How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Form, Muscles Worked and Variations

In short

Looking for a wonderful exercise to upgrade your leg workout? The Bulgarian split squat is an excellent option. Put one foot on a bench behind you, lower on your front leg, then push yourself back up. It will help you build incredible athleticism by improving strength, stability and balance. This guide covers the benefits, technique, common mistakes, tips and variations. Let's start!

Your quadriceps, glutes and thighs do the main work. Your abs, lower back and spinal erectors help you stay steady. This table shows what each muscle does:

The muscle names and their basic actions follow a standard anatomy textbook (OpenStax); the roles in this exercise are coaching descriptions. In one 6-week study of 24 trained men, this exercise increased the thickness of the vastus lateralis, one of the quad muscles, by about 8 to 9 percent, whether each leg trained with heavy loads or with light loads and blood flow restriction.

The historical origin of the exercise

The commonly told story starts in 1990, when the city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria hosted the World Youth Championships in athletics. Several coaches from Australia, Britain and the United States visited Thrace Plovdiv, a respected local sports club with some of the country's leading weightlifters.

During the visit, the coaches were surprised to see the Bulgarian athletes doing this exercise. It looked like a split squat, except that one leg was raised off the floor. The coaches liked it so much that they began using it themselves. According to the story, that is how the exercise got the name “Bulgarian split squat,” after the Bulgarian team. No first-hand record of this story was found for this guide.

Benefits of the Bulgarian split squat

Helps even out the work between your legs

When you do an exercise with both legs together, the stronger side can compensate for the weaker one. Over time, a gap can develop between the two sides, in what they can do and how they look.

When you work one side at a time, each side gets a similar load. Strength and balance may become more even between them. You can also tell which leg needs more attention.

In a study of 26 trained men lifting their 5-rep maximum, the front foot produced about 84 percent of the total downward force. The authors concluded that the exercise works as a single-leg exercise when it is done the way they tested it.

Improves balance and coordination

The Bulgarian split squat helps you improve your body's athletic ability. It demands balance and stability because you stand mainly on one leg.

The heavier the weight, the harder your core muscles have to work to steady it.

A relatively light load on your spine

Unlike a regular squat, you don't have to put a heavy bar on your back. Raising one leg onto the bench takes it mostly out of the lift. You can use a lighter weight while the load on your working leg stays high.

How to do a Bulgarian split squat, step by step

Before you begin, position a bench or another raised surface where your back foot can rest safely. A bench around knee height or a little lower suits most people. If the front of your back hip feels pulled or you cannot lower comfortably, use a lower surface. Make sure it cannot slide or tip.

Keep your feet a little apart from side to side, rather than in one line, so you have room to balance. At the bottom, your front heel should stay down and your back knee should point toward the floor.

1. Stand with the bench one step behind you and the weights next to your legs.
2. Place one foot on the bench, resting on the top of your foot or on your toes. Pick the position that feels steadier.
3. Make sure your whole front foot is planted on the ground and your knee starts directly above your ankle.
4. Lift the weights and hold them at your sides, below your shoulders.
5. Tighten your abs and keep your upper body upright.
6. Bend your front knee and lower until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor. Your back knee moves toward the floor.
7. Push through your front foot to return to the starting position.
8. Do your planned repetitions, then switch legs.

With heavy dumbbells, pick them up before you place your back foot on the bench. At the end of the set, step your back foot down first, then put the dumbbells down. Start with body weight if you're still learning the movement.

If you cannot reach that depth while keeping your heel down and your balance steady, adjust your starting distance or use a lower bench. Don't bang your back knee on the floor; a folded mat can help you learn the depth.

Upright or leaning forward?

Stay tall for the basic version. A slight forward lean is a variation you can use for more glute work; the mistake is leaning so far that you lose control.

In one study of 21 trained female athletes doing body-weight split squats, a forward lean increased glute and hamstring muscle activity, as well as activity in one quad muscle, compared with an upright torso. The study measured the lowering phase, not muscle growth, so use it as a guide rather than a promise about results.

Common mistakes

The back leg helps on the way up

The back leg is there to help you balance, not to lift you. If you push up with it, you miss the benefit of working each side on its own. You also won't get as much of a pump in your working leg.

