How to do the Bulgarian Split Squat to develop the glutes and quads

MOST MOVEMENTS ARE NOT occur with both feet planted on the ground. You walk with one foot in front of the other, you take stairs one at a time, and you might even jump over a puddle on a rainy day by jumping forward with one foot. To develop truly strong legs, you need to incorporate exercises into your strength training program that challenge your limbs independently. That’s why moves like the Bulgarian split squat (aka the rear foot elevated split squat) are essential to your workout.

The Bulgarian split squat puts you in a unilateral position, meaning you’ll work one side of your body at a time. That’s the key. Not only will you address muscle imbalances that your standard squats might mask, but you’ll also have the opportunity to hone your athleticism by struggling to maintain your position throughout each rep.

Although the Bulgarian split squat is a great exercise for all types of learners, it is slightly more technical than the average squat. Here, Men’s health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, CSCSexplains the best way to perform the Bulgarian split squat so you can achieve gains even faster. 

How to do the Bulgarian split squat

Follow these instructions to learn how to perform the Bulgarian split squat. Once you’ve read the step-by-step instructions, follow Samuel’s advice to deepen the exercise.

  • Start on the floor in front of the bench (or other stable platform you have on hand).
  • Place one foot on the bench, then get into a position where your front foot is on the ground with one shin vertical (to the ground). Your thigh should be parallel to the floor, forming a 90-degree angle at the knee.
  • Grab the weights from the floor.
  • Tighten your core and squeeze your ribcage. Keep your neck neutral, looking straight ahead. Squeeze your shoulder blades to create tension.
  • Stand up with a slight forward lean to avoid overextending your back.
  • Lower yourself down, trying to keep your shin in this vertical position. Don’t let your back knee touch the ground; stop a few inches off the ground if you can.
  • Squeeze your glutes hard to keep your knee in the correct position, then press your front foot into the floor to step up.

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More Tips for Mastering the Bulgarian Split Squat

Start from the bottom

Eb says: The biggest mistake I see with the Bulgarian split squat is the setup, and if you get it wrong, you’ll never get the Bulgarian split squat right. If your leg is too close to the bench, you end up with poor front knee position which will contribute to knee pain. If it’s too far, you won’t be able to stretch your back leg properly and you’ll miss half the beauty of the Bulgarian. So first find your position on the ground and then stand up.

The back knee never touches

Eb says: The Bulgarian split squat is best used as an exercise that demonstrates controlled movement, not an explosion, so remember to own the eccentric (lowering phase) and also work on mastering the bottom of each rep. To own this low position, don’t let your back knee touch the ground. Once that back knee hits the floor, it essentially becomes a loaded stretch on the couch.

We want it to be something more than that so you can build strength in your legs and glutes. So force yourself to stop a few inches before your back knee hits the ground and pause in this position for a split second. This will also force you to demonstrate your control in this low position instead of relying on bouncing out of the hole.

Glutes activated

Eb says: There are many factors to pay attention to in the Bulgarian split squat, and the movement pattern itself will take some getting used to, but don’t let any of that be an excuse for not keeping your glutes active , as they should be. on any squat or deadlift movement.

Letting your glutes relax during a Bulgarian leaves you open to letting your front knee drive inward, a potentially damaging position. Guarding your glutes will prevent this from happening and will also help you get optimal benefit from the Bulgarian split squat. When you come out of the hole in a Bulgarian, very often it is almost all the glutes that carry this load.

Benefits of the Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is effective for building muscle and strength, hitting the glutes, hamstrings and quads. Additionally, it is a one-sided exercise that helps correct muscular imbalances and perfect athleticism. The split stance helps train back leg mobility and flexibility. Additionally, you can use multiple forms of loading to perform the movement: dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells.

What you need to do the Bulgarian Split Squat

To perform the Bulgarian split squat, you will need an elevated, stable platform (like a weight bench or if you’re at home, a beanbag or couch) to support your elevated foot. You can do the exercise without weights and still get a solid workout, but you’ll get the most strength and muscle gains using weight. You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells held in a variety of different grips, like carrying at your side, racking, and more.

How to Add the Bulgarian Split Squat to Your Workouts

There are different ways to add this movement to your workouts.

Start by mastering the movement with just your body weight. This will help you define the correct form. Since they’re deloaded, you can add them to finish off your leg day to really burn those quads and glutes. Don’t be afraid to really increase the reps when you program them like this, says Samuel. Aim for 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps on each leg.

Slowly start incorporating weight once you feel you have mastered the form. This is a big compound movement that requires a lot of energy, so keep it early in your workout so you can push it on fresher legs. Sandwich it between your heavy movements like squats or deadlifts, and your safer, machine-isolated movements like leg extensions. If you charge them, keep the volume a little lower, advises Samuel. Aim for 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Variations of the Bulgarian Split Squat

Want to take your Bulgarian split squat to the next level? Check out these variations:

Pulse Break Bulgarian Split Squat

Bulgarian split squat clean and straight through

Dead Stop Bulgarian Split Squat

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