Well I asked for Front Squats (one of the most effective exercises for targeting the quadriceps while simultaneously strengthening your entire core), and Ben (my loving husband/in-house CrossFit coach) definitely delivered!

Before I share the workout, a bit about front squats and why they’re a must-have movement for a well-rounded training program:

NOTE: The front squat requires balance and should be done carefully, after you’ve perfected air squats and back squats. 

Main Benefits:

1. Targets those quads! The Front Squat targets the quadriceps like no other exercise; they place more emphasis on the quadriceps muscle because the barbell is held in front of you rather than behind.
2. Less Spinal Compression.  The bar is placed in the front of your body, not on the back as in your standard back squat. This small yet major variation takes the hips out of the movement & also increases the difficulty of the exercise, which results in less weight being able to be used. Less weight on the bar = less spinal compression. Bottom line to remember: bar position determines back angle.   NOTE: Try Front Squats if you have lower back issues. Chances are you can do them without problems. 🙂
3.  Less Chance of Bad Form. With a regular squat there are many opportunities for incorrect form (especially with bar placement). Because of the upright stance required when performing a Front Squat, it’s much less forgiving for bad form. If your torso is not erect during the Front Squat, the bar drops to the floor. If you don’t place the bar correctly when doing a Front Squat, the bar drops to the floor.
4. Works the Entire Core. Keeping your torso erect during heavy Front Squats requires a strong core. If you lean forward too much during Back Squats, you are lacking balance, but also probably lacking a strong core. Front Squats can help remedy both situations. They will quickly solve this problem!

Ready for the WOD?!

3 minutes As Many Reps as Possible of  Front Squats at 75% of your 1-rep max weight.

Rest 2 Minutes. Then…

Complete 3 Rounds as fast as you can — always maintaining good form! — of:

• 15 front squats at 65% of your 1-rep max weight
• 10 burpees + jump over parallette (do a burpee beside a parallette, then jump sideways over it and perform burpee on opposite side).
• 5 HEAVY kettlebell swings

My legs were definitely “blown up,” as Ben would say, after this workout. Such a great feeling!

Hope you have fun with it!

Stay fit, stay faithful ~<3 Di