Legs · Barbell
Barbell Pause Front Squat
How to do the barbell pause 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 delts and collarbone with elbows high. Squat down keeping your torso upright, hold a deliberate pause at the bottom, then drive through your heels to stand back up.
- 1Your quads and upper back working to hold the bottom pause
- 2Elbows driving high to keep your chest tall
- 3A balanced push through your mid-foot out of the hole
Common mistakes
- Letting your elbows drop or chest collapse forward
- Knees caving inward or heels lifting during the pause
- Losing your brace; keep the core tight throughout
Muscles worked
The barbell pause front squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the lower back, upper abs, hamstrings, upper traps, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell pause 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.