The front squat is a commonly programmed movement in the CrossFit community. It is seen for high repetitions at low loads, low repetitions at high load, and everywhere in between. The front squat is trained to improve core stability, lower body strength, and is the receiving position for the clean in Olympic weightlifting.

Many CrossFit athletes struggle to maintain an upright torso position while performing the front squat. This can be caused by a number of mobility or strength limitations but can be difficult for someone to tease out what exactly is their primary limitation.

In order to maintain the torso in an upright position at the bottom of a front squat, the athlete must have sufficient ankle dorsiflexion, hip and knee flexion, thoracic extension, elbow flexion, wrist extension, and shoulder external rotation. Try the following self-assessment to identify mobility limitations that may be impacting your ability to maintain ideal positions during the front squat.

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