Legs · Squat Rack
Front Squat
How to do the front squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Squat Rack
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Rest a barbell on your front deltoids and collarbone. Perform a squat while keeping your elbows high and torso upright.
- 1Rack the bar on your shoulders and sit down, keeping your elbows high; you should feel your quads and core working
- 2Keep your chest up and drive your knees out so you feel balanced over your mid-foot
- 3At the bottom, maintain tension and push through your heels to stand back up
Common mistakes
- Don't let your elbows drop or your chest fall forward, this can cause rounding
- Avoid allowing your knees to cave inward or heels to lift
- Don't lose your breath; brace your core and breathe between reps
Muscles worked
The 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
Front Squat strength standards
See how your front squat ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM130 lb
Silvere1RM182.5 lb
Golde1RM247.5 lb
Platinume1RM312.5 lb
Diamonde1RM347.5 lb
Champione1RM380 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the 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 April 2026.