barbell bench front squat: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell bench front squat

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper chest, just below your collarbone.
Step:2 Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, keeping your elbows up and your upper arms parallel to the ground.
Step:3 Lower your body down into a squat position by bending at the knees and hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.
Step:4 Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Barbell Olympic barbell
Body part: Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Quadriceps
Secondary muscle: Lower back Calves Adductors Abductors Gluteus maximus Gluteus medius

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

Specializing in the development of the quadriceps thanks to marked tension in the low position, the front squat requires more postural stability and mobility than the back squat. This variation combining the box squat and the front squat is a good hypertrophic tool. The position of the bar accentuates the stress on the trunk and limits the load through the technique or the core before the pure strength of the legs. An excellent choice for effectively targeting the thighs, but the bench remains a real limiting factor compared to the classic variation because it causes the movement to 'stop'.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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barbell bench front squat

How to do this exercise

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