Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat

In SetGrip: Smith Machine Front Squat (Clean Grip)

Secondary muscles
Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Abs
Body part
Upper Legs
Position
Standing
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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Running a clean-grip front squat on the Smith machine removes the balance problem, so you can drill the high-elbow rack position and upright torso without managing a free bar's path. Set your feet slightly ahead of the rail line and use it to bank quad volume when free-bar stability is the limiting factor.

How to do the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat

  1. Set up the smith machine with the barbell at shoulder height.
  2. Stand facing the barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Step back and position the barbell on your front shoulders, resting it on your collarbone and deltoids.
  5. Keep your chest up, back straight, and core engaged.
  6. Lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair.
  7. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
  8. Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
  9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Screw the feet into the floor and spread it apart to keep the knees out and the arch of the foot from collapsing.

Muscles worked

Primary

Glutes · Legs

The glutes extend the hip on the way up and take more of the load the deeper you go and the wider your stance.

Secondary

  • Quads — The quads extend the knee and drive you out of the bottom, and front squats and close stance variations put more on them.
  • Hamstrings
  • Calves
  • Abs — The abs and obliques brace the trunk under the bar and should feel tight through the whole rep, not just on the way down.

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving inward — push the knees out over the toes on the way up, especially out of the bottom where they most want to collapse.
  • Hips shooting up first — if the hips rise faster than the chest on the way up, you turn the squat into a good morning; drive the chest and hips up together.
  • Cutting the depth — get the hip crease below the top of the knee on every rep unless mobility genuinely stops you, in which case work on it.
  • Losing the brace — take a big breath into the belly before each rep and hold it through the sticking point, then exhale on the way up.

Sets, reps and where it fits

GoalSets × repsRest
Strength4–5 × 3–62–3 min
Muscle growth3–4 × 6–1290–120 s
Endurance2–3 × 12–2060 s

Squats go first in a lower body session when you are freshest. Follow them with Romanian deadlifts or leg press, or superset lighter sets with pull-ups to use the same rack.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

Without smith machine

Easier and harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat work?

The Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings, calves and abs, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.

Is the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat good for beginners?

It is rated intermediate, so it suits people who already train regularly. Beginners can still do the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat with light load and a spotter or coach watching the first few sessions; if it feels awkward, pick an easier variation from the alternatives below first.

What can I do instead of the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat?

If you cannot do the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat, try the Clean Grip Barbell Front Squat, the Barbell Front Squat or the Barbell Front Chest Squat. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.

How many sets and reps should I do?

It depends on your goal. For the Clean Grip Smith Machine Front Squat, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.

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