Barbell Front Squat

Setup

• Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders, resting on the delts against the throat.
• Use a clean grip with fingers under the bar, or cross the arms — either way the elbows stay high.
• Stand shoulder-width with toes slightly out.

Execution

1. 1.Brace hard; the front rack punishes a loose trunk more than a back squat does.
2. 2.Sit straight down, keeping the torso as upright as you can.
3. 3.Descend until the hips drop below the knees or until the elbows start to fall.
4. 4.Drive up, keeping the elbows pointed forward the whole way.

Breathing

Big breath at the top, hold through the rep, exhale at lockout.

Form cues

• Elbows up — the rack collapses the moment they drop.
• Stay upright; this is a more vertical torso than a back squat.
• Weight through mid-foot.
• Keep the bar in contact with the shoulders, not the hands.

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows drop, which rounds the upper back and dumps the bar.
• Gripping the bar with the hands instead of resting it on the shoulders.
• Leaning forward out of the bottom.