7 Front Squat Benefits

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By Alex
Last updated on

Check out all the front squat benefits in the list below to see if it’s an exercise that can help you achieve your goals…

…If you decide you want to do this exercise, read up on how to front squat to learn the proper form before including it in your routine. In doing so, you’re able to maximize the benefits of front squats.

  1. Bigger and Stronger Quadriceps. Front squats place even more of a focus on your quadriceps than back squats do, and they are great for sculpting those large muscles. Even more importantly though, they make them stronger and more powerful.
  2. Less Back Strain. Compared to back squats, your torso is much closer to vertical during this exercise. Since the dynamics of the technique changes in this manner, the end result is much less pressure on the lower back. Therefore, front squats are generally safer to perform than standard squats and carry less chance of injury to the back.
  3. Better Thoracic Extension. The front squat teaches you to keep your chest up and extend/arch your thoracic spine (upper back). If you didn’t, you would have to dump the weight. Poor thoracic mobility is very common, so it is good to do exercises that enhance it. See this video for more on this topic.
  4. Complements Olympic Style Lifts. Assuming you do front squats with the clean grip (as opposed to the cross-arm grip), you develop your wrist and finger flexibility. This helps on Olympic lifts such as the power clean. Additionally, front squats require lots of core stability, which is also needed for Olympic style lifts.
  5. Squat Deeper on High Bar Squats. You are able to squat so deep on the front squat because it requires neutral pelvic alignment and a very upright torso. This body position and movement pattern is transferable to high bar back squats.
  6. 6 Pack Abs! Okay, maybe this lift won’t make shredded abs by itself. But it does provide the benefit of an intense abdominals workout, since your abs must work to balance the weight and maintain an upright torso. The difference in your core strength will be quite apparent after several training sessions.
  7. Drop the Bar. In the case where the load is too heavy and you’re stuck between reps, it’s very easy to drop the weights safely in front of you and get out of the way. It’s a whole different story, though, with back squats.
Alex from King of the Gym
Author
Hey! My name is Alex and I'm the founder and author of King of the Gym. I've been lifting weights seriously since 2005 in high school when I started a home gym in my parents' basement. I started writing about fitness in 2009. Then, in 2014, I got into writing home gym equipment reviews and I haven't looked back. My current home gym is in my own house and it's constantly growing and evolving. My goal is to help you build the home gym of your dreams! Read more about me here.

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