Position the bar at shoulder height, get underneath and unhook it, then complete the movement. We'll go over 45 options to help you change things up, regardless of your fitness level. Once youve reached the bottom of the split squat, reverse the motion by driving your working leg down into the floor. At any given point of the movement, you should be able to "shake" your back leg to ensure it's still loose and not engaged in supporting your weight. Incorporate a few reps of the Bulgarian split squat into your training plan, and it won't be long before you can have well-toned glutes, quads, and hamstrings. The Bulgarian split squat is, bar none, one of the best overall leg exercises on the market. Any exercise that demands you suspend yourself on one leg poses a stability demand. The Bulgarian split squat isnt exclusively meant to train your balance, but its one of the exercises biggest selling points. Heres a short overview of the major muscles that contribute to the barbell Bulgarian split squat. Remember, this isn't the same as a lunge where the back leg is also engaged in the exercise. So play with position; there is not one exact way to do this movement.. Holding a heavy dumbbell (or two) during your split squats works wonders if you dont have access to a barbell. The Bulgarian split squat is, bar none, one of the best overall leg exercises on the market. This frees you up to focus entirely on taking your muscles to, or beyond, failure. This position will also require you to lean forward and stretch your groin. Being short on time is no reason to skip leg day, but it may cause you to tell yourself oh, Ill just do abs at home easier said than done. Coachs Tip: Fix your gaze on a point several feet away from you, close to the floor, to help maintain your balance as you move. During this portion of the rep, they assist your glute medius and other hip muscles to help you balance and keep your knee in the right position. A Push-Pull Leg Workout to Even Out Muscle Imbalances Expand Your Knowledge What is the Bulgarian Split Squat? Get in touch: How to Do Split Squats - WebMD If you have exceptionally poor balance but still want to perform a single-legged squat, you should consider grabbing a resistance band to kill two birds with one stone. Do the Bulgarian Split Squat for Brutal Leg Gains - BarBend That added pelvic stability should carry over to other two-legged exercises as well. You should, at first, aim for a happy medium between these two extremes. The one rear foot is elevated on a bench while completing the squat. What Muscles Do Bulgarian Split Squats Work - Fitness Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat. Heel elevated Bulgarian split squats 6. Attacking aspects of your athleticism that arent covered by your sport will keep your workouts fresh, fun, and diverse. Select options How to do Bulgarian Split Squat - Form, Muscles Worked and Alternatives by RitFit Sports on Feb 01, 2023 0 comments We all know how significant the lower body muscles are for strength, posture, and movements. You shouldnt be trying to do Bulgarian split squats before youve mastered a regular split squat, a back or front lunge, a step-up, and even walking lunges, Summers says. For instance, if youre new to exercise, and are considering whether to do a split squat versus a lunge, you may want to hold off on Bulgarian split squats until you are able to do lunge variations with proper form. Your brain will thank you in the present and the future. Due to the compound, balance-focused nature of the movement, it's a good idea to include it toward the beginning of a workout, perhaps after a solid warmup and a few compound exercises that provide a bilateral focus, such as traditional squats, Romanian deadlifts, or barbell snatches. All rights reserved. Last updated on June 28th, 2023 The reverse lunge and split squat are two common and highly effective unilateral movements for coaches and athletes to implement into training programs to improve. A Bulgarian split squat also allows you to reach greater depth than a single-leg squat, requiring flexibility in your hips. Federolf PA, ed. Add a Bulgarian split squat to your routine on a lower body day to bolster leg strength, or add it to a full body workout to mix things up. Exercise library: Bulgarian split squat. Also, your point of focus should be at least five feet in front of you, but what matters most is that your eyes dont go wandering. What is a Bulgarian split squat? As for more specific strength training goals? We dont walk or run on both feet at the same time. Heres how to do it, why it works, and what youve been missing out on. Your non-working leg should do little more than help you balance yourself. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. I Tried Posture-Correcting Workout Clothes to See If It Really Improved My Performance. While "split squat" and "Bulgarian split squat" are often used interchangeably, they're two different variations of the exercise. Instructions Benefits Variations Common Mistakes Safety and Precautions Targets: Glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, core (abdominals and spinal erectors), forearms, biceps, shoulders Equipment Needed: Kettlebell or dumbbell Level: Beginner to advanced How to perform the front foot elevated split squat; Step 1: Have an elevated platform about 6" to 12" high. Bulgarian split squats can deliver big benefits to your legs and core. A Beginners Guide, 45 Squat Variations to Keep You on Your Toes, 10 Exercises to Tone Every Inch of Your Body, 5 Fat-Burning Low Impact Exercises That Wont Kill Your Knees, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Exercises to Relieve Pain. Yes, however, there needs to an emphasis on form. Single-leg training with the Bulgarian split squat will serve you well both in and out of the gym. If completing a glute-dominant Bulgarian split squat, stop when your left thigh is parallel to the ground. ( The Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises That Prove You Can Build Strength Without