barbell clean-grip front squat: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell clean-grip 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, with your elbows pointing forward.
Step:2 Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, as if you are sitting back into a chair.
Step:3 Keep your chest up and your back straight as you lower down, making sure your knees do not go past your toes.
Step:4 Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
Step:5 Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Barbell Olympic barbell
Body part: Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Quadriceps Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscle: Lower back Adductors Abductors Gluteus medius Rectus abdominis Internal obliques External obliques

Hypertrophy grade

Very good9 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The front squat is the “king” of functional isolation for the quadriceps. Unlike the classic back squat, the bar rests on the front of your shoulders (on the front deltoids). This position shifts the center of gravity forward, which forces you to maintain a perfectly vertical torso. It intensely engages your core and upper back to prevent the bar from pulling you forward, while placing massive strain on the thighs.

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 clean-grip front squat

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