Legs · Intermediate
How to Do Bulgarian Split Squats
The Bulgarian split squat is one of the toughest and most rewarding single-leg moves. With your back foot up on a chair or bench, one leg does almost all the work — building serious quad and glute strength while exposing and fixing left-to-right imbalances. All you need is something to rest your back foot on.
- In the app
- Form guide (not counted yet)
- Muscles worked
- Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Core, Calves
- Equipment
- A chair, bench, or couch to elevate the back foot
- Also called
- rear-foot-elevated split squats, bulgarian squats, single-leg split squats
How to do bulgarian split squats with proper form
- 1 Set up. Stand a couple of feet in front of a chair or bench and rest the top of one foot on it behind you.
- 2 Find your stance. Hop your front foot out far enough that when you lower, your front knee stays over your ankle rather than shooting past your toes.
- 3 Lower straight down. Bend your front knee to lower your hips until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor, keeping your torso tall.
- 4 Drive back up. Push through your front heel to stand back up. Finish all your reps on one leg, then switch.
Popular variations
Split squats (no elevation)
Keep your back foot on the floor instead of elevated. This is the easier starting point and a great way to build up to the full Bulgarian version. REP RUSH counts standing lunges, which train the same single-leg pattern.
Deficit Bulgarian split squats
Stand on a low step or plate so your front foot is raised, increasing the range of motion for a deeper stretch on the glutes and quads.
Muscles worked
Primary
Quadriceps, Glutes
Supporting
Hamstrings, Core, Calves
Common mistakes
Front knee past the toes
Standing too close to the bench. Step your front foot out further so the knee stays stacked over the ankle.
Losing your balance
Wobbling from a stance that's too narrow. Widen your foot placement side to side for a stable base.
Leaning too far forward
Pitching your chest down. Stay tall to keep the load on your working leg, or lean slightly to bias the glutes on purpose.
Going too heavy too soon
This move is hard with bodyweight alone. Master it unloaded before adding dumbbells.
How many reps & sets
Start with 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps per leg with bodyweight only — it's harder than it looks. Once that's comfortable, hold dumbbells to add load. Rest 60–90 seconds between sets and expect this one to leave your legs sore for a day or two when you're new to it.
Bulgarian Split Squats FAQ
What muscles do Bulgarian split squats work?
They mainly build the quadriceps and glutes of the front leg, with the hamstrings, calves, and core working hard to keep you balanced. Because one leg carries the load, they build single-leg strength fast.
Why are Bulgarian split squats so hard?
One leg does nearly all the work while you also fight to stay balanced, so the muscles and your stabilizers are challenged at once. That difficulty is exactly why they build strength so effectively.
What can I do instead of Bulgarian split squats?
Regular split squats (back foot on the floor) and lunges train the same single-leg pattern with less balance demand. They're a smart way to build up — and REP RUSH counts lunges for you.
Does REP RUSH count Bulgarian split squats?
Not yet, since the back foot is elevated on a bench. For a counted single-leg move today, try lunges — REP RUSH counts each rep through your webcam.
REP RUSH doesn't count bulgarian split squats — yet
This one happens down on the floor or against a bench — angles a webcam can't track reliably. REP RUSH focuses on standing, camera-facing moves it can count cleanly. Here's what it counts for you today — free, in your browser, with nothing uploaded.
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