Bulgarian Split Squat: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The Bulgarian split squat works your quadriceps as the main mover, straightening your front knee as you rise from the bottom position. Your glutes and hamstrings extend your front hip, and elevating your rear foot makes this single-leg exercise more demanding than a standard lunge.
- Primary muscle:
- Quadriceps
- Secondary muscles:
- Glutes, Hamstrings
Muscles worked
Your quadriceps do most of the work in the Bulgarian split squat, straightening your front knee as you drive back up to standing.
Your glutes and hamstrings extend your front hip alongside the quads. Because your rear foot is elevated, nearly all the load stays on your front leg, making each side work independently.
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How to do it
- Position yourself into a staggered stance with the rear foot elevated and front foot forward.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting them hang at the sides. This will be your starting position.
- Begin by descending, flexing your knee and hip to lower your body down. Maintain good posture througout the movement. Keep the front knee in line with the foot as you perform the exercise.
- At the bottom of the movement, drive through the heel to extend the knee and hip to return to the starting position.
Form tips
- Rest your rear foot on a bench behind you, laces down, with your front foot far enough forward that your knee stays over your ankle at the bottom.
- Lower straight down until your front thigh is close to parallel with the floor.
- Keep most of your weight through your front heel and midfoot, not your toes.
- Keep your torso upright and your core braced throughout the movement.
- Hold dumbbells at your sides to add load once bodyweight feels easy.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Dumbbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the Bulgarian split squat work?
The Bulgarian split squat targets your quadriceps as the prime mover, with your glutes and hamstrings assisting. Training one leg at a time also helps even out side-to-side strength differences.
Why is the Bulgarian split squat so much harder than a regular lunge?
Elevating your rear foot removes it from helping support your weight, so your front leg does nearly all the work through a longer range of motion. It trains the same muscles as a lunge but with less assistance from your back leg.
More quadriceps exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
