Barbell Front Squat

The barbell front squat holds the bar across the front of the shoulders rather than the upper back, which forces the torso to stay much more upright than a back squat. That upright position shifts load towards the quadriceps and demands far more from the upper back, so it usually trains at a lighter weight than a back squat for the same effort.

Targets
Gluteus Maximus
Also works
Adductor Magnus, Soleus
Equipment
Barbell
Level
Intermediate
Start with
4 × 6-8, 90s rest

How to do it

  1. Set the bar at mid-chest height and step under it so it rests on the front of your shoulders, not on your hands.
  2. Take a front rack position: fingers under the bar just outside shoulder width, elbows driven high so your upper arms are close to parallel with the floor.
  3. Stand up to unrack, step back, and set your feet about shoulder width with toes slightly out.
  4. Brace hard, then squat straight down, keeping your torso as upright as you can and letting your knees travel forwards.
  5. Descend to at least parallel, then drive up through your whole foot while keeping the elbows high.

Form cues

  • Elbows up is the whole lift — the moment they drop, the bar rolls forwards and the rep is lost.
  • Let the knees go forwards; restricting them here just tips you into a back squat.
  • Keep the bar resting on the shoulders and the fingers loose underneath, not gripping.

Common mistakes

  • Trying to hold the bar in the hands like a curl. The shoulders carry the bar; the fingers only stop it rolling.
  • Letting the elbows drop as fatigue sets in, which rounds the upper back and dumps the bar forwards.
  • Loading it like a back squat. The front squat is limited by the upper back and the rack position long before the legs run out.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your gluteus maximus is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

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More hips movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.