Hello there fellow lifters. If you’re looking to get a stronger lower body or/and build bigger legs, improve balance and develop unilateral strength, then the Bulgarian Split Squat should be a part of your routine. This isn’t just another random exercise thrown into workouts just to add variety, it’s a solid, challenging movement that can easily improve strength, stability, and mobility when done properly.

Whether you want to break through squat plateaus, work on your athletic performance, or build bigger legs, this movement is a game-changer. And let’s be real, if you’ve done it correctly, you know what I’m talking about - there are only a few exercises that can end with such a burn.

So let’s try to go through everything you need to know about the Bulgarian Split Squat and take your leg training to the next level.

So legendary “Bulgarians” - Bulgarian Split Squat or Rear Foot Elevated Squat is a single leg squat where your rear foot is elevated on a bench or something else, forcing your front leg to do most of the work. 

You can imagine that unlike regular back squats, this movement targets each leg individually, allowing us to reveal some weaknesses and imbalances while enhancing strength, coordination, and mobility.

• Sit on a bench with straight legs in front of you. Your heels will mark the perfect spot for a front foot placement 
• Get up and stand in that spot.
• From there Place your rear foot on the bench (most likely with laces down but some like toes planted however it will require a lower spot like plate, not a bench).
• You should be in a good position right now, having an upright torso and legs shoulder width wide.

• Keep an upright torso, engaged core, and neutral spine.
• Lean slightly forward and lower yourself, bringing your back knee down to the floor. Back knee should only touch the floor without staying/resting on it. Just kiss the floor with your knee
• Goal would be to have the front leg hip lower than your front knee (basically as deep as possible).
• Push mainly through your front foot to rise back up.

• While holding Dumbbells, experiment holding them on both sides and notice the different feedback. Eventually you will need to hold dumbbells in both hands at the same time. 
• When doing Bulgarian squats with Barbell I love to do it with Safety Squat Bar SSB inside the squat rack - it allows me to go really heavy and have my arms free in case I need to help myself to get up 
• If I want to target hip flexors a bit more I emphasize my back leg more than usual. It's an excellent trick to improve mobility especially if you will spend an extra few seconds in the bottom position (active not passive). 

• Of course start with bodyweight only to work on technique and improve your balance. Do it slow.
• Don’t do too much on your first day. Test it and increase volume over time. 
• Hold onto a wall or rack if needed for balance. 

• Add dumbbells or use a goblet hold with a kettlebell.
• Test holding dumbbells in different hands with a same leg forward for a different feedback
• Focus on slower, controlled reps, even some isometric holds in the bottom position.

• If dumbbells are not enough anymore, start using a barbell, but be careful because stability requirements will be much different from what you experienced with dumbbells. 
• Try deficit Bulgarian Split Squats (elevate the front foot on a big 20kg bumper plate for greater depth).
• For some power and explosiveness try to include Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps. Awesome stuff. Want to make it even harder - jump side to side over a hurdle. 

So in terms of Variations there will be basically differences in what you are using as a way to load your Squat. You can use Kettlebells for Goblet Bulgarian Split Squat – Holding a weight at chest level engages the core. Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat, for heavier loading. Dumbbells holded on one side to add extra core work will be awesome as well.

One thing I mentioned before, I think every athlete should try would be Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps for explosive strength work. I like to use side to side jumps with a hurdle in front of the athlete. 

Similar movement without an elevated foot. You can do it with a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells. Great Starting point before bulgarians in case you are super worried about your balance skills.

Another unilateral leg exercise with balance benefits, but this time you put your front leg on a plate or two. Crazy depth that will challenge your front hip mobility.

Most basic and I’d say most recognized unilateral exercise for the lower body. Staple in any athlete training toolbox. Can’t emphasize how good it is and that every athlete should have it in their training plan. You can go light, heavy, fast, slow, low rep, high rep and even as a great exercise for different types of conditioning methods. 

No competition here folks - both are great and both should be done:

Bulgarian Split Squat strengthens each leg individually, correcting imbalances. Plus allows you to avoid some mileage with squats. Great for the main lift but also as an accessory exercise. Less stress on your knees if this is what you’re looking for.

Back Squat allows for much more load, building overall strength.

