Description

Bulgarian split squats work the glute muscles as well as the upper leg muscles. The target muscle is the quadriceps with the gluteus maximus, soleus and adductor magnus working to assist. The hamstring, gastrocnemius, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus all act as stabilizers.

Execution

  1. Start by standing about 2 feet in front of a knee-level bench or step.
  2. Lift your right leg up behind you and place the top of your foot on the
    bench. Your feet should still be about shoulder-width apart, and your
    right foot should be far enough in front of the bench where you can
    comfortably lunge — hop around a bit so you can find the right spot. If a
    closer foot position works, just ensure that when you lower down, your
    left knee doesn’t fall over the line of your toes.
  3. While engaging your core, roll your shoulders back and lean slightlyforward at the waist, beginning to lower down on your left leg, bending
    the knee.
  4. If completing a quad-dominant Bulgarian split squat, stop before yourknee falls over your toes. If completing a glute-dominant Bulgarian split
    squat, stop when your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
  5. Push up through your left foot, using the power from your quads and
    hamstrings to return to standing.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of reps on this leg, then switch, putting
    the left foot up on the bench.