2-KB Front Squat: A Simple Looking Exercise That’s Anything But

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Being a “good” coach and writing effective training programs isn’t about inserting the most demanding or most obnoxious looking exercises for your athletes & clients.

Peruse social media and you’ll inevitably come across any number of fit pros vying for everyone’s attention with elaborate looking exercises ranging from Quasi-isometric deadlifts vs. chains (from a deficit on one leg) to flag-holds with band abduction (think about it).1

I’m being facetious. But I’m not far off from being dead serious.

I’m lame, and could really care less about garnering “likes” by wooing people with circus acts.

 

When I watch some of the things coaches put up on their IG feed or YouTube channel I have to wonder if they think about the following:

1.  What’s the likelihood that 3% of their audience can reproduce a modicum of what they’re viewing?

“Look at me, Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

2. How is said exercise going to help them?

I’m not trying to be a Johnny Raincloud here. I understand that, sometimes, people just want to do shit to do shit.

Great.

Do it.

There doesn’t always have to be a reason or rationale backed up by a Mel Siff quote.

However, too, I feel those who do have an audience and do pride themselves on sharing actionable content (and not just selfies) with the masses, share a responsibility to be practical – more often than not – with the content and information they’re relaying.

Just my two-cents.

Excuse me while I step off my soap-box.

On that note, lets talk about one of my favs.

2-KB Front Squat

I’m not the only coach who’s a fan of this squat variation. Others like Mike Robertson, Artemis Scantalides, Molly Galbraith, and pretty much every coach in the history of ever who’s been affiliated with StrongFirst or RKC certification are fans.

It’s one of my “go-to” squat variations that I use with athletes and general population clients alike for a variety of reasons:

1. It’s un-paralleled with how it helps people learn to appreciate FULL-body tension. The anterior placement of the load forces the core to fire like crazy and helps to promote ideal positioning of the torso:

  • Less rib flair and more of a “canister” position where the pelvis and rib-cage are stacked on top of one another, in addition to the pelvic floor and diaphragm. The abdominals are called into action to resist an excessive arch.

As a result…

  • A more upright torso comes to fruition which helps to offset excessive shearing of the spine. NOTE: this is NOT to insinuate a forward lean is wrong or “bad” when squatting, it’s not. In fact, it’s warranted and needs to happen. However, for a large chunk of people, especially in the beginning stages, it’s more “joint-friendly” to adopt an upright torso, accumulate reps there, and then progress to advanced variations where more forward lean enters the picture.

2. It’s a great way to load someone without crushing them.

To steal a train of thought from Artemis Scantalides:

The double kettlebell front squat allows you to train a decreased load for the same physiological effect. So even though you are not squatting as much weight, because of the asymmetrical shape of the kettlebell, and the placement of the kettlebells in the rack position, you are able to maintain squat strength by training the double kettlebell front squat regularly.

3. It humbles people. Even large humans who can seemingly squat Ohio will find this variation challenging. It doesn’t take much. Two, 24 kg bells will make many huddle in the corner sucking their thumb.

Below is a quick video I shot this AM which goes into slight detail on some of the components of the exercise, namely the set-up, how to transition the bells to the starting position, and basic cuing.

Hope it helps.

Quick-n-Dirty 2 KB Front Squat Tutorial

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  1. Any day now someone’s going to post a video of juggling chain saws on a BOSU ball. Wait for it, wait for it……

Comments for This Entry

  • Megan

    As someone who has been doing these as part of my Tony-generated program for the last few weeks, I can attest that they are no joke! (Also, I think your living room is tilted...)

    May 11, 2017 at 9:26 pm | Reply to this comment

  • Andy

    I've loved these for a long time! As someone who is still learning to be comfortable with a barbell front rack position these really are amazing and such a challenge!!

    May 12, 2017 at 7:21 am | Reply to this comment

  • Obitim

    Cheers Tony, gonna give that a try and alternate with my Barbell front squat! Also, you are a brave guy, making a vid with your baby sleeping in the next room and hoping not to wake him!

    May 15, 2017 at 11:55 pm | Reply to this comment

  • Will Canty

    Great video and article. In the past I have been obsessed with squatting heavy when, in reality, it's far more beneficial to squat "correctly". When I would squat I would have little to no tension in my core. The kettlebell front squat demands this. I can really feel my anterior core contract and I can consciously drive more input to that area as a result of that feedback. Now, having humbled my ego, taken a step back from heavy squats, and focused instead on creating full body tension my back squat has increased. Even my depth and the control I feel I have has improved. I imagine there are a plethora of lifters out there who would benefit by regressing there lifts and retraining muscle recruitment but identify too closely with being "strong" to do it. I know I was one of those. At least my clients are benefiting from this experience. I focus heavily on cueing tension and stiffness such as getting my clients to drag there elbows and squeeze their glutes in a plank. It more than halves the time they can do it for but it's benefits are so much more. Instead of making reps, sets and weight your goal, make whole body tension your goal. Reps, sets and weight should really be markers of one's improvement at creating stiffness. Greater tension, for longer, under greater load equals strength gains. Genuine strength gains. Not 'gains' at the expense of quality motor control and muscle recruitment. Ever wonder why calisthenics makes people super strong? Because, when performed correctly, those exercises train full-body tension! You're the man Tony. I'm actually heading over to buy the complete hip and shoulder blue print after watching CSH pull up. Great stuff!

    July 22, 2017 at 7:54 am | Reply to this comment

    • Tony Author

      Glad to hear this post resonated with you Will. Exercise and working out in general is about having fun and doing thing you enjoy (and don't hurt) as anything else. Sometimes we have to Sparta kick our ego on the chest and tell it to shut up. Thanks for your kind words and I hope you enjoy CSHB.

      July 26, 2017 at 12:15 pm | Reply to this comment

  • One Squat to Rule Them All: The Double Kettlebell Racked Front Squat

    […] Super tutorial on the Double KB Racked Front Squat here from Tony Gentilcore  […]

    December 1, 2017 at 10:33 am | Reply to this comment

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