Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Health & Fitness
  3. Evergreens

A guide to front squats: The do’s and don’ts you need to know

Front squat benefits, variations, and more

By
red weights Athletic man having workout and bodybuilding with barbells weight front squat setting style in gym and fitness club in dark tone
Mongkolchon Akesin / Shutterstock

Many gym enthusiasts love leg day. It is notorious for its grueling demands and rewarding results. An excellent example of a leg day exercise is the front squat. This simple exercise engages muscles in the lower limbs, giving the body much-needed strength and stability. It is one of the best quad workouts that you can do easily.

Although most people use the barbell to perform the front squat, other equipment can be used when performing its variations. It is time to dive in!

Recommended Videos

What muscles do front squats target?

Man doing front squats
Syda Productions / Adobe Stock

Front squats target the muscles in the lower limbs, especially the quadriceps, glutes, hips, and upper back. This includes the trapezius and anterior deltoids. The barbell is a front-loaded weight, so front squats target the core. 

What are the benefits of front squats?

Man doing front squats
Blackday / Adobe Stock

Enhanced muscle growth and development

Front squats target muscles like the quadriceps by moving the load across the joints. Repeating these movements enhances muscle growth and development as muscles gain more mass. 

Enhanced core strength

The core includes muscles that help stabilize the spine and pelvic areas. Due to its front-loaded position, the front squat requires engagement and stabilization of the core muscles. Consistency with this exercise will build core strength and make maintaining correct body posture easier.

Balanced leg development

Front squats target the lower body muscles and promote balanced leg development. The quads, hamstrings, and glutes are targeted during the front squat, contributing to greater lower body strength. Balanced leg development makes for enhanced athletic performance and versatility in training, as you can incorporate front squats into various workout routines. 

How to do front squats correctly

Man doing front squats.
Cavan Images - Offset / Shutterstock
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to ensure a balanced stance. Point your toes slightly outward for better balance and ensure your weight is evenly distributed across the mid feet.
  2. Place the barbell close to the base of your neck, across the front part of your deltoid muscles.
  3. Get a good grip on your barbell. The following are grip variations you can use for an effective front squat
    • Clean grip: Your hands should be a bit wider than shoulder width, and the barbell should be in front of your shoulders. Flex your wrists, and hold the barbell with your fingertips, keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor.
    • Cross grip: With your arms crossed, place your fingers at the front of your shoulders and hold your barbell. Remember to elevate your elbows so that your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
    • Clean grip with straps: Attach a lifting strap to the barbell. Then, with your hands shoulder-width apart, grip the strap instead of the bar. Again, keep your elbows high and parallel to the floor.
  4. Keep your chest up and engage your core, then begin to squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. Keep your back straight to maintain an upright torso.
  5. Lower down until your thighs are parallel to the floor; if flexibility allows, you can go lower.
  6. Push through the heels to return to the starting position. Maintain your elbow and chest position throughout the movement for optimal barbell positioning.

Front squat variations

Young males doing squats with weights at the gym
Ground Picture / Shutterstock

You can perform front squats using a variety of equipment. The following are some front squat variations.

Kettlebell front squat

This full-body exercise uses one or two kettlebells (e.g., a single or double kettlebell front squat). This front squat variation effectively engages the legs and glutes. It also challenges the core and arms, as you must hold the kettlebell up in front of you throughout the movement.

Dumbbell front squat

The dumbbell front squat is a simple yet effective dumbbell exercise using front squat motions. It involves using the dumbbell as a weight instead of a barbell, making it more accessible for those exercising at home.

Smith machine front squat

This is a compound exercise in which you perform the front squat using the Smith machine. To do so, you position yourself under the bar of the Smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Ensure the bar is on your front shoulders. Then, hold the bar and squat, aligning your knees with your toes. 

