Dumbbell Front Squat

Also known as: Dumbbell Front Rack Squat

StrengthFunctional

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Body Part: Legs

Description

The front squat with two dumbbells loads the thighs and glutes while the trunk stabilises the weights at shoulder height. Bend your hips and knees to squat between your feet, then push through the whole foot to stand, keeping the front rack steady and using a depth you can control.

How to Perform

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outward. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing each other and your elbows pointing forward.
Brace your core, keep your chest lifted, and maintain a neutral spine. Keep your weight balanced over the middle of your feet.
Begin the squat by bending your knees and sitting your hips down between your feet. Keep the dumbbells close to your shoulders and your elbows lifted.
Lower under control until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, or as low as you can while keeping your heels down, chest up, and back neutral.
Push through your whole feet to stand up. Extend your knees and hips together, keeping your torso tall and the dumbbells steady.
Finish standing tall with your knees and hips fully extended. Repeat for the planned number of repetitions without letting your knees collapse inward or your lower back round.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Exhale through the hardest part of the upward movement.
Choose a load that allows the same range on every repetition.
Use two weights of equal mass to balance the load on both sides.
Pick a point in front of you to help maintain your balance.
Take a breath and reset your position between repetitions.

Common Mistakes

Letting the elbows drop, causing the dumbbells to drift forward and the chest to collapse.
Holding the dumbbells too low or away from the shoulders instead of keeping them close to the front of the body.
Rounding the upper or lower back during the descent.
Letting the knees cave inward instead of tracking them in line with the toes.
Allowing the heels to lift off the floor or shifting too much weight onto the toes.
Dropping too quickly into the bottom position and losing control of the torso.