Bulgarian split squat technique. Variations of Bulgarian squat techniques and their implementation: advantages and disadvantages. Working out with a barbell

Squats are a great way to strengthen your thighs and calves, abdominals, buttocks and lower back, and your entire body. Regularly performed exercises improve blood circulation throughout the body and in the pelvic organs, including developing strength and endurance. Split squats, which help to specifically target the buttocks, are also becoming increasingly popular among the fair sex who engage in fitness for beauty and health.

Main types of split squats

Regular split squat. One leg is put forward and a lunge squat is performed with the knee of the other leg touching the floor.
Classic Bulgarian split squats for the buttocks. One foot is placed with its toe on a bench standing behind it and squats are performed on the other leg.
Split squat on one leg to the side. There are dumbbells in your hands, one leg is stretched to the side, and the body weight is transferred to the other while squatting.
"Gun". The exercise is performed on one leg, the second is bent at a right angle and placed forward when squatting.

You should know that split squats for the buttocks are not recommended if you have diseases of the spine and joints of the lower extremities, with varicose veins of the legs, as well as in old age, with high blood pressure and some other health problems.

You can learn how to properly perform various exercises to strengthen your legs and buttocks in this video:

Split squats by Sophie Ellis-Bextor

The famous English singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor maintains the ideal shape of her body through regular fitness classes. And split squats for the buttocks are one of the star’s favorite exercises.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor recently showed off her graceful legs in the popular British dance show Strictly Come Dancing, where the singer took an honorable fourth place.

And elevated split squats, regularly performed by the star along with other fitness exercises, help her maintain youth and beauty, despite the busy rhythm of her life, the birth of three children and 37 years of age.

Let us repeat the description of this exercise again. So, you need to stand with your back to the chair, place the top of your right foot on the chair behind you. The left leg is in front and the body weight shifts to it. A deep squat is performed on the left leg. Split squats for the buttocks are repeated 8-10 times, then the leg is changed.

This video clearly shows the technique of split squats that develop the legs and buttocks:

You now know how to do exercises for your legs and buttocks. I wrote about this and. Now you need to use this knowledge in real life, that is, start regular fitness classes for beauty and health.

Experienced athletes actively include Bulgarian squats in their training programs, which require serious physical preparation. But amateurs sometimes have no idea what it is and what kind of stress such exercises give to the muscles. The sooner you become acquainted with them and begin to master them, the more productive your classes will be. After all, they are very effective and versatile.

Functionality

Bulgarian squats are performed on one leg, which is why they are often called split squats. One leg is pulled back and placed with the toe on a small hill. The second one goes into a squat, bending at the knee. In this case, the following muscles are worked:

quadriceps;
gluteal large, medium and small;
hamstrings;
core muscles;
backs;
calf.

Unlike classic ones, Bulgarian split squats require good physical preparation, as the load on the legs increases several times. Judging by the muscle atlas presented above, the number of muscles involved in the exercise is much greater than with regular squats on both legs.

From a technical point of view, this is also not the easiest exercise. Firstly, all the work will have to be done by the muscles of only one leg. Secondly, at the same time you need to maintain balance.

But all these difficulties ultimately lead to excellent results:

the target leg muscles are worked as efficiently as possible;
the ability to control the load on different legs: if one lags behind in muscle development, it should be trained more;
the skill of maintaining balance is practiced, which is very important in many areas of human life and in sports in particular;
flexibility of the hip joints develops, which cannot but attract representatives of the fair sex to Bulgarian squats;
the gluteal muscles get a good stretch;
Due to the fact that the body does not need to be tilted forward, the load on the spine is insignificant.

So, despite their difficulties in performing, Bulgarian squats remain one of the most effective in terms of training and stretching the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. And, of course, we must not forget that intense exercise burns a sufficient number of calories, and this is already the path to weight loss (if the goal is not to gain muscle mass).

About another effective exercise for losing weight and pumping up the buttocks, in the article: “”.

Execution technique

Before doing the Bulgarian squat, you should carefully study its technique. One wrong move and the risk of injury increases to the maximum.

To protect your ligaments and joints, adhere to the following scheme:

Stand with your back to the bench. Take one leg back and rest your toe on it.
Place the other leg slightly forward: 15-20 cm from the body.
The arms are either straightened along the body or clasped in front of the chest.
Slowly descend. At the bottom, the thigh of the front leg should be parallel to the floor, and the knee of the back leg should almost touch it. The body must remain straight and maintain an upright position throughout the entire movement.
Hold the low squat position for a couple of seconds.
After this, smoothly straighten the knee of your front leg and straighten up.

