Bulgarian Split Squats: Benefits, Muscles Worked, How To Do

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Bulgarian split squats (also known as rear-foot elevated split squats) have been the most effective lower-body exercise I’ve used in over a decade as a professional basketball player.

If I could recommend just one movement to every athlete or fitness enthusiast, this would be it—no question.

It’s not just another leg day staple. Bulgarian split squats have become the exercise I swear by for building real strength, improving mobility, and correcting muscle imbalances.

They’ve helped me generate more explosive power on the court, recover from injuries, and maintain functional movement throughout long seasons.

Whether you’re working to build muscle, enhance athletic performance, or simply move better, Bulgarian split squats deliver.

I’ve explored countless variations over the years, and they remain my all-time favorite exercise for developing single-leg strength and full-body control.

In this guide, I’ll break down why Bulgarian split squats are so valuable, how to do them with proper form, and the best variations to match your fitness level or training goals.

What is the Bulgarian Split Squat?

Bulgarian split squats are a powerful lower-body exercise that builds single-leg strength, improves balance, and increase hip mobility.

It involves placing your rear foot on a bench or elevated surface while performing a squat with your front leg, creating a unique unilateral challenge that mimics the mechanics of real-world athletic movements like sprinting and jumping.

Unlike traditional squats or lunges, Bulgarian split squats isolate each leg independently, allowing you to correct muscle imbalances and develop symmetrical strength.

They also stretch the hip flexors in the rear leg and require significant core engagement to maintain posture and stability throughout the movement.

Bulgarian split squats are especially valuable for athletes and active individuals looking to improve lower-body function without overloading the spine.

How to Do Bulgarian Split Squats

By targeting the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core in one movement, Bulgarian split squats offer an efficient and effective way to build strength, reduce injury risk, and improve athletic performance.

However, performing the Bulgarian split squat with correct form is essential to maximize benefits and prevent injury.

Here’s how to do Bulgarian Split Squats:

Setup: Stand a few feet in front of a bench or raised surface. Extend one leg behind you and rest the top of your foot on the bench.
Foot Placement: Ensure your front foot is far enough forward so that when you descend, your knee doesn’t extend past your toes.
Descent: Slowly lower your hips towards the ground, bending the front knee. The back knee should move straight down, lightly touching the ground or hovering above it. Keep your torso upright.
Ascent: Push through your front heel to return to the starting position, engaging your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Repetition: Complete the desired number of reps before switching legs. Focus on controlled movements for maximum muscle engagement.

Tips for Perfecting Your Form

Torso Alignment: Maintain a slight forward lean to keep the focus on the front leg.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower yourself and exhale as you rise.
Knee Position: Keep the front knee in line with your toes to avoid stress on the knee joint.
Foot Placement: Adjust your front foot’s distance to find the most balanced position.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Leaning Too Much Forward or Backward: This shifts the focus away from the legs and can strain the lower back.
Neglecting the Back Leg: The back leg should provide balance, not push the body upwards.
Rushing the Movement: Slow, controlled movements ensure proper form and muscle activation.

Bulgarian Split Squats Muscles Worked

The Bulgarian split squat offers a more targeted approach to unilateral leg strength compared to traditional squats and deadlifts.

This focus on one leg at a time is particularly beneficial for athletes needing to correct muscle imbalances or enhance single-leg power, which is crucial in sports like basketball, soccer, and track and field.

Primary Muscles Worked

The Bulgarian split squat is excellent for developing lower body strength, primarily targeting:

Quadriceps: The quads in the front leg bear most of the load, especially during the ascent.
Glutes: The gluteus maximus is engaged to stabilize the hip and power the movement.
Hamstrings: These muscles work together with the quads and glutes, particularly during the descent.

Research comparing the Bulgarian split squat to the traditional back squat found that both are hip-dominant exercises, but the Bulgarian split squat places less stress on the knee joint while still effectively targeting the hip extensors (Mackey & Riemann, 2021).

This makes it especially valuable in early-stage knee rehabilitation or for developing isolated hip extension strength without excessive joint strain.

Secondary Muscles and Stabilizers

Beyond the primary muscles, the Bulgarian split squat also activates several secondary muscles:

Hip Flexors: The rear leg’s extended position stretches and strengthens the hip flexors, improving flexibility and mobility.
Core: Maintaining torso stability requires significant core engagement, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis.
Calves: The calf muscles help stabilize the ankle and maintain balance throughout the movement.

Bulgarian Split Squat Benefits

The Bulgarian split squat is one of the most effective lower-body movements for building real-world strength, athletic power, and joint stability.

