Safety Bar Front Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Position the Safety Squat Bar in the rack at shoulder height.
2. Face the bar and step forward so the padded yoke rests across your front deltoids and clavicle, with the handles pointing forward.
3. Grasp the handles firmly and lift the bar off the rack, taking two small steps back to establish a shoulder-width stance.
4. Set your feet with toes pointed slightly outward and engage your core to stabilize the front-loaded weight.

How to do it

1. Inhale deeply into your belly to create intra-abdominal pressure and begin the descent by sitting your hips straight down between your heels.
2. Lower yourself under control until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your elbows and chest lifted.
3. Drive through your mid-foot to return to the starting position, exhaling forcefully once you pass the midpoint of the ascent.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, typically 2 seconds down and 1 second up, ensuring the bar path remains vertical.

Form checklist

• Keep your torso as vertical as possible to prevent the bar from pulling you forward.
• Ensure your knees track in the same direction as your toes throughout the movement.
• Keep your heels firmly planted on the ground; do not allow them to lift.
• Maintain a proud chest and keep the handles pushed slightly forward to stabilize the yoke.

Pro tips

• Actively pull the handles down or push them away to create 'lat tension,' which helps stabilize your upper back against the forward pull of the bar.
• Focus on 'rooting' your feet into the floor by grabbing the ground with your toes to increase stability and power output.

Make it harder

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

Frequently asked

What muscles does the safety bar front squat work?

The safety bar front squat primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the safety bar front squat?

The safety bar front squat uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the safety bar front squat good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps