Bulgarian Split Squat
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Position yourself into a staggered stance with the rear foot elevated and front foot forward.
- 2Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang at the sides. This will be your starting position.
- 3Begin by descending, flexing your knee and hip to lower your body down. Maintain good posture througout the movement. Keep the front knee in line with the foot as you perform the exercise.
- 4At the bottom of the movement, drive through the heel to extend the knee and hip to return to the starting position.
About Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a single-leg lunge where the rear foot rests on a bench, shifting almost all the load onto the front leg. Done with dumbbells, it strongly isolates the front-leg quadriceps while recruiting the glutes and hamstrings, even more so if you lean the torso slightly. Its off-balance work develops hip and ankle stability and fixes asymmetries between the two legs. Descend well, front knee tracking over the foot, without the rear knee slamming the floor. It is a demanding but formidably effective exercise for complete thighs.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleCorrects strength imbalances between the right and left legs
- check_circleHeavily works quadriceps and glutes with moderate loading
- check_circleImproves balance and hip stability
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbSet the front foot far enough to keep the knee stacked over the ankle
- lightbulbLower until the front thigh reaches parallel to the floor
- lightbulbKeep a slight forward lean to emphasize the glutes
- lightbulbDrive up through the front heel to stand
warningCommon mistakes
- warningPlacing the front foot too close, pushing the knee too far forward
- warningShifting weight onto the rear foot instead of the front leg
- warningLetting the front knee cave inward
- warningBouncing at the bottom instead of controlling the descent
helpFrequently asked questions
Is the Bulgarian split squat better than a regular lunge?expand_more
It isolates the front leg better and increases range of motion, recruiting more quads and glutes, but it demands more balance.
How high should the bench be?expand_more
Knee height (roughly 40-50 cm) suits most people; too high strains the rear-foot hip.
How do I target the glutes more in the Bulgarian split squat?expand_more
Lean the torso slightly forward, move the front foot a bit further out and chase the glute stretch at the bottom. A more upright torso and a foot placed further back emphasise the quadriceps instead.
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