It’s far more than a basic leg exercise, it’s a functional training tool that develops unilateral control, enhances mobility, and corrects imbalances that can lead to injury.

Whether you’re an elite athlete, a gym-goer, or just focused on moving and feeling better, this single-leg exercise delivers a wide range of performance and health benefits.

It targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings while simultaneously improving coordination, balance, and posture, all without the need for heavy equipment.

As someone who’s relied on this movement throughout my professional basketball career, I can confidently say that mastering the Bulgarian split squat can help anyone improve their lower-body mechanics, build strength, and move with more purpose.

Here are the key benefits of adding Bulgarian split squats to your training:

Functional Movement Patterns: This movement closely mimics real-life athletic tasks like sprinting, jumping, and cutting.
Unilateral Strength: It isolates one leg at a time, helping to correct imbalances and promote symmetrical strength.
Core Engagement: Significant core activation is required to stabilize the torso and prevent rotation or sway.
Hip Flexor Mobility: The rear-leg position stretches the hip flexors, helping to counteract tightness from sitting or overuse.

Single-Leg Strength and Stability

Unilateral exercises like the Bulgarian split squat are crucial for developing strength and stability in each leg independently.

This is particularly important for athletes, as many sports movements involve one leg at a time—sprinting, jumping, and changing directions are all examples.

Correcting Imbalances: Working one leg at a time helps identify and correct muscle imbalances, leading to improved performance and reduced injury risk.
Enhancing Performance: Stronger, more stable legs lead to better performance in activities requiring speed, power, and agility.

Balance and Coordination

The Bulgarian split squat challenges your balance and coordination, making it an excellent exercise for athletes looking to enhance these critical aspects of performance.

As you balance on one leg, your body must engage stabilizer muscles to maintain control, leading to:

Better Proprioception: Your body becomes more aware of its position in space, improving overall athletic ability.
Injury Prevention: Enhanced balance reduces the likelihood of falls and injuries, particularly in dynamic sports environments.

Hip Flexor Mobility

One of the unique benefits of the Bulgarian split squat is its ability to stretch and strengthen the hip flexors.

Tight hip flexors are a common issue, especially for athletes and those who spend a lot of time sitting.

This exercise promotes:

Greater Flexibility: The deep stretch on the back leg improves hip flexor flexibility, which is crucial for a full range of motion in athletic movements.
Better Posture: Improved hip flexor mobility can alleviate lower back pain and enhance posture, both of which are vital for optimal performance.

Easy Versatility and Progression

The Bulgarian split squat is not only effective but also incredibly versatile. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced athlete, there are variations and progressions that can match your fitness level and goals.

This adaptability ensures the exercise remains challenging and effective as you continue to progress in your training.

Bulgarian Split Squat Variations

I’ve done many Bulgarian split squat variations over the years, and they all produce different benefits and effects.

Sometimes, I will also elevate my front foot to increase the hip mobility of the exercise and work the muscles through a greater range of motion.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

The dumbbell Bulgarian split squat is a popular variation that adds an extra challenge by incorporating weights. Holding a dumbbell in each hand increases the load on the working leg, intensifying the exercise.

Benefits: This variation allows for greater progression in strength training. The added weight challenges the muscles more than the bodyweight version.
Form Tips: Maintain proper alignment and avoid letting the weights pull your torso forward. Focus on slow, controlled movements to maximize muscle engagement.

Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat

The barbell Bulgarian split squat takes the exercise to another level by adding significant weight, making it more suitable for advanced lifters.

Benefits: This variation is excellent for building maximal strength and power in the lower body. The barbell allows you to add more weight than with dumbbells.
Form Tips: Position the barbell across your upper back, as in a back squat, and ensure your core is engaged to prevent leaning forward. This variation demands excellent balance and stability.

Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat

For those who struggle with balance, the Smith machine Bulgarian split squat offers a safer alternative. The guided movement of the Smith machine allows you to focus more on muscle engagement without worrying about balance.

Benefits: It’s ideal for those who are new to the exercise or those recovering from an injury. The machine provides stability, allowing for a controlled range of motion.
Form Tips: Ensure your feet are correctly positioned to prevent the bar from moving in an unnatural path. Keep your torso upright and engage your core throughout the movement.

Resistance Band Bulgarian Split Squat

The resistance band Bulgarian split squat adds an extra challenge by using a resistance band anchored to a pole behind you. This setup increases the difficulty as you rise from the squat, enhancing muscle engagement and stability.

