Bulgarian split squat
- Begin with a barbell placed securely across your upper back and shoulders. Stand a few feet in front of a bench.
- Carefully extend one leg backward and place the top of your foot on the bench. Your front foot should be planted firmly on the floor, far enough forward to allow for a full range of motion.
- Keeping your torso upright and core engaged, lower your hips toward the floor until your front thigh is at least parallel to the ground.
- Drive through the heel of your front foot to push yourself back up to the starting position. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other.
Tips
- Position your front foot far enough forward so that your knee tracks over your toes and does not travel well past them as you descend.
- Keep your torso upright throughout the descent and ascent rather than letting it pitch forward as the load increases.
- Lower your hips in a controlled manner until your front thigh reaches at least parallel to the floor, then drive through your front heel to return to the start.
Common mistakes
- Placing the front foot too close to the bench causes the knee to travel excessively forward and the heel to lift off the floor during the descent.
- Allowing the hips to rotate or shift sideways during the descent so that the front knee caves inward rather than staying aligned with the foot.
- Pushing off the rear foot on the bench to assist the ascent instead of driving primarily through the front foot.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
