Struggling with your barbell front squat? You’re not alone. It can be tough to find the perfect grip for you—and you’ll only get to that point if your core is strong enough to handle the load. But certified strength and conditioning coach Paul Sklar has a movement that’ll destroy your quads without wrecking your wrists or compromising your shoulder health.
The double kettlebell front rack squat is a perfect move for guys who don’t have “enough wrist or shoulder mobility to a barbell front squat,” Sklar writes in an Instagram post showcasing the movement.
You’ll likely need a much lighter load than you might guess. Set your ego aside, “grab some kettlebells and crush your quads and rev up your metabolism,” says Sklar.
Start by cleaning both kettlebells into the front rack position. Adjust your feet to just outside of the hips, with your toes pointed out slightly. Activate your core to keep an upright torso like Sklar does in the video. Next, inhale and sit your hips back into a squat.
As you descend into the bottom of the squat, the weight will try to pull your torso forward. You’ll need to fight the urge to round your back by keeping your core engaged. Gluing your elbows to your side will engage your lats, which can also help.
Hit your comfortable squat depth (likely just below parallel), then drive off your heels and return to the standing position. That’s 1 rep. Sklar recommends doing the following 20-rep sequence unbroken.
While Sklar recommends resting for 30 seconds and repeating for a total of 10 rounds, keep in mind that that’s a lot of volume (200 reps!). So if at any point your upper back looks like the top of coat-hanger or you think Sklar would give your form an F, lower the weight, cut the number of reps, or take extra rest between sets.
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