Unrack the loaded barbell and place it on your front side. The bar will be laying on your shoulder and upper chest. Your arms will be crossed and palms gripping the bar as much as possible. Your feet should be at shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing out slightly. This is your starting position.
With your back straight and butt sticking out, squat down all the way until your legs are (at least) at a 90-degree angle (you can go deeper -further down- if you want). Then, push back up all the way until you are in the standing position again.
Finally, repeat the entire movement for the desired or prescribed number of repetitions.
DO
DON'T
Perform this exercise in a smooth and fluid motion
Keep your back straight and head looking forward into the horizon
Don't rush this movement; be in control of the weight at all times
Don't load the bar to heavy; do a warm-up set with the empty barbell first
SPECIAL NOTES & LEVEL of DIFFICULTY VARIATIONS
To increase the level of difficulty, slow down the movement or increase the weight.
This is a great exercise for your legs that is a modification on the regular squat. With the bar at your front, your body's center of gravity will shift. This is why this exercise targets your quadriceps more than your hamstrings. You will need to find the perfect balance for this exercise which means that it may take a few practice reps to find that sweet spot. Therefore, we suggest using the empty bar for a few reps so that you can warm-up and get a feel for the motion and balance.
Also, we should note that some people feel discomfort when they place the bar in the front across the chest and shoulders which is why gym's have molded plastic inserts/pads that you can use to place on the bar to make it more comfortable. However, not every gym will have this which means you just might have to do this barbell front squat exercise the old school way - no padding of any sort!
