Legs
Bulgarian Split Squat
A split squat with your back foot up on a bench. Most of the work goes into your front leg, so it builds your quads and glutes one side at a time.
- Works
- Quads, glutes, adductors, core
- Equipment
- A pair of dumbbells and a bench, box or step
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Stand with your back to a bench, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Reach one foot back and rest the top of it on the bench.
- 2Set your front foot far enough forward that your heel stays down when you lower.
- 3Lower straight down until your back knee is just above the floor, chest tall.
- 4Push through your whole front foot to stand back up. Finish your reps, then switch legs.
Cues
- Take your time setting up each rep.
- Rear foot on the bench, front heel down, torso upright.
- Take 3 seconds on the way down.
Common mistakes
- Front foot too close to the bench. If your heel lifts or your knee feels jammed, hop your front foot out a little.
- Front knee caving in. Keep it pointing over your middle toes, on the way down and on the way up.
- Pushing off the back foot. The back leg is just there for balance. Keep most of your weight on the front foot.
Easier
Tiff's version keeps her back foot on the floor, a regular split squat. You can also hold a wall for balance.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of each rep, or hold heavier dumbbells.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, or 30 seconds on and 30 off per side.
How far should your front foot be from the bench in a Bulgarian split squat?
Far enough that your front heel stays down at the bottom. Set up, lower once and adjust: if your heel lifts, move your foot out. A slightly longer stance puts more into your glutes, a shorter one more into your quads.
