A lot of fitness enthusiasts are in love with the squat, and it has been like that for years upon years since human race started to focus on an aesthetic look, and realized that the time had come to beef one’s thighs up.
There are different types of squats, with varying kinds of pressure that one can add to their workout routine. You can do the Goblet Squat, deep Squat, half Squat or sumo squat. The squat and any exercise that hunkers down on one’s haunches go a long way to improve your legs, and their muscles. You can’t fulfill a leg day workout if there is no Bulgarian split squat in the regimen. Especially if you are trying to progress to a pistol squat.
You can do the elevated split squat to strengthen your legs quickly. The difference it has with a split squat is the elevation of one’s rear foot. The elevation of one’s back foot will add a bit of resistance or difficulty to the routine, thereby going on to test one’s balance.
You will go a long way to engage your core and place a higher load on your front leg. The additional load will improve your leg strength. If you add the barbell to the regimen, you have to reduce some weight when transcending from the previous standard split squat to one that is elevated. This is to prevent your front leg from being overburdened. Even though you might want to progress quickly, overburdening your front leg is not wise.
The benefits of Bulgarian split squat exercise
The Bulgarian Split Squat offers a lot of benefits to anyone doing it regularly. It can help you to test your balance significantly. With the Bulgarian Split Squat, you can tell if you have a great balance or not. You can also work on your core strength.
The elevated split squat acts as a workout for a great deal of your body like the quads, hamstrings, and calves. Even the glutes are not left out in this exercise. If you are interested in carving out your posterior to the best shape possible, try the Bulgarian Split.
The Bulgarian split squat is very easy to master and do when compared with a full-on back squat. It is excellent for those who are injury prone unless you have weak knees.
While doing the back squat, the lower part of the back is usually greatly affected, thereby reducing the weight one can lift comfortably. The Bulgarian Split Squat is designed to allow you to work on your hamstrings, quads, and glutes. You can do the Bulgarian split squat better and work on the specific aspects significantly by the following guide.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Before you start, get a bench, chair, platform or any contraption that will allow you to place a foot on. The contraption you opt for should be close to the height of your knee.
You should then move into a forward lunge stance, while you keep your torso upright. The back of your foot on an elevated position on the bench, your hips being square to the body while having your core braced.
The leg that is leading should be about a half a meter in the bench’s front. Move your front thigh to a lowered position until it is close to being horizontal. While doing this, keep your knee in the same line as your foot. Do not allow your front knee to move beyond the toes.
You can drive up via the front foot towards the beginning stance. Ensure that you keep the movements you carry out measured.
Do this continuously for about ten times before moving to the other leg.
Tips For Your Bulgarian Split Squat
It is vital that your distance is kept right. If you are to close to the bench, your quads would be affected by it. Being very close to the bench or box could lead to pain in the knee.
If you created a great distance, it could have a more significant effect on your hip flexors, though it could strain the groin. This is why you should use the distance working that works well for you.
You can add more resistance to it by using weight. There are various ways by which you can add resistance while doing the Bulgarian split squat.
You can do the goblet form. Imagine you hold the dumbbell like a goblet that you would drink from. You can use the dumbbells, and this time, you keep them in both hands.
You can also use a barbell, but it is crucial that you are careful. If you fail at using it, you might lose balance, and the barbell is harder to drop than two separate dumbbells.
Variations Of The Bulgarian Split Squat
Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat
You can add weight like dumbbells or others to this regimen. Some people may opt for a barbell, though we believe the dumbbells are a better option. To do this, you have to hold the dumbbells in both hands, allowing them to easily hang from your sides, while you perform the movement.
The Bulgarian Split Squat With A Gym Ball
This form of elevated split squat like other forms brings the challenge of creating more need for balance.
Using the gym ball, while trying to rest your back foot on it would significantly improve your core strength and stability, as well as that of your front leg.
You can leave the weights and move onto using gym balls. Using a gym ball will improve one’s balance by adding a new movement plane. You can quickly enhance your coordination using this method. To do this, put your arms to your front, while your hands hold onto each other. You should then move your torso to one side, as you reduce your body to form a Squat. Do the second side the same way. Repeat the process.
