Legs · Barbell
Barbell Front Squat
How to do the barbell front squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Rack a barbell across your front deltoids and collarbone, elbows driven high to create a shelf. Squat down by sitting your hips back and bending your knees while keeping your torso upright and elbows up, then push through your heels to stand.
- 1Your quads and core working as you sit down and stand
- 2Your elbows staying high and your chest tall
- 3A balanced position over your mid-foot
Common mistakes
- Letting your elbows drop or your chest fall forward
- Allowing your knees to cave inward or heels to lift
- Holding your breath; brace your core between reps
Muscles worked
The barbell front squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Kovo programs the barbell front squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.