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Barbell · Quads

Front Squat: The Quad-Dominant Squat

Racking the bar across the front of your shoulders forces a more upright torso and shifts more of the work onto your quads. Here is the rack position that holds it there.

· 2 min read

Front Squat demonstration

The front squat trades some of the load a back squat can handle for a more upright torso and a heavier quad emphasis — but only if the rack position holds, which comes down almost entirely to elbow height.

How to do it

  1. 1Rack the bar on your front delts — fingertips under the bar, elbows driven up and forward — high elbows keep the bar from rolling off your shoulders.
  2. 2Stand tall before you start — torso upright, core braced, the same stance width as your regular squat.
  3. 3Sit straight down — a front squat wants a more vertical torso than a back squat — leaning forward drops the bar off your shoulders.
  4. 4Track your knees over your toes — let your knees travel forward as you descend; this is normal with a front squat's upright torso.
  5. 5Drive up through your whole foot — stand up by pushing the floor away, keeping your elbows high the entire way.

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Sets and reps

Most people find grip and wrist mobility, not leg strength, limit load early on — a cross-arm grip is a fine substitute while that mobility develops. 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps once the rack position feels stable.

Common mistakes

  • Dropping the elbows. Elbows falling means the bar rolls forward off your shoulders. Actively drive them up throughout the set, not just at the start.
  • Leaning forward. A forward torso lean is how a front squat becomes a bar drop. Keep your chest tall and your weight centered over midfoot.
  • Forcing a standard grip without the wrist mobility. If your wrists can't comfortably hold the rack position, use a cross-arm grip rather than compromising the rack and the squat both.

Safety note

If wrist or shoulder pain from the rack position doesn't improve with a cross-arm grip, that's worth addressing before loading the bar heavier.

The rack position is the whole exercise. Get comfortable holding the bar with high elbows before you worry about the weight on it.

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