How to do the Barbell Front Squat
- Place the barbell across your upper chest and shoulders, lifting your elbows.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly outward, and unrack the bar.
- Bend your knees and hips downward, keeping your elbows up and torso upright.
- Lower until your hips reach at least knee level, then push back up.
- Return to the starting position to complete one repetition.
Full technique — 8 steps
- Set the bar on the front of your shoulders and upper chest with elbows lifted high.
- Take a shoulder-width stance with toes slightly turned out and feet planted evenly.
- Unrack the bar, step back, and let the bar rest on your delts with hands supporting it.
- Take a breath into your stomach, tighten it, and keep your torso upright before descending.
- Bend knees and hips together, sitting straight down while keeping elbows up.
- Lower until your hips reach at least knee level, or deeper if you can stay upright.
- Drive through your whole foot, extend knees and hips, and keep the bar directly over the middle of your foot.
- Stand tall at the top with hips and knees fully extended before the next rep.
Common mistakes
- Elbows dropping at the bottom
- Bar rolling off shoulders
- Hips shooting up first
- Knees collapsing inward
- Cutting depth high
Form cues
- Elbows high throughout
- Sit straight down
- Tighten stomach each rep
- Keep bar on delts
- Drive through whole foot
