Front & Overhead Squat

UPRIGHT SQUAT · BOTH PATHS

Why it matters · Operator The front squat builds the upright, braced leg strength that receives a clean and carries a load on the chest; the overhead squat builds the rare full-body mobility and stability to hold a load locked overhead through a deep squat. Both train positions the operator and the athlete need and most lifters neglect.

Why it matters · Longevity The front squat loads the legs heavily with far less shear on the lower back than the back squat, which makes it a joint-friendly way to keep training heavy as the years add up. The overhead squat is among the best mobility-under-load drills there is, preserving the shoulder, hip, and ankle range that age quietly steals.

Form cues

• Front squat: bar racked on the front delts, elbows high, torso tall; squat between the hips
• Keep the elbows up the whole rep so the chest does not collapse forward
• Overhead squat: bar locked out overhead, shoulders active, in a wide-ish grip
• Squat to depth while keeping the bar stacked over the mid-foot and the heels down
• Brace hard and move with control; these reward position over load

Common errors

• Front squat: elbows dropping, pulling the chest down and rounding the back
• Overhead squat: the bar drifting forward as depth increases (keep it stacked, chest up)
• Chasing load on either before the mobility and position are honest

Path A scaling Build the front squat at moderate loads, fixing the rack and elbow height first. Learn the overhead squat with a dowel or empty bar, earning the position before any weight.

Path B scaling Train the front squat heavy to feed the clean, and the overhead squat at moderate loads for strength and mobility. Progress both as position allows; neither is a lift to force.