Not everyone succeeds in such squats the first time due to the fact that they need to somehow maintain balance. However, with regular training, this problem gradually goes away.

Weighting

Depending on what goal you are pursuing by including Bulgarian squats in your training program, you can improve and complicate them over time. There are different variations of this exercise, and each of them can additionally work out some other muscle groups in your body.

Maintaining balance in a split with dumbbells is much easier than with a barbell or kettlebell, as the load on the spine is reduced. You can take one dumbbell in each hand and lower them along the body. Recommended weight - no more than 5 kg. Or take only one projectile by the base and keep it constantly in front of your chest.

With a barbell, it is better to perform Bulgarian squats in a Smith machine, because this will reduce the risk of falling and loosening of the body in different directions under the weight of the projectile, which will negatively affect the condition of the spine.

Approximate execution technique:

Place the barbell from the machine on your trapezoid (the main thing is not on your neck).
Place one leg behind you on a hill. Here it is no longer necessary to focus exclusively on your toes: you can put your entire foot on the bench.
Place your other leg forward 1 step.
Sit down slowly. Neither your calves nor your knees should touch the floor.
You can't look down.
The back remains straight.
After a couple of seconds, push the body up.

Try different options to see which ones will help you achieve your goal faster. Start with the classics and gradually complicate it. Otherwise, the muscles will get used to the same load and stop responding to it.

To quickly achieve benefits from this squat, you need to know a few tricks that experienced athletes and coaches share:

The Bulgarian split always places an increased load on the knee joint, since all the weight is concentrated on one leg. Therefore, they are contraindicated for people with knee problems.
Due to the complex technique, they will be difficult to master for those new to the sport. Choose such squats for your training only if you have already managed to pump up well.
If you pick up a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells, keep in mind that heavy weights are not used in splits.
Pay attention to the anatomy of the joints, which plays a very important role in Bulgarian squats. The shin of the working leg must be kept strictly vertical. Point your knee and toe forward and prevent them from turning.
Don't do Bulgarian lunges just because they're trendy, everyone does them, etc. If the only goal of your workout is to gain muscle mass in your legs, don't waste your time on this exercise. Give preference to the classics.
The back should be straight all the time. Try not to bend forward, no matter how much you want to.
Watch your breathing: take a deep breath through your nose and do a squat. Exhale smoothly through your mouth and straighten up.
Number of sets: no more than 3. Repetitions: 10-12. Training scheme: every other day.

The good thing about Bulgarian squats is that they can be performed in the gym using a multifunctional Smith machine, and at home, where you can take a regular bench or low chair for support. Control from the outside is usually not required, so to effectively perform the exercise it is enough to know the technique and have normal physical training.

Nowadays, it has become popular to include an exercise called “Bulgarian squats” into the training program in gyms. This is a very difficult task, and beginners cannot do it. You need to perform this exercise after warming up.

How do “Bulgarian” squats differ from simple squats? These exercises are performed with only one leg. The other leg at this time is located at any height. This could be a chair, sofa, bedside table, exercise bar.

Squat Variations

Bulgarian split squats are performed in different variations. This is a simple bending of the supporting leg at the knee, exercises using dumbbells, and you can add weight load with a barbell over time, preferably using a Smith machine.

It is difficult to complete the task while placing your foot on the fitball. This also requires the ability to maintain good balance. The most difficult version of Bulgarian squats are lunges, which can only be done by experienced athletes.

When performing this exercise, you need to strictly adhere to the execution technique, otherwise you can injure the knee joint, and no one needs injuries.

Step-by-step instruction

Go to the bench and place your leg up on it. The second leg is placed forward at a distance convenient for you. It shouldn’t be too small, as you won’t be able to squat down, and if you place your leg too far, it will be a Bulgarian lunge.
The torso and head should be straight; this is very important, since bending forward will remove some of the load from the quadriceps, and the exercise will not produce the desired effect.
The toe of the supporting leg should be level, and the heel in Bulgarian squats should not come off the floor.
Under no circumstances should the knee of the supporting leg peek out from behind the toe of the foot.
The exercise must be performed smoothly and slowly so as not to lose balance.
You need to squat until the supporting leg is parallel to the floor.
Repeat the task no more than 10 times, then you need to take a break.
When performing an exercise with dumbbells, lower your arms down along your body.
If squats are done with a barbell, then it should lie on your shoulders, do not forget to keep your back straight. It is important!
When lifting, the emphasis is placed first on the heel of the supporting leg.

