Front Squat (Clean Grip)

How to do the Front Squat (Clean Grip)

1. To begin, first set the bar in a rack slightly below shoulder level. Rest the bar on top of the deltoids, pushing into the clavicles, and lightly touching the throat. Your hands should be in a clean grip, touching the bar only with your fingers to help keep it in position.
2. Lift the bar off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head and elbows up at all times. This will be your starting position.
3. Bend at the knees, sitting down between your legs. Continue down until your hamstrings are on your calves. Keep your knees aligned with your feet by consciously using your abductors to push your knees out as you squat.
4. Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor mainly with the heel or middle of your foot as you straighten the legs again and return to the starting position.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	abs, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Plie Dumbbell Squat Dumbbell Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Dumbbell Lunges Dumbbell

Easier than the Front Squat (Clean Grip)

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Plie Dumbbell Squat beginner · Dumbbell Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Front Squat (Clean Grip)

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Box Squat with Bands expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell

Superset the Front Squat (Clean Grip) with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Power Clean hamstrings Romanian Deadlift hamstrings Snatch Pull hamstrings Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Front Squat (Clean Grip) work?

The Front Squat (Clean Grip) primarily works the quads, with the abs, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Plie Dumbbell Squat, Barbell Full Squat, and Barbell Lunge train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Front Squat (Clean Grip)?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Bodyweight Squat, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, and Freehand Jump Squat train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Front Squat (Clean Grip) suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Plie Dumbbell Squat, Barbell Squat, and Barbell Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Front Squat (Clean Grip) go in a workout?

Early — the Front Squat (Clean Grip) is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Power Clean and Romanian Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Plie Dumbbell Squat Dumbbell Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell