Buzz
Believe it or not, I used to dislike front squats as well, so don't come at me with any “my wrists hurt” excuses, alright? Front squats are a killer move for your legs and—surprisingly—your back. They translate well to other exercises you might want to tackle in the gym or in everyday life. And trust me, they really don't have to be miserable.
What exactly is a front squat?
When most people picture barbell squats, they likely imagine the version where the barbell rests on their back. For those who do both variations, the term “back squats” is used to differentiate them from front squats, where the barbell is positioned in front of you.
In a front squat, the bar is positioned on your shoulders, right in front of your neck. This requires you to maintain an upright torso while performing the squat. If you were to lean forward in a back squat, it could actually make the exercise slightly easier, as your back and glutes would assist with the effort as your legs begin to fatigue. However, in a front squat, leaning forward causes the bar to slip off your shoulders.
This squat is excellent for (a) targeting your legs, particularly your quads, while preventing your back from compensating too much and (b) engaging your core to help support a significant weight while you remain upright.
Why front squats are beneficial
Consider how many times in daily activities you might need to support a load while maintaining an upright posture. Imagine lifting a child or a large dog, or even bending your knees to force your suitcase into the overhead compartment of an airplane. (The second example is a partial front squat, but practicing front squats will help you build the strength needed to do this.)
Sports that involve holding a heavy weight in a front-squat-like position are numerous. In weightlifting, standing up from a clean movement is essentially the same as a front squat. Likewise, the jerk requires you to dip and drive with your legs while supporting the bar on your shoulders—another movement akin to the front squat.
In strongman training, front squats are often seen as more practical than back squats. They’re great for helping with tasks like loading atlas stones, carrying sandbags, and pushing logs during the press.
How to perform a front squat comfortably
Front squats can be a fantastic addition to your workout routine. However, if you’re not yet accustomed to them, you might be thinking of reasons to avoid them.
The truth is, when done properly, front squats are perfectly manageable. They may not be the most comfortable exercise, but squatting with a barbell on your back isn’t exactly a walk in the park either. If you find front squats difficult or if they cause discomfort in your wrists or neck, consider these tips:
Ensure the bar rests on your shoulders, not your neck or hands.
Push your shoulders forward to create space for the bar behind your deltoids (shoulder muscles) but in front of your neck.
Let your hands come off the bar entirely. Keep them in front of you like a zombie (often called “zombie squats” or “Frankenstein squats”).
Keep your arms parallel to the ground throughout the squat.
When performing a squat, the hardest part comes after you've started to rise from the lowest point. It's at this moment that your body may try to lean forward. Fight this instinct and focus on keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor to maintain proper form.
After mastering the zombie squat, you can progress to holding the bar with your hands. Weightlifters typically use a “clean rack” grip, where the hands are placed outside the shoulders, which mirrors how the bar is held during a clean catch. If you aren't concerned with mastering the clean rack position, you can follow the example of eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman by crossing your hands in front of you. This method adds extra stability but doesn’t require your hands to directly support the bar. Alternatively, using straps for extra grip is another way to mitigate wrist strain, as explained in our post about wrist discomfort in front squats.
One often overlooked advantage of front squats is that once you set the bar in the correct position, it becomes nearly impossible to perform them incorrectly. To successfully lift the weight, just ensure your torso stays upright and your hips remain positioned correctly beneath the bar.
Remember, all it takes to complete a successful front squat is to get your hips under the bar. Once that’s done, just stand up. A helpful trick is to have a friend yell “ELBOWS UP!” whenever you begin to struggle during the movement.
How to incorporate front squats into your workout routine.
For weightlifters, front squats are the primary squat, while back squats are considered the variation. For powerlifters, back squats take the spotlight as the main lift, and front squats are a supplementary exercise. Strongmen, bodybuilders, or anyone focused on strength and general fitness get to choose their focus. If front squats aren’t already part of your routine, try incorporating them (or swapping them in) for one squat session each week.
Apart from bar placement, you may notice that front squats feel more challenging in other ways. Notably, it’s common to front squat with a significantly lighter weight compared to your back squat. A general guideline is that your front squat should be about 85% of your back squat weight. This varies by individual, and the percentage may be lower if you're new to front squatting.
Another distinction is that front squats require your knees to travel past your toes. In back squats, you can either stay more upright, pushing your knees forward, or lean your hips back, keeping your shins vertical and your knees behind your toes. There's no safety concern about where your knees fall in relation to your toes (that’s a long-debunked myth), but you may find tight Achilles tendons preventing you from going below parallel without lifting your heels. To help with this, try wearing weightlifting shoes that have a raised heel, or place your heels on weight plates to raise them.