Things to avoid while doing front squats

Man doing front squats.
dusanpetkovic1 / Adobe Stock

It’s not out of place to make mistakes while doing front squats. Therefore, try to avoid the following for effective results: 

  • Avoid letting your chest collapse: Keep your chest up and your shoulders back while going through the front squat motions.
  • Avoid allowing your elbows to drop: Ensure that your elbows are high and pointed forward. This helps keep the barbell or weight in the proper position and to avoid leaning your torso forward.
  • Avoid wrong foot placement: Good foot placement ensures that you maintain proper body form as you squat. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly. Your stance should not be too narrow or too wide.
  • Avoid rounding your back: Ensure that your spine remains neutral throughout the squat, as rounding your back can cause strain and injury.
  • Avoid shifting your weight to your toes: Distribute your weight equally across your feet or slightly more on your heels to maintain balance and unburden your knees.
  • Avoid high squats: Be sure to come down low enough as you squat. Ideally, your thighs should be parallel to the ground to boost the effectiveness of your exercise.
  • Avoid caving your knees in: Ensure your knees do not collapse inward as you exercise. Instead, they should track over your toes. This ensures proper muscle engagement and prevents injuries.
  • Avoid holding your breath: Proper breathing techniques will help you exercise better, and you don’t want to limit your oxygen consumption during intense lifts.
  • Avoid an incorrect grip: Keep the barbell or weight in place by using a secure grip to keep it from slipping.

Frequently asked questions

Man doing front squats.
Baranq / Adobe Stock

What is the point of front squats?

The point of front squats is to increase the muscle mass of the lower limbs, especially the quadriceps. The exercise also helps you gain power and strength in the lower body.

Why are front squats more difficult?

Front squats are usually considered more difficult because they require core strength, good balance, and coordination. They also require some level of wrist and shoulder mobility, which can be quite tasking for some people.

What is the difference between a front squat and a barbell squat?

In the front squat, you place the barbell on the front of your shoulders. This puts more focus on your quadriceps. The barbell squat requires you to place the barbell on your upper back, and it can have more emphasis on the glutes and hamstrings, depending on foot placement.

Christine VanDoren
Christine VanDoren
Contributor
Christine is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist with an undergraduate degree from Missouri State University. Her…
Topics
Tired of shaky workouts? Meet the MERACH UltraWalk W60 Plus – a walking pad built to last
Animal, Canine, Dog

Finding time to exercise is hard enough. The last thing you need is fitness equipment that feels unstable, sounds like it's about to fall apart, or struggles to keep up with your pace. Yet that's exactly what many budget walking pads deliver. Lightweight frames, noisy motors, and limited performance often turn what should be an enjoyable workout into a frustrating experience.

The MERACH UltraWalk W60 Plus aims to change that. Instead of simply offering another compact walking pad, MERACH has built a treadmill-grade under-desk fitness machine designed for long-term reliability, stability, and everyday convenience. Whether you're walking while working, squeezing in a quick cardio session, or looking to stay active without leaving home, the W60 Plus is engineered to make movement feel effortless.

Read more
From wheelchair to walking: The power of mindset, movement, and never giving up
Sometimes it's the hardest roads that lead us to a deeper sense of purpose
Steph Zee Christmas Secret Music Video Steph Green

I never expected I'd have to learn how to walk again. That journey took me from writing for doctors and magazines to spending thousands of hours researching health and autoimmune disease. When we have excellent health, many of us don’t give it much thought until those sneaky symptoms start to show, and one day it all comes crashing down. Now, our health becomes one of the most important priorities. When we feel good, we can be more productive and chase our dreams. When our health declines and we don’t feel so good, one of our biggest dreams is just to feel better. 

I became a health writer 12 years ago, shortly after graduating with my creative writing degree and getting a diagnosis of the autoimmune bone condition, ankylosing spondylitis. In an effort to improve my health, stay mobile, and help prevent my bones from calcifying and fusing, I spent thousands of hours studying everything from nutrition and naturopathy to conventional medicine and holistic healing. I heard this somewhere, so I can’t take credit, but I like to say I went to “save my ass university”, because pain and illness are some of the biggest motivators.

Read more
I tried Magic Mind for a month and here is what happened to my productivity
Does Magic Mind really help with your productivity or is it just another buzz.
Furniture, Business Card, Paper

I am proudly an all-brown beverage man. I say it often: I am coffee in the morning, bourbon in the evening, and Pepsi/Coke in between. I know what you're thinking: What about water? Well, all of those are mostly water. And who wants to drink the same thing they bathe in? That sounds gross. All jokes aside, the coffee addiction is real, and I am not alone. Who thinks they can truly conquer a day without a hard shot of caffeine? I would get it in an IV if it were feasible to do on the subway instead of a cup to go. But that doesn't have to be the only way you develop your productivity. Instead, you can look to the more natural and healthy methods to maintain and increase your effectiveness. I got my hands on some Magic Mind recently, one of the many different products that claim to elevate brain health, increase mental performance, and, of course, replace the coffee without losing the energy boost. But does it work?

The scientific hoolah

Read more