), evidence has found similar muscle activity between the two exercises.

Back squats allow you to increase load slightly more than front squats and aren't so reliant on wrist mobility. However, front squats are easier on the lower back and ankle mobility than back squats.

Evidence suggests that the front squat may be preferred to the back squat for knee extensor development and for preventing possible lumbar injuries during maximum loading.

The general progression for beginners learning to squat would be to try goblet squats, dual front rack squats, front rack barbell squats and then barbell back squats. However, everyone is different, do what is right for you and your goals.

To summarise, the main differences between front squats and back squats are:

• The front squat places the bar in front of the neck on the shoulders, while the back squat positions it behind the neck on the traps or rear delts.

• The front squat requires a more upright torso, whereas the back squat allows for a slight forward lean.

• The front squat emphasises the quads, core, and upper back, while the back squat targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back with quad engagement.

• The front squat demands greater wrist, shoulder, thoracic spine, and ankle mobility, whereas the back squat requires more hip, knee, and ankle flexibility but less upper body mobility.

• The front squat typically uses lighter weights due to core and mobility demands, while the back squat allows for heavier loads due to posterior chain support.

• The front squat is easier on the lower back, whereas the back squat can place more strain on it.

• The front squat is safer to fail as the bar can be dropped forward, while the back squat tends to require a spotter or practiced failing technique.

Why Front Squats Are so Hard?

Front squats are particularly challenging for some, due to the position of the bar. To keep the bar in place you require more core, back and shoulder strength in comparison to the back squat. You may also find a large demand on wrist and upper back mobility to ensure your elbows and chest stay lifted. If that wasn't enough, the bar path needs to stay fairly fixed, to avoid you leaning too far forward or back, and then dropping the bar.

Due to these reasons, you may find front squats a little harder than the back squat, and you may find you need to lift a lighter weight in comparison to what you're used to. If you are still finding barbell front squats particularly challenging, try dumbbell front squats and focus on building the required strength and mobility.

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