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Here’s why fitness buffs are building glutes with the Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is a timeless move that's always worth adding to your leg day workout routine.

By Steph Green Published February 18, 2025

Man in gym with shorts doing Bulgarian split squat exercise in gym — Prostock Studio / Adobe Stock

Building glutes, or shall we say sculpting the derriere, is as popular as building biceps, triceps, and abs. Some of my favorite glute-growing exercises are the classic glute bridge, the kingly goblet squat, the humble cable kickback, and, of course, the Bulgarian split squat. Fitness buffs are still raving about the benefits and derriere-sculpting power of this squat variation. Let’s look at the benefits and tips to master your form.

What is the Bulgarian split squat?

Man doing TRX Bulgarian split squats — Ty / Adobe Stock

The Bulgarian split squat is a variation of the traditional squat exercise where your legs are in a lunge position, and your back foot is elevated. With single-leg split squats, one foot will be forward and the other behind you as you squat down into the lunge position. Your back foot is raised off the ground on a platform, sturdy chair, or bench.

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Once you’ve mastered your technique, you can add weights to ramp up the benefits of this move. You’ll hold two dumbbells, one in each hand, with your arms down by your sides, while performing the split squat with your rear foot elevated.

The power of the Bulgarian split squat

A shirtless man doing split squats using a dumbbell — DjordjeM / Shutterstock

Both types of squats provide benefits, but the Bulgarian split squat is considered a more challenging variation because you can reach a greater depth. Researchers concluded that both the squat and the Bulgarian split squat were equally effective at enhancing lower body strength.

Here are some of the benefits of the Bulgarian split squat:

Improve your hip flexibility.
Level up your overall fitness.
Shift the focus more to your legs and torch your quad muscles in your thighs.
Work your glutes, calves, hamstrings, and adductors.
Engage your core.
Improve your balance and stability.
Improve your posture.
Avoid overtaxing your back.
Work your body unilaterally and help correct muscular imbalances.

Tips to master your technique

Man exercising in the office at work Bulgarian split squat — Andrey Popov / Shutterstock

These top tips will help you master your technique to get the most out of this exercise:

Make sure your feet align properly with your back foot positioned at least a hip distance apart from your front foot, to help you stay balanced.
Try not to lean forward too much, which puts added pressure on your front knee.
Engage your core and roll your shoulders back while lowering yourself down into the lunge position.

The Bulgarian split squat is a timeless move that will always be worth adding to your leg day workout routine. If you’re still having difficulty with traditional lunges, it’s best to start by mastering those before moving on to this more difficult variation.

Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and…

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