Weights Muscles Worked with a Bulgarian Split Squat "As a lower-body exercise, it strengthens the muscles of the legs, including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves," says Sebastien Lagree, founder of Lagree Fitness. Changing your body position can affect the degree to which a Bulgarian split squat works your quad muscles versus your glutes. Ideally, you should look forward and down. As a lower body exercise, it strengthens the muscles of the legs, including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Prevent muscle imbalance. WBV is applied to the muscle or tendon to elicit tonic vibration reflex , and the beneficial effects of WBV have been demonstrated in lower limb exercises (squat, half-squat, Bulgarian squat, or lunge) in different cohorts such as untrained, recreationally active, and older adults [23,24]. Master the correct form and youll be on your way to added strength. Bulgarian Split Squats' (BSS) Benefits. Take your time to find appropriate foot alignment and placement, so you're not tempted to lean forward from the hips and throw your center of gravity in front of your front knee. Descend as far as your mobility allows without pain or loss of balance. Plus, with less required of the lower back, this exercise may be preferred over a traditional squat for adding strength to your lower body. However, if you find yourself chronically tipping this way and that during split squats, you might be messing up your setup. This makes it a unilateral exercise, meaning it works one leg at a time, similar to related exercises like the lunge. If youre a true masochist, you can double down on the difficulty of a barbell split squat by holding it in the front rack position instead of across your back. Read our, Other Variations of Bulgarian Split Squats, Placing the Back Leg Directly Behind the Front, Supporting the Movement With the Back Leg, Allowing the Front Knee to Lose Alignment, How to Do Lunges: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes, How to Do Box Jumps: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes, Squat Variations for the Buns, Hips, and Thighs, 12 Kettlebell Exercises That Work Your Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves, 12 Great Lunges for the Hips, Glutes, and Thighs, 7 Best Glute Exercises for a Stronger Butt, Expert Wellness Picks and Advice to Your Inbox, 10-Minute Workout That Burns Major Calories, Muscle activation and strength in squat and Bulgarian squat on stable and unstable surface, Between-leg mechanical differences as measured by the Bulgarian split-squat: exploring asymmetries and relationships with sprint acceleration, Association ankle function and balance in community-dwelling older adults. Should You Eat Before or After Working Out? How To Do a Bulgarian Split Squat with Correct Form - Women's Health Editors Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. Not only is it a commonly-prescribed rehabilitative exercise in sports medicine practices, but research suggests that the Bulgarian split squat is a great way to safely train your legs if youre hurt. The Bulgarian split squat puts more emphasis on a deeper and extended range of motion, stimulating the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Instead, your best bet is to fix your eyes on a specific point from start to finish. But unlike the traditional squatwhere both feet are on the groundthe Bulgarian split squat requires your back foot to remain elevated. How Many Squats Should I Do a Day? Grab the weights off the floor. I Tried the Walk-Run Method at a Major Marathon, and the Results Were Surprising. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Youll also test your posture, stability, and core strength. Any movement that requires you use one limb at a time will involve the muscles of your core to some degree. Here Are 7 Alternative Moves That Are Just as Effective. Master the form to do this move safely or to help your clients use it as they progress into more difficult strength workouts. This variation shifts the center of gravity forward, engaging your core and upper body muscles in addition to your lower body. If completing a quad-dominant Bulgarian split squat, stop before your knee falls over your toes. Bilateral squatting is fantastic for strength and muscle growth, but its easy for a two-legged squat to mask potential imbalances in strength or mobility on one side. Generally, Nakhlawi recommends doing Bulgarian split squats anytime you are doing lower-body or leg workouts. For the general exerciser, though, Summers says once a week is ideal, as long as you are familiar with the move and have mastered the aforementioned similar exercises first. Perform the exercise in the same manner, but with your back foot on the floor. Think of everything from striking in kickboxing to sprinting down the field in football to shooting in basketball. Still wondering if the barbell Bulgarian split squat is right for you? In the event that balance and hip mobility arent concerns of yours, you can still train your legs one at a time by hopping onto the leg press station. (1). Prioritize goblet, front rack and Zercher Bulgarian split squat variations if you want to increase core muscle activation. Oh, and you can get a bit more flexible in your hips as well. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. If youre doing other exercises on your leg day that are heavier or more challenging (say, back squats, deadlifts, or even bilateral squat variations with heavy weight), youd want to do your Bulgarian split squats afterward. How to do Bulgarian Split Squat - Form, Muscles Worked and - RitFit Muscles Worked During Bulgarian Split Squats Quadriceps Hamstrings Gluteus maximus Hip adductors Hip abductors The 10 Best Bulgarian Split Squat Variations 1. You also dont have to devote nearly as much energy to maintaining core stability and posture. Take care when placing your foot behind you, ensuring you dont lose your balance with the added weight. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast.