Split Squat Exercise: Guide and Video to Build Strength and Improve Form
Some exercises help develop muscle mass. Some improve balance and coordination. Others increase your stamina, get your blood pumping, and get your heart pumping.
But what if there was an exercise that could do all of that? There’s actually an exercise called the split squat.
Split squats are like a secret weapon in your training arsenal. It effectively trains multiple muscle groups, is quick to master, and easy to perform at the gym or at home.
Ready to learn how to do them properly? Read more.
What is a split squat?
The split squat is a unilateral (one-sided) exercise designed to strengthen lower body strength and promote balance. The split squat accomplishes these goals by targeting the following muscles:
- quadriceps femoris
- hamstrings
- calf
- gluteus maximus
- abdominal muscles (core)
Benefits of split squats
In addition to strengthening your lower body and core, split squats are great for:
- Improved balance – Adding split squats to your workout routine will improve your sense of balance. That’s because this exercise targets your adductors, the muscles in the middle of your thighs that stabilize your pelvis and help you maintain balance when walking.
- correct muscle imbalances – Split squats train one leg at a time, making it easier to identify and address side-to-side strength differences. If one leg feels weak, you can isolate that side until both legs are equal.
- Improving athletic performance – For athletes, split squats offer the ultimate cross-training opportunity. After all, many motor movements, including running and jumping, are unilateral. The split squat exercise prepares you for any activity by strengthening both legs, increasing stability and increasing mobility.
- Improved stamina – Like many exercises, split squats get your heart pumping. A few sets of these unilateral squats will improve your overall fitness and allow you to tackle other workouts without feeling out of breath.
How to do a split squat exercise
Split squats don’t require any special equipment, so you can do them anywhere. Here’s how:
Step 1: Adjust your body position
First, find a space in the gym and stand facing forward with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward, keeping your heel on the ground and straightening your front leg. Keep your back legs slightly bent.
From there, stand tall with your arms at your sides and your chest facing forward.
Step 2: Lower to the ground
Once you feel stable, start bending your legs until your back knee almost touches the ground.
In the lowest position, keep your front shin straight up and down and your knees aligned above you. Meanwhile, your back knee should be directly behind your hips. You should feel a stretch in your hip flexors.
Step 3: Stand up
To complete the first rep, press up off the ground while pressing your front heel into the floor. As you return to your starting point, keep your back leg slightly bent and your front leg straight.
Step 4: Switch sides
Once you’ve finished a set of split squats on one side (we recommend doing 10-20 reps per set), work on the other side. Bring your back leg forward, front leg back, and repeat the exercise on the other side.
Split squat tips and tricks
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, this guidance from fitness experts will help you stay safe and train at a high level when doing split squats.
- Use a stable surface for balance – Split squats are not only about strength but also balance, so it can be difficult for first-timers to perform the exercise with control. If you need help staying upright, you can hold on to a chair, counter, or other hard surface for support. As your strength and coordination improve, you’ll be able to complete a split squat without assistance.
- stand as straight as possible – You may feel a natural tendency to slouch as you lower yourself to the ground, but do your best to resist it. You can enjoy the full benefits of each split squat by keeping your back straight. and Reduces risk of spinal injury.
- Keep your back knee up – For best results, avoid letting your back knee touch the ground. Keeping your knees up eliminates any “rest time” during your sets and helps you get the most out of your workout. However, if you need to put your knees on the floor between repetitions, you may find it more comfortable to place a small pad or towel on the floor.
Split squat variations to try
If you want an extra challenge, try a variation of the split squat exercise.
weighted split squat
Weighted split squats increase the difficulty of the standard version by adding weight to the mix.
To perform this variation, follow the steps above, but hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. Make sure to keep your arms straight as you raise and lower your body.
As always, we recommend starting with light weights before moving on to heavier equipment.
Bulgarian split squat
To make it even more challenging, try the Bulgarian split squat. This exercise involves performing a squat with your back leg on a raised surface, such as a weight bench or yoga block. Simply place the top of your back foot on a sturdy surface and perform one set of squats as you normally would.
If the standard Bulgarian split squat isn’t enough for you, you can also perform it with weights.
It’s time for split squats etc.
There may be no such thing as the perfect exercise, but split squats come pretty close. By incorporating the split squat exercise into your workout routine, you can increase your stability, stamina, and lower body strength at the same time.
All you need is a friendly and organized workout location. Brought to you by Chuze Fitness. With convenient locations across the country, we have everything you need to perform any variation of the split squat. Plus, we have all the other exercises you can think of.
Start by exploring our membership options to find the Chuze fitness facility that’s right for you.
source:
National Center for Biotechnology Information. Anatomy, bony pelvis and lower limbs: adductor femoralis muscles of the thigh. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534842/
Very well 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
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness, where she oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise, and instructor training. Ani lives in San Diego, California with her husband and son and loves hot yoga, snowboarding, and all things wellness.