Both are effective, but:

BSS keeps more tension on the front leg making it harder in terms of balance. It also stretches the back hip flexors much more making it a bit more difficult in my opinion. I’d say a bit more specific tool for athletes however still great for general work.

Lunges in my opinion will have better carryover to more sports. Better for general physical preparedness. Less mobility requirements - low entry exercise literally for everyone.

You probably already know by now that Barbell Bulgarian Squat will be more difficult and there are few reasons for that. Legs will do more or less the same work but your balance will be more challenged. One thing a barbell can give you is an opportunity to put more weight on it. However you need to be an experienced lifter to perform heavy BSS with the bar. 

Like I said before I highly recommend doin it inside the squat rack with safety bars or tapes on a side in case of failing with the lift. I personally use Safety Squat Bar because it allows me to have free hands. If your grip is a limiting factor in your dumbbell version, you can always use straps to help you reach desired intensity with heavy load. 

Here is exactly opposite to the paragraph above… Smith machine will reduce stability requirements allowing you to lift more weight. But there are benefits and downsides to that approach. On one hand, reducing stability requirements may be a better choice if you want to grow bigger legs and put extra muscles in your quads and glutes. 

However if you’re an athlete remember that strength exists only with the context of a specific exercise and you are as strong as your weakest link in a specific movement and reducing stability may be the last thing you need :) It’s still a great option though if you want to go heavier and dumbbells are not enough anymore. 

Strength Athletes, Team Sport Athletes, Combat Sport Athletes, Functional Fitness Foks, basically anyone who is looking to improve leg strength and power, improve balance and coordination and fix any possible imbalances between legs. I could literally mention all types of sport that could benefit from that exercise, depending how they would use it - exercise selection vs exercise application.  

Bulgarian Split Squats will mainly attack your Quads & Glutes. Hamstrings and calves to some degree but it shouldn’t be your choice if you want to attack them properly. Core is working for sure but obviously will be challenged more if you will hold any extra weight in your hands or on your back. 

• Pick one day of your full body workout days and perform 2 sets of anywhere from 6 to 20 reps per leg (bodyweight or light weights) fairly close to failure. Make sure you are progressing with your lifting - so track your progress. 
• Focus on balance and movement quality.

• 3 sets of 6-10 reps per leg (dumbbells or goblet hold), close to failure (1 rep in reserve).
• You can add some tempo work - eccentric or/and isometric.

• Use it as an accessory exercise after main lift with 2-3 sets of x 5-8 reps per leg, close or to failure based on your preference and training plan
• Use BSS Jumps before main lifting for explosive strength - you need to be fresh when you do them.
• Use it as a main lift for strength with something like 6 sets of 3 reps each leg. Use barbell if needed.

The Bulgarian Split Squat is an absolute must for anyone serious about leg strength or size. Don’t overdo it and it can help you build powerful, “functional” lower-body strength and some solid size. 

Great addition to avoid mileage with regular squats with a barbell on your back. Insanely versatile depending how you will use it. Strength, Specific Strengths, Speed, Power … you name it and you will find a way to improve it with Bulgarian Split Squat by just adjusting few things.  

Outstanding book for weightlifters - A System of Multi-Year Training in Weightlifting by A.S. Medvedyev emphasized unilateral training for building strength and power. Unilateral lunges with a barbell are included even in the book “Explosive power and jumping ability for all sports” by Tadeusz Starzyński and Henryk Sozański PhD.  

So all that work known for decades supports the Bulgarian Split Squat can be an effective tool for developing explosive lower-body strength, correcting imbalances, and enhancing athletic performance.

Make sure you add it to your training and let us know did it burn your legs. 

Hope you liked the article, let us know if you have any questions or maybe even suggestions we should think about… 

References:

1.  Biomechanical Differences Between the Bulgarian Split-Squat and Back Squat, Ethan R Mackey, Bryan L Riemann
2. Explosive Training and Heavy Weight Training are Effective for Improving Running Economy in Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Benedito Sérgio Denadai, Rafael Alves de Aguiar, Leonardo Coelho Rabello de Lima, Camila Coelho Greco, Fabrizio Caputo
3. A comparison of free weight squat to Smith machine squat using electromyography, Shane Schwanbeck, Philip D Chilibeck, Gordon Binsted
4. All Photos Made by Torokhtiy Media Team.