Variation in workouts is important to refresh yourself and achieve better results. Repeatedly doing the same old exercises won’t help you much; you need to try various exercises.
When we talk about lower body workouts, traditional squats, lunges, and other typical exercises come to mind. However, you might want to try the Bulgarian split squat. You can definitely add this exercise to your leg routine and feel the difference.
Bulgarian Split Squat
It is a version of a single-leg squat in which your back leg is elevated on a bench or chair. Being a single-leg squat, this exercise focuses more on your quadriceps than other lower-body compound movements. Therefore, balance and coordination are required, along with increasing core and upper body engagement for proper form. This exercise takes some trial-and-error to find proper foot placement in order to perform the exercise comfortably.
This exercise targets your front leg, while your back leg offers some balance support. You must feel the engagement and the "burn" primarily in your front leg, especially the quadriceps of your front leg. Being a compound lower-body exercise, it is a great movement to add to your workout routine. Since it is a compound, balance-focused movement, including it toward the beginning of your workout is a good idea.
Go for a solid warmup and finish some compound exercises such as traditional squats, barbell snatches, or Romanian deadlifts that provide a bilateral focus. Then start with Bulgarian split squats and complete two to three sets.
Proper Form for Bulgarian Split Squat
Only a bench or a sturdy chair is sufficient for the most basic version of this exercise. You can add dumbbells or kettlebells for increased resistance once you become comfortable with the exercise.
- Stand approximately two feet in front of a bench or chair with your feet hip-distance apart and your shoulders back. Your chest and eyes should be pointing straight ahead while your core must be engaged.
- Pick up your left foot and place it behind the bench. You can do this by placing the top of your foot on the bench, where your ankle joint will be roughly aligned with the edge of the bench. Or you can flex your ankle while finding your balance with your toes and the ball of your foot.
- Make sure your feet are still approximately hip distance apart; it’s fine to be slightly wider. However, balancing will be much more difficult if you elevate your foot directly behind your front.
- Remember, the engagement and movement of this exercise are focused on the front leg; your back foot is only there to help you stay balanced.
- Engage your core with your eyes looking straight ahead and chest high. Next, bend your right knee, allowing your left knee and ankle to naturally bend while moving through the downward phase of this exercise without taking on the load with your back leg.
- Keep the load balanced evenly across your right foot while lowering. Bend slightly forward at your hips, ensuring your right knee remains aligned with your right toes. You may find your right knee protruding slightly over your right toes toward the bottom of this exercise. It isn't bad or wrong; it depends on your flexibility at your ankles and your comfort level.
- Inhale through this downward phase, and lower until your right quadriceps are approximately parallel to the ground.
- Push through your right foot and use your right quad and glute for powering the upward phase of this exercise while pressing back to standing. Exhale while you press to standing.
- Step your left foot off the bench after completing a full set to one side. Make sure you keep things even by performing equal repetitions and sets with each side.
