Kettlebell Front Rack Squat

quads, glutes, coreKettlebell

The kettlebell front rack squat is a staple exercise for building your quads, glutes, and core. Racking the weight in front keeps your torso upright and prevents excessive forward lean.

How to do it

1Stand tall with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width, racking the kettlebell at your chest against your front delt and forearm.

2Point your elbow down, keep your chest open, and brace your core tight.

3Squat down by pushing your hips back and bending your knees in line with your toes.

4Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor or slightly below, keeping a flat back.

5Drive through your feet to push the floor away and return to standing using leg power.

Common mistakes

Letting your knees cave inward — puts unwanted stress on your knee joints.

Dropping your elbow and leaning forward — shifts your center of gravity and strains your lower back.

Lifting your heels off the ground — shrinks your base of support and shifts weight onto your toes.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower into the squat, and exhale as you drive back up to standing.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, use a lighter kettlebell or squat to a bench.

To make it harder, add a two-second pause at the bottom of each rep.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.