How to do bulgarian split squats with dumbbells:
- Stand with your back to a bench or raised surface, a few feet in front of it.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, letting your arms hang naturally by your sides.
- Place one foot (toes down) on the bench, with your front foot forwards.
- Bend your front knee to lower your body, until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Your back knee should approach the floor but not touch it.
- Press through your front heel to rise back to the starting position.
- Repeat desired number of reps on one leg, then switch and repeat!
Muscle groups worked
Benefits
The Bulgarian split squat is a powerful lower-body exercise that engages multiple muscle groups throughout the legs, glutes and core abdominals – it’s a great workout to build lower-body stength, improve balance and coordination.
Improve your form and techiniue
- Keep your torso upright, shoulders back, and core engaged to stabilize your body whilst lowering yourself down.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement for maximum engagement.
- Avoid leaning too far – ensure your front foot is far enough forward that your knee will not travel past your toes as you lower down.