Split squat exercise: tips + video

Split squat exercise: build strength and improve form – instructions and video

Some exercises will help you build muscle mass. Others improve your balance or coordination. And some can increase your endurance, get your blood pumping and your heart beating faster.

But what if there was a movement that could do everything? As it turns out, it exists: the split squat exercise.

Split squats are like a secret weapon in your training arsenal. They efficiently train multiple muscle groups, are quick to master, and easy enough to do in the gym or at home.

Are you ready to learn how to do them properly? Read on.

What is a split squat?

Split squats are a unilateral (unilateral) exercise designed to build lower body strength and promote balance. The split squat achieves these goals by targeting the following muscles:

• Quads
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• glutes
• Abs (core)

The benefits of split squats

In addition to building strength in the lower body and core, split squats are great for:

• Improving balance – Adding split squats to your exercise routine can improve your sense of balance. That’s because the exercise targets your adductors, the muscles in the middle of your thigh that stabilize your pelvis and keep you balanced while walking.
• Correction of muscle imbalances – Because split squats involve training one leg at a time, it is easier to identify and address strength differences between your right and left sides. If one leg feels weaker, you can isolate that side until both legs are equal.
• Increasing athletic performance – For anyone who plays sports, split squats offer the ultimate cross-training opportunity. Finally, many athletic movements – including running and jumping – are one-sided. By strengthening both legs, developing stability and increasing flexibility, the split squat exercise prepares you for any activity.
• Increasing endurance – Like many exercises, split squats get your heart pumping. Completing multiple sets of these unilateral squats can improve your overall fitness and help you tackle other workouts without feeling out of breath.

How to perform the split squat exercise

Because you don’t need any special equipment to do split squats, you can do them anywhere. Here’s how.

Step 1: Position your body

First, find a spot in the gym and stand forward with your feet hip-width apart. Take a large step forward, place your heel on the floor and straighten your front leg. Keep your back leg slightly bent.

From there, stand tall with your arms at your sides and chest facing forward.

Step 2: Lower to the ground

When you feel stable, begin bending both legs until your back knee almost touches the floor.

At your lowest point, your front shin should be pointing straight up and down and your knee aligned above it. Meanwhile, your back knee rests directly behind your hip; You should feel a stretch in your hip flexors.

Step 3: Stand up

To complete your first rep, push yourself up from the floor and press your front heel into the floor. As you return to your starting point, straighten your front leg while slightly bending the back leg.

Step 4: Switch sides

After you finish a set of split squats on one side—we recommend 10-20 reps per set—work on the other side. Bring your back leg forward, send your front leg back, and repeat on the opposite side.

Tips and tricks for split squats

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, this guide from our fitness experts is designed to help you stay confident and train at a high level at split squats:

• Use a stable surface for balancing – Split squats are as much about balance as they are about strength, so performing the exercise in a controlled manner can be challenging for beginners. If you need help staying upright, you can hold onto a chair, counter, or other solid surface for support. As your strength and coordination improve, you will be able to perform your split squats without assistance.
• Stand as straight as possible – You may feel a natural tendency to bend forward as you sink to the ground, but try your best to fight it. Maintaining a straight back will help you reap the full benefits of each split squat And Reduce the risk of spinal injuries.
• Keep your back knee lifted – For best results, do not let your back knee touch the floor. By keeping the knee raised, there is no “rest period” during your set, allowing you to get the most out of your workout. However, if you need to rest your knee on the floor between reps, it may be more comfortable to place a small pad or towel on the floor.

Split squat variations to try

For a greater challenge, experiment with these variations of the split squat exercise.

Weighted split squats

Weighted split squats increase the difficulty of the standard version by adding weights to the mix.

To perform this variation, follow the steps above but hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Make sure your arms remain straight as you raise and lower your body.

As always, we recommend starting with lighter weights before moving on to heavier equipment.

Bulgarian split squats

To increase the difficulty even further, try the Bulgarian split squat. In this exercise, you perform your squats with your back foot on an elevated surface, such as a weight bench or yoga block. Simply place the top of your back foot on a stable surface and perform a series of squats as usual.

If the standard Bulgarian split squat is still not enough for you, you can also do it with weights.

It’s time for split squats and much more

There may not be a perfect exercise, but split squats come pretty close. By incorporating the split squat exercise into your training program, you can simultaneously increase your stability, endurance, and lower body strength.

Now all you need is a friendly, organized place to work out. Chuze Fitness delivers. With convenient locations across the country, we have everything you need to perform every variation of the split squat – and every other exercise you can imagine.

Start by exploring our membership options and then find the Chuze Fitness facility that’s right for you.

Sources:

National Center for Biotechnology Information. Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower extremity: femoral adductor magnus muscle. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534842/

Very good fit. How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-a-bulgarian-split-squat-4589307

Reviewed by:

Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and leads the group fitness and team training departments. She has a career spanning more than 25 years in club management, personal training, group exercise and coach education. Ani lives in San Diego, California with her husband and son and loves hot yoga, snowboarding and all things wellness.