Description
A compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups. The user lifts a barbell from the floor to the shoulders, then performs a front squat.
How to Do Barbell Clean grip Front Squat
- 1Setup
Stand with your feet hip-to shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outward. Rack the barbell across your anterior deltoids, using a clean grip with your elbows high and pointing forward.
- 2Setup
Ensure the bar rests securely on your shoulders, not your throat, with only your fingertips under the bar to maintain elevated elbows. Engage your core and maintain a tall, upright chest.
- 3
Initiate the squat by simultaneously bending at your knees and hips, keeping your torso as upright as possible and your elbows continuously high. Descend under control.
- 4
Continue descending until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, or deeper if your mobility allows, ensuring your knees track in line with your toes and your chest remains lifted.
- 5
Drive powerfully through your heels and mid-foot, extending your hips and knees to return to the starting standing position. Exhale forcefully as you ascend.
Tips
- Always keep your elbows pointed forward and high throughout the entire squat, as this helps maintain the barbell's position and ensures an upright torso.
- Actively brace your core as if preparing for a punch before each descent, creating intra-abdominal pressure to support your spine and enhance stability.
- Focus on driving your knees out slightly as you descend to ensure they track over your mid-foot, optimizing hip and knee mechanics and preventing valgus collapse.
- Take a deep, diaphragmatic breath before descending, hold it during the eccentric and bottom phases, and exhale forcefully as you push past the sticking point on the ascent.
Common Mistakes
- ×Allowing elbows to drop or the upper back to round causes the barbell to roll forward, so actively drive your elbows up and maintain a proud, open chest.
- ×Letting knees cave inwards (valgus collapse) during the squat can strain the joints, so consciously push your knees out, tracking them over your toes throughout the movement.
- ×Squatting with insufficient depth limits muscle activation and range of motion, so aim to get your hips below your knees while maintaining excellent form and an upright torso.
Variations
Barbell Pin Front Squat
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