Working muscles

While performing Bulgarian squats, the muscles of the legs, buttocks, abdominals and core stabilizer muscles develop. These are the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, semimembrane, biceps, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, soleus, biceps femoris, quadriceps. When exercising with dumbbells or a barbell, the load on the muscles of the arms and shoulder deltas is added.

The load on most of the muscles is static; only the muscles of the supporting leg and lower back are actively working. Also, a large load falls on the knee joint. If the training was carried out using heavy loads on the legs, then you can do without Bulgarian squats and not put extra strain on the joints; if not, then the exercise will be useful, but after the obligatory warming up of the muscles during the warm-up.

How to perform lunges correctly?

At first, it is better to perform the exercise while standing sideways to the mirror so that you can see the correct execution. The step of the supporting leg should not be too long. The angle of the supporting knee joint should not be very sharp. Squats are performed while exhaling, and when rising, you need to inhale. Turn the toe of the supporting leg slightly toward the middle.

The rest of the execution technique is the same as in the previous version. The back should be straight, the knee should not peek out from behind the toe. To make the exercise more difficult, in addition to increasing the weight of the dumbbells, you can place your back leg on a higher bench.

The advantages of such loads

Single-leg squats work only certain muscle groups in isolation, while developing the small muscles of the legs. The knee joint acquires good stability, the muscles of the buttocks work perfectly, taking on more rounded and elastic shapes, which is necessary especially for the female part of the population. When performing Bulgarian split squats, the vestibular apparatus develops well and the balance of the body core improves.

Also, the convenience of this technique is that it is easy to implement. This exercise can be safely performed at home, placing your foot on a sofa or chair. Gradually increase the load by changing the weight of the dumbbells. At home, if you don’t have such equipment, you can take, for example, bottles of water.

Dangerous moments

Under no circumstances should people with knee problems do squats on one leg. This is a very traumatic exercise, and only well-trained people can perform it, and professional bodybuilders can perform it with dumbbells and barbells.

If you have varicose veins in the legs and pain in the knee joint, it is not recommended to perform such squats; if you have osteochondrosis and pain in the lumbar region, the exercises can be done, but with significant restrictions.

During exercises, you need to monitor your balance, as it is very easy to fall and get injured. When doing Bulgarian squats, the execution technique must be strictly followed, then everything will be fine.

Research by scientists

In the United States of America, Professor McCurdy studied EMG activity in the following exercises: barbell squats and Bulgarian lunges. The conclusion drawn from the study amazed everyone. It turns out that muscle activity in the gluteal muscles and tendons behind the knee is much greater when performing Bulgarian lunges.

But if you do classic squats with weights, your quadriceps will develop better. So, when preparing for classes in the gym and thinking through your exercise program, decide what is more important to you. Girls always want to have toned buttocks, but it’s also unsightly for guys to walk around with jeans hanging down the back. So doing lunges on one leg will not hurt everyone.

Moreover, scientists have also proven that during such exercises the level of testosterone increases, which has a beneficial effect on human hormonal levels and is involved in muscle hypertrophy.

Exercises in Smith

Bulgarian squats with dumbbells add static load to the muscles of the back, shoulders and arms. But the most preferred exercises with free weights are Smith lunges. In this embodiment, the bar moves along fixed holders in a straight line perpendicular to the floor.

Behind the rack of the Smith machine you need to place a bench, the preferred height of which is 30-50 cm. The barbell should be fixed on the holder at the level of the upper chest, in the area of the collarbones. The bar is taken with a straight grip and placed in the middle of the trapezius muscle.

The back leg lies on the bench on the instep or on the toe. Taking a step forward, we exhale, and as we rise, inhale. With a short step, the load on the knee increases; it is better when the step is wide.

When a lift is made after a squat, the supporting leg should not fully extend. By maintaining a small angle at the knee, the leg muscles are under constant tension, and this increases the load.

Bulgarian lunges and squats are complex coordination exercises, which, however, can be performed at home.

If we conditionally divide all the exercises performed in the gym into men's and women's, then Bulgarian lunges receive increased attention from the female part of the trainees.

