Front Squat
Squat with the bar resting on the front of your shoulders, emphasizing quads and core.
- Primary muscleQuads
- Also worksGlutes
- EquipmentBarbell and rack
- TypeCompound
- MovementSquat
- LevelIntermediate
- Quads
- Glutes
- Barbell and rack
How to do the Front Squat
4 steps, in the order you do them.
- Rest the bar on your front delts with your elbows high and take it off the rack.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly out.
- Lower with your torso as upright as possible and your elbows up, until your thighs go past parallel.
- Rise by pushing through your whole foot without letting your elbows drop.
Muscles worked
Common Front Squat mistakes
What goes wrong most often when you do the Front Squat, and how to fix it.
Your elbows drop and the bar rolls forward.
Keep your elbows high and forward, with the bar resting on your shoulders and not in your hands.
You grip the bar with a closed fist and your wrists are forced.
Leave only two or three fingers under the bar. If you lack mobility, use the crossed-arm grip.
Your torso leans forward on the way down, like in a back squat.
Lower with your chest up and your knees forward. In the front squat, your torso stays more upright.
Alternatives to the Front Squat
They work the quads with other equipment, including options for training at home.
Sets and reps
This is how Mobbe routines program it. It appears in 10 of the 36 routines.
- Experienced4 × 6–8
- Rest2:30 to 3:00
| Routine | Level | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intermediate Upper-Legs 4 Days | Intermediate | 4 × 6–8 | 3:00 |
| Intermediate PPL 6 Days | Intermediate | 4 × 6–8 | 3:00 |
| Upper-Legs 5 Days | Intermediate | 4 × 6–8 | 2:30 |
| Quad specialization | Intermediate and advanced | 4 × 8–10 | 2:30 |
| PPL 6 days high volume | Advanced | 4 × 5–8 | 3:00 |
| Arnold split 6 days | Advanced | 4 × 6–8 | 3:00 |
| Upper-lower 5 days advanced | Advanced | 4 × 6–8 | 3:00 |
| Upper-lower advanced 6 days | Advanced | 4 × 6–8 | 2:30 |
Rest between sets, in minutes. And 2 more routines in the app.
Log every set and watch your numbers climb.
Mobbe saves every set, shows you your record and builds your full routine. Your first routine is free, with no limits.
Routines that include the Front Squat
- Intermediate Upper-Legs 4 Days4 days · 70 min · IntermediateSee routine →
- Intermediate PPL 6 Days6 days · 70 min · IntermediateSee routine →
- Upper-Legs 5 Days5 days · 65 min · IntermediateSee routine →
More quads exercises
Dumbbell Goblet SquatQuads · Dumbbells and kettlebell
Back SquatQuads · Barbell and rack
Air SquatQuads · Bodyweight
Trap Bar DeadliftQuads · Other
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Front Squat work?
The Front Squat works mainly the quads. It also works the glutes and the core.
How many sets and reps should I do?
In Mobbe routines the most common is 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps with 2 minutes and 45 seconds of rest.
Which routines include the Front Squat?
It appears in 10 of the 36 Mobbe routines, such as Intermediate Upper-Legs 4 Days, Intermediate PPL 6 Days, and Upper-Legs 5 Days.