Cable Front Squat With V Bar

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Attach a V-bar to the lowest setting of a cable pulley machine.
2. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointed out.
3. Grip the V-bar with both hands and pull it up to chest height, tucking your elbows tight against your ribs.
4. Step back 1-2 feet from the machine to create tension on the cable and establish a stable base.

How to do it

1. Inhale deeply, brace your core, and initiate the movement by sitting your hips back and down.
2. Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your chest upright and the V-bar pinned to your upper chest.
3. Exhale and drive through your mid-foot to return to a standing position, maintaining a controlled 2-1-2 tempo (2 seconds down, 1 second pause, 2 seconds up).
4. Squeeze your glutes and quads at the top of the movement without locking out your knees aggressively.

Form checklist

• Keep your weight distributed through your heels and mid-foot; do not let your heels lift.
• Maintain an upright torso to prevent the cable from pulling your shoulders forward.
• Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not cave inward.
• Keep the V-bar close to your body throughout the entire rep to maintain center of gravity.

Pro tips

• Lean slightly back against the cable's resistance; this allows for a more vertical spine and deeper squat depth than a traditional barbell front squat.
• Focus on 'spreading the floor' with your feet as you rise to maximize glute and hip abductor recruitment.
• Maintain a 'proud chest' cue to keep the thoracic spine extended and the core fully engaged.

Make it harder

• Add a 3-second isometric pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum.
• Perform '1.5 reps' by squatting to the bottom, rising halfway, returning to the bottom, and then standing all the way up.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the cable front squat with v bar work?

The cable front squat with v bar primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the cable front squat with v bar?

The cable front squat with v bar uses cable.

Is the cable front squat with v bar good for beginners?

The cable front squat with v bar is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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