Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian split squat is a single-leg squat where your back foot rests on a bench and you hold a dumbbell in each hand. It builds strength and muscle mainly in the quadriceps, with help from the glutes and hamstrings, and it trains each leg on its own. It suits beginners who start with bodyweight and lifters who want a challenging leg exercise without a barbell.
Muscles worked
The Bulgarian Split Squat mainly works your quadriceps, with your hamstrings and glutes helping.
Setting up
- Set a flat bench behind you at about knee height or slightly lower. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms hanging by your sides and your palms facing in. If you are new to this, start with no weights and rest a hand on a wall or rack for balance.
- Stand with your back to the bench, then step one foot forward. Your front foot should be roughly two to three of your own foot-lengths in front of the bench, so you have room to drop straight down.
- Place the laces of your back foot on the bench. Your front foot should be flat and your hips should face forward.
How to do the Bulgarian Split Squat
- Stand tall with your chest up, your ribs down and your shoulders back. Keep most of your weight on your front foot, with the back foot only there for balance.
- Take a breath in and brace, as if someone were about to nudge you in the stomach.
- Bend your front knee and hip together, and lower straight down so your back knee travels towards the floor.
- Keep your whole front foot on the floor, with your front shin fairly upright and your knee tracking in line with your toes. A slight lean forward from the hips is fine.
- Lower until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the floor, or as deep as you can go with control. Your back knee should hover just above the floor without touching it.
- Push down through your whole front foot, driving through the heel and mid-foot, to stand back up. Breathe out as you rise.
- Finish all your reps on one leg, then swap legs and repeat the same number.
Form tips
- Think about dropping down, not lunging forward. Your hips should move straight down between your feet.
- Feel your front foot grip the floor. The weight should sit through the middle of the foot and the heel, not just the toes.
- Keep the dumbbells hanging by your sides and let your arms stay relaxed. Squeeze the handles so your shoulders stay down and back.
- Squeeze your front-leg glutes at the top to stand fully tall without leaning back.
- Take a moment to find your balance before each set. If you wobble, use a lighter weight or hold a support until it feels steady.
Common mistakes
Front foot too close to the bench
This pushes your knee far forward and can make the front foot lift onto the toes. Step further out so you can stay balanced through the whole front foot. Adjust your foot position until it feels strong and stable.
Pushing off the back foot
If your back leg does the work, the front leg misses out. Treat the back foot as a kickstand and think about pressing the floor away with your front foot.
Front knee caving inwards
Keep your knee tracking in line with your toes throughout the rep. If it keeps drifting in, drop the weight and slow down the lowering phase.
Rushing the lowering phase
Dropping quickly makes you wobble and bounce out of the bottom. Take two to three seconds to lower, pause briefly, then drive up with control.
Sets and reps
| Build strength | 3-4 sets of 5-8 reps per leg with challenging dumbbells, resting 2-3 minutes between sets. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3 sets of 8-12 reps per leg with a weight that leaves 1-2 reps in reserve, resting 60-90 seconds between sets. |
| Fat loss and general fitness | 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg with light to moderate dumbbells, resting 45-60 seconds. Use it as part of a wider plan of regular training and activity. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Bulgarian Split Squat alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Bulgarian Split Squat FAQs
How far should my front foot be from the bench?
Start about two to three foot-lengths in front of the bench, then adjust. At the bottom, your front foot should stay flat and your front shin should be fairly upright. If your front heel lifts, step further out. If you feel stretched through the back leg, bring your foot in slightly.
Does the Bulgarian split squat work quads or glutes?
It works both, but the quadriceps are the main target, with the glutes and hamstrings assisting. Staying more upright and letting your front knee travel forward a little keeps the focus on the quads. Leaning your trunk forward slightly shifts more work to the glutes.
How heavy should the dumbbells be?
Start with bodyweight to learn the balance and the movement. Then add light dumbbells, such as 5-8 kg each, and increase gradually. Choose a weight that lets you keep steady, controlled reps on both legs. Stop if you feel pain and get it checked.
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