It’s not surprising, because the desire to have toned hips and a rounded butt is completely natural for girls, and this is what often brings them to fitness centers.

And Bulgarian squats and lunges precisely contribute to the acquisition of good and, importantly, seductive parameters in these zones.

During these multi-joint exercises, several muscle groups are involved:

quadriceps (targeted group);
gluteus maximus, soleus, adductors (adductors);
hamstring and calf muscles (dynamic stabilizers);
gluteus minimus/medius (stabilizers).

In addition, the static load falls on both the abdominal muscles and the core stabilizer muscles, as well as the muscles of the forearms that hold the weight (most often dumbbells).

What are the advantages

By performing Bulgarian lunges and squats with dumbbells, you can give your buttocks the desired rounded shape; develop small muscle groups in the legs, as well as develop and strengthen the core muscles.

For those who train seriously, these squats and lunges with dumbbells improve the body's balancing functions by isolating the muscle groups of one leg; improves jumping and pushing abilities, as well as stability/stability of the knee joint.

Bulgarian lunges with a barbell require good coordination of movements, the ability to maintain balance and are considered a more difficult type of training than with dumbbells. Therefore, they are usually performed by more advanced bodybuilders.

The best exercises for leg muscles

Let us immediately note that you can do Bulgarian lunges and squats in Smith, with dumbbells/barbell or without weights at all, with a regular bench or chair, and even with a fitball. Although at first glance the exercise seems quite simple, as experience shows, it is difficult to do it flawlessly. No wonder it is included in the class of exercises of increased complexity.

Let's consider all the nuances of its implementation, and to better understand it. Also at the end of the article you will find a video about Bulgarian lunges :

starting position: the rise of one leg rests on the edge of the bench (height is somewhere at knee level), with the other leg you need to take a step forward, not too short and not too long. The back is straight, we look forward, we hold dumbbells in our hands along the body;
we inhale, and as we exhale we lunge: bend the supporting leg at the knee to a not too acute angle and lower ourselves until the supporting thigh is parallel to the floor (can be a little lower); the back is straight, and the knee should not go beyond the plane of the toes;
leaning on the heel, we strain all the leg muscles and, as it were, push ourselves to the starting position.

When you gain experience, use the weight as recommended by the trainer, as well as a higher bench - this will make the lunge deeper, and therefore increase the effectiveness of the exercise.

Bulgarian Lunges and Squats: Benefits

When compared with regular squats, the advantages of the elements under consideration are due to the greater complexity of their implementation.

After all, here the supporting leg performs a greater amount of work, which means that its muscles are in constant tension and do not relax. In classic lunges, the load is distributed between the two legs and is thereby reduced.

Studies conducted to compare Bulgarian lunges and conventional barbell squats showed that in the first case, EMG activity in the muscles of the buttocks and hamstrings was significantly higher.

This means that the exercise in question is more effective for improving the shape of the butt and strengthening the thigh muscles. At the same time, the load on the spine is less, which is especially important for girls whose backs are not so strong and novice bodybuilders.

Bulgarian squats for men are also very useful, primarily in terms of developing the quadriceps, especially its inner part. Bulgarian mass squats are also of interest mainly to men, because women are primarily interested in shape, not mass.

Bulgarian split squats provide the group of muscles being worked, on the one hand, with a more intense workout, and on the other hand, the opportunity to rest and recover in order to fully grow.

The principle of splitting is that the training program is divided into parts, and each of them is given a whole workout or a separate day, followed by a certain period for recovery.

To summarize, we can draw the following conclusions:

Bulgarian back squats, despite their apparent ease, are quite difficult to perform, especially for beginners, so they are usually recommended for advanced bodybuilders or professional athletes.
This exercise is considered very effective for developing the gluteal muscles and giving a good shape to the butt, so it is very popular among girls.
The desired effect can only be achieved by strictly following the technique, so it is first recommended to perform it under the guidance of a trainer.

(5 average votes: 4.8 out of 5)

22.11.2018 1908

Training Author of the article:

Bulgarian lunges or Bulgarian squats (hereinafter referred to as BV) are an exercise without which it is impossible to form slender and toned legs and buttocks. At first glance, the technique of performing Bulgarian lunges does not seem complicated. It's a delusion! This exercise is recommended for athletes with a certain level of training. In this article we will dwell in detail on all the features of the exercise and its advantages.

General characteristics of Bulgarian lunges

Due to the physiