legs
Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat
A one-leg squat with your back foot resting on a bench behind you. Hard on the front leg's thigh and buttock, and good for balance.
intermediateflat bench
BEFORE YOU START1
- Place a bench behind you, about one long step away.
HOW TO DO IT
Get into position
- Stand with your back to the bench and rest the top of your left foot on it.
- Hop your right foot forward until your right shin will be upright at the bottom.
- Hold your hands on your hips or out in front for balance.
- Tighten your stomach.
Check: Your back foot is on the bench, your front foot is far enough forward, and you are balanced and upright.
Lower
- Bend your front knee and lower straight down, keeping your trunk upright.
- Stop when your front thigh is about level with the floor.
Check: Your front thigh is level with the floor, your front shin is upright, and your back knee is just above the floor.
Stand up
- Push through your front heel to stand back up.
Check: You are standing tall on your front leg again.
That is one rep. Do all the reps on one leg, then switch.
Breathe in and brace before you go down; lower for 2 to 3 seconds; breathe out as you stand up in about 1 second.
MUSCLES WORKED
quadsglutescorecalves
Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.
COMMON MISTAKES4
- Front knee caving in. Fix: Keep it pointing over your toes.
- Leaning forward or rounding the back. Fix: Keep your chest up and your trunk upright.
- Front heel lifting. Fix: Take a longer step so your shin stays upright.
- Front foot too close to the bench. Fix: Hop it forward until your shin is upright at the bottom.
SAFETY1
- Hold a rack or wall for balance when you are learning.
RELATED EXERCISES
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