Benefits:

This variation is excellent for improving single-leg stability and power.
The resistance band increases tension during the ascent, making your glutes, quads, and hamstrings work harder.
It’s also a great way to engage your core more effectively and add progressive overload without needing additional weights.

Form Tips: Position the resistance band at hip height and step forward to keep it taut. Focus on maintaining balance by keeping your torso upright and engaging your core. Ensure your front knee stays aligned with your toes, and control your movements to maximize the benefits of the added resistance.

Single-Arm Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

This variation involves holding a dumbbell in only one hand—typically opposite the working leg. It introduces an anti-rotational challenge that forces your core, glutes, and spinal stabilizers to work harder to maintain balance and alignment.

Benefits:

Improves unilateral core strength and rotational stability
Reveals asymmetries between sides
Enhances grip strength and control

Pro Tip: Keep your torso upright and resist leaning toward the loaded side. This variation is ideal for athletes who need to build core integrity under load.

Plyometric Bulgarian Split Squat

By adding an explosive jump at the top of the movement, this variation turns the Bulgarian split squat into a dynamic plyometric drill. It’s an excellent option for developing lower-body power, speed, and reactive strength.

Benefits:

Increases fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment
Enhances vertical and horizontal jumping ability
Builds reactive strength for sprinting, cutting, and jumping sports

Pro Tip: Land softly with control and reset your balance before the next jump. Start with bodyweight before progressing to weighted versions.

Tempo Bulgarian Split Squat

Tempo training involves manipulating the speed of your reps—especially the eccentric (lowering) and isometric (pause)phases. A common tempo might be a 3-second descent, 1-second pause, and a controlled ascent.

Benefits:

Increases time under tension to stimulate hypertrophy
Reinforces proper form and stability
Builds mental discipline and muscular endurance

Pro Tip: Use a metronome or count to keep your tempo consistent. Slow eccentrics are especially effective for building quadriceps strength and joint control.

Front-Foot Elevated Bulgarian Split Squat

This advanced variation involves placing your front foot on a small platform (2–6 inches high), increasing the range of motion and shifting more focus to the glutes and hamstrings.

Benefits:

Increases hip mobility and range of motion
Enhances glute and hamstring recruitment
Offers a deeper stretch in the working leg

Pro Tip: Start with a low elevation and work up as mobility allows. Make sure your back knee still tracks downward and not forward or sideways.

Bulgarian Split Squat Drop Set

This advanced Bulgarian split squat variation combines traditional strength training with bodyweight control and explosive power in one seamless drop set.

You’ll perform 3 reps with two dumbbells, followed by 3 reps with one dumbbell, then 3 bodyweight reps, and finally 3 explosive plyometric reps where your front foot leaves the ground at the top of each rep.

Benefits:

Trains multiple strength qualities in one set: load tolerance, muscular endurance, and reactive power
Maximizes time under tension and fatigue-based adaptation
Improves metabolic conditioning and mental toughness

How to Perform It:

Start in a traditional Bulgarian split squat stance holding two dumbbells. Perform 3 controlled reps.
Drop one dumbbell and perform 3 more reps—this will shift some of the load demand to your core and stabilizers.
Drop the remaining weight and perform 3 strict bodyweight reps with full control.
Finish with 3 reactive reps—push through your front heel and lift your front foot explosively off the floor in a plyometric motion. Land softly and with balance.

Pro Tip: This variation is taxing—use it as a finisher or a high-intensity stimulus on lower-body days. Focus on quality over speed, especially on the reactive reps.

Form & Safety Tips

Even with its numerous benefits, the Bulgarian split squat can be ineffective or even dangerous if not performed correctly. Here are some common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Leaning Too Far Forward or Backward: This mistake shifts the focus away from the working leg and places unnecessary strain on the lower back. To correct this, maintain a slight forward lean, keeping your torso upright and core engaged.
Incorrect Foot Placement: Placing your front foot too close to the bench or too far away can compromise the exercise’s effectiveness. Ideally, your front knee should align over your ankle when in the bottom position. Adjust your foot placement until you find the right balance.
Letting the Knee Cave Inward: This can put undue stress on the knee joint and lead to injury. Focus on keeping your knee in line with your toes throughout the movement.
Rushing the Movement: Speeding through the reps can lead to poor form and reduced muscle activation. Slow down and focus on a controlled descent and ascent, maximizing time under tension.
Neglecting the Back Leg: While the back leg should not be doing most of the work, it’s still essential to keep it engaged for balance. The back leg should provide just enough support without pushing the body upward.

