Front Squat

This exercise places more emphasis on the Quadricep muscles than the traditional 'back' squat.

Teaching points

• Hold the barbell across the front of your shoulders, with the elbows bent so that the hands hold the bar with the palms facing upwards
  
  
• Keep your torso upright and maintain an arch in the lower back
  
  
• Bend the knees and hips, keeping the heels on the floor
  
  
• Do not allow your knees to move forwards past your toes
  
  
• Squat as low as you are comfortable doing to the point where the thigh is parallel to the floor
  
  
• Straighten the legs back to the starting position

Variations and progressions

• Change your grip on the bar so the arms are crossed and the thumbs are under the bar, if you prefer

Muscles worked

• Rectus Femoris
  
  
• Vastus Medialis
  
  
• Vastus Lateralis
  
  
• Vastus Intermedius

Alternative exercises

• Squat
  
  
• Dead lift

Related injuries

• Quadricep strain
  
  
• Patella tendonitis (jumpers knee)