Keep your back leg relaxed and lift yourself with the front leg. If you feel the back leg doing too much, shift your weight onto your front foot.

Leaning too far forward

One common mistake is leaning too far forward with your upper body, often because you hold the weights too far in front of you. That limits your range of motion and puts unnecessary pressure on your front knee.

Keep the weights below your shoulders, at your sides. That will help you stay upright. The slight, controlled lean above is different from tipping forward too far.

The front knee collapses inward

During the exercise, your front knee may collapse inward. That puts pressure on the knee and may cause pain. It can happen when the weight is too heavy or when you lack stability and balance.

Keep your front knee pointing in the same direction as your front foot. If it keeps collapsing inward, lower the weight until you can control the movement.

Before adding weight, try a body-weight set with a bench that cannot slide. Lower under control, and end the set if your balance or form breaks down.

Safety

Use a bench that cannot slide or tip, and leave clear space around your feet. For the barbell version, secure the plates with collars and set the rack's safety arms just below the bar's lowest position, testing the setup with an empty bar first. Warm up with a body-weight set, then start with light weights before adding more.

Lower at a controlled pace and rise smoothly, without bouncing at the bottom. End the set if you feel pain or dizziness, lose your balance, or cannot keep your form. Keep your front knee pointing in the same direction as your front foot and your back leg relaxed, so the front leg does the lifting.

Variations of the Bulgarian split squat

Split squat

The split squat is very similar, except that your back foot stays on the floor. Its technique is easier to learn and suits beginners. I recommend mastering it before you start the Bulgarian version. If you want a version where you step with each rep, see my guide to dumbbell lunges.

Barbell Bulgarian split squat

It is very hard to do this exercise with heavy dumbbells, because your hands tire quickly.

If you want to load heavy weights, you can do it with a barbell. In this variation, the bar rests on your upper back, just like in a regular squat.

This variation suits advanced trainees because the technique is not simple. Make sure you know how to place your back foot on the bench while the loaded bar is on your back. If you use a power rack, set the safety bars just below the bar's height at the lowest point of the rep.

With resistance bands

You can replace the dumbbells with a resistance band. Stand on the band with your front foot and hold the ends at your sides. Each time you rise, the band stretches and gives you more resistance. It is an excellent way to add variety to your workout.

With suspension straps (TRX)

You can also do the exercise with a suspension trainer such as TRX. Put your back foot in the strap loop instead of on a bench. This version focuses on balance and stability.

Sets, reps and a sample workout

The Bulgarian split squat can follow the main exercise in a leg workout. A practical starting point is 2-4 sets of 8-12 reps per leg with dumbbells. Choose a weight you can control, and start with your weaker leg if one side feels behind.

Sample leg workout

For a home version, use body weight or a backpack and a sturdy chair or sofa that cannot slide. For more options, see home workout exercises. Before adding heavy weight, make sure you can move steadily through the range without losing your balance.

Bottom line

The Bulgarian split squat is an exceptional exercise that adds variety to your leg workout. It should not be your main exercise, but it is an excellent addition.

It strengthens your whole lower body and can help even out the work between your legs while improving coordination, stability and balance. Before you train with heavy weights, make sure your body is flexible and stable enough for the exercise.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make it work my glutes more?

Lean slightly forward with your back straight and place your front foot a little farther from the bench. In the study above, a forward lean increased glute and hamstring muscle activity.

How do I make it work my quads more?

Keep your torso upright and your front foot a little closer, so your front knee bends more while your heel stays down.

How high should the bench be?

About knee height or a little lower. If your back hip feels pulled or you cannot lower comfortably, try a lower surface.

Why do I lose my balance?

Your feet may be in one line. Move your front foot slightly out to the side and start with body weight.

Is the Bulgarian split squat better than lunges?

They train similar muscles. Here you do all the reps on one leg with your back foot raised; with walking or alternating lunges you step with each rep. Both are useful.

Can I do it at home?

Yes. Use a sturdy chair, sofa or step that cannot slide, and add a backpack or a resistance band if you want more load.