How to Correct These Mistakes

Use a Mirror: Training in front of a mirror can help you monitor your form and make adjustments in real-time.
Start with Bodyweight: Before adding weight, master the bodyweight Bulgarian split squat to ensure proper form.
Get Feedback: If possible, have a coach or workout partner observe your form and provide feedback.

How to Progress with Bulgarian Split Squats

As with any exercise, progression is key to continued improvement.

Here’s how to progress with the Bulgarian split squat:

Increase Weight: Gradually add weight as you become stronger. Start with bodyweight, then progress to dumbbells, kettlebells, and eventually barbells.
Change Tempo: Slowing down the movement, especially during the lowering phase, can increase the difficulty and stimulate muscle growth.
Add Plyometric Variations: Once you’ve mastered the basic movement, incorporate plyometric Bulgarian split squats to develop explosive power.
Try Unstable Surfaces: Perform the exercise on a slightly unstable surface, like a soft mat or balance pad, to further challenge your balance and stability.

A 2019 study published in PLOS One found that performing Bulgarian split squats on unstable surfaces (like BOSU balls) or with vibration platforms significantly increases muscle activation, particularly in the rectus femoris, gluteus medius, and vastus lateralis, compared to the traditional version (Aguilera-Castells et al., 2019).

However, you need to be extremely proficient and careful to try BOSU ball Bulgarian split squats.

While suspension alone didn’t increase muscle activity, combining instability and vibration created a “dual condition” that heightened neuromuscular demands.

Takeaway: If you’re looking to boost muscle recruitment or challenge your stability, incorporating instability tools like a BOSU or vibration platform during Bulgarian split squats can enhance training intensity—especially useful for athletes focused on improving joint control and functional strength.

Final Thoughts: Are Bulgarian Split Squats Good for You?

Absolutely—Bulgarian split squats are one of the most beneficial exercises you can add to your training routine.

Whether your goal is to build strength, correct muscle imbalances, improve mobility, or enhance athletic performance, this single-leg movement checks every box.

They’re highly adaptable, require minimal equipment, and offer a unique blend of balance, flexibility, and muscular control that’s hard to replicate with bilateral lifts like back squats or leg presses.

Like any great exercise, Bulgarian split squats reward proper form, consistency, and progression.

Explore different variations, adjust the loading and tempo, and use them intentionally based on your goals, whether you’re rehabbing from an injury or training for explosive power.

The pros of Bulgarian split squats, including improved hip mobility, core engagement, and unilateral strength, far outweigh any drawbacks, especially when performed with proper technique.

As someone who’s relied on them across a long professional basketball career, I can say with confidence: this movement isn’t just good for you, it’s essential for long-term performance and joint health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bulgarian split squats feel challenging because they demand strength, balance, and mobility simultaneously. They also place a large amount of tension on the working leg, which increases muscle fatigue and neuromuscular demand.

Bulgarian split squats primarily target the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings. Secondary muscles include the calves, hip flexors, and core stabilizers.

Absolutely, Bulgarian split squats are one of the best exercises for glute activation. The deep hip flexion and single-leg loading recruit the gluteus maximus and medius effectively, especially when performed with a forward torso lean.

While both exercises are beneficial, Bulgarian split squats typically offer greater stability and more consistent muscle loading, making them better for focused strength development and hypertrophy.

When done with proper form, Bulgarian split squats are safe and can actually improve knee health by strengthening the surrounding muscles. Poor foot placement or excessive forward knee travel can cause discomfort, so technique matters.

Yes, Bulgarian split squats are a compound movement because they involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together—primarily the hip, knee, and ankle.

Their effectiveness comes from the combination of unilateral loading, hip mobility work, and core stability. They mimic real-life movement patterns and build strength that’s transferable to sports and daily life.

You should primarily feel Bulgarian split squats in the front-leg quad and glute. If you feel excessive strain in the back leg or lower back, your setup or form may need adjusting.

The name comes from their popularization by Bulgarian Olympic weightlifting coaches in the 1980s, who used the exercise as a key unilateral strength movement in elite training programs.

It depends on your training goals. Bulgarian split squats are better for building single-leg strength, improving balance, and correcting muscle imbalances, especially in athletes. They’re also easier on the spine and require less equipment.

Back squats, on the other hand, are ideal for building maximal bilateral strength and allow for heavier loading. They’re more efficient for overall muscle mass and power development, particularly for advanced lifters focused on compound strength.

For most people, combining both exercises in a program provides the greatest benefit—Bulgarian split squats for stability and control, and back squats for raw strength and muscle growth.

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Bulgarian Split Squats: Benefits, Muscles Worked, How to Do & More!