Now, if you don't do Front Squats, this exercise won't make a whole lot of sense to you...

However...

If you do Front Squats, and you find your elbows tip forward due to upper back fatigue and/or weakness during the exercise, you are going to LOVE this one.

Honestly, this is the simplest exercise you can do to directly address that specific weakness in the Front Squat...because it's done in the exact same position, using the exact same muscles, holding the exact same barbell, in the exact same way.

Essentially, you're going to be doing a front raise with the barbell in the racked position of the Front Squat. It's incredibly simple and incredibly effective since it directly addresses the problem we're trying to fix.

You'll see what I mean when I show you the exercise.

First, set up exactly as you would for a regular Front Squat. I recommend using a crossed-arm racking style for this exercise rather than a clean grip due to the mechanics of the exercise. The crossed-arm style will allow you to grip onto and better secure the bar when performing it.

That being said, if you absolutely want to use the clean grip, test it with light weight first. I didn't test it all myself, because I don't have the mobility in the elbows, wrists and triceps to do it properly, so I can't say for sure how it will work or how secure the bar will be. I just know the crossed-arm grip worked perfectly for me.

Once you've unracked the bar and stepped forward, just tilt the upper arms down, lowering your elbows. Keep your back in a vertical position...don't let the bar pull you too far forward out of alignment and don't let the bar slide forward out of the groove of your shoulders. Grip TIGHTLY onto the bar to keep it supported.

Hold this position for a second or two, allowing the load to pull on the muscles of your upper back (thoracic area). This stretch is important for getting the most out of the exercise so don't just immediately change direction out of the bottom. Feel the loading on the upper back musculature.

Now perform a front raise, raising your elbows up as high as you can.

Due to the upward angle of your arms, the bar will want to roll down and choke you a little (i.e. a lot). Hold for a second or two in this position then repeat the movement, lowering your arms back down again.

The full range of motion of this exercise is relatively short (about 30 degrees at the shoulders), but we make up for it in absolute load.

You COULD do a front delt raise with a much greater range of motion...but only with a LOT less weight.

And being honest, there is NO way to replicate the full loading of a heavy barbell across your shoulders with a light weight held further out in front of you, even with a greater range of motion.

You strengthen connective tissue in a completely different way, you activate motor units that wouldn't normally get involved, and you get used to having a heavy load squeezing the air out of you while a bar chokes you out...all the fun things that a Front Squat brings to the table.

So even though the load is set right near the pivot point of the movement and barely moves during the exercise, just the sheer magnitude of the load makes the exercise multiple times more effective than a normal front raise for strengthening the supporting muscles of the upper back for the Front Squat.

In terms of using this exercise, I would recommend doing this one immediately after you're done with Front Squats (or regular squats, if Front Squats aren't in your workout for the day). You'll already have the bar set up exactly where it needs to be.

Perform 1 or 2 sets of 6-8 reps of the exercise.

In terms of loading, the first time you do it, start with about 50% of your normal working weight to get an idea of how it works and feels. You can bump that up pretty much right away (if you feel comfortable) and go right to the same weight you would Front Squat for 5-6 reps.

I went up to 235 lbs on it the first time I tried it (what you see in the pics and video). It was challenging but I felt comfortable with the weight.

Bottom line, this exercise is a GREAT one for directly targeting the upper back weakness and fatigue during the Front Squat that causes your torso to tilt forward during the exercise.

If you want to try this one, I HIGHLY recommend watching the video of it in action. It'll give you the best idea of how to properly perform it.

---

Want More Killer Leg Training Ideas Like This?

Try these 5 awesome leg exercises...

(and yes, you can blame me if you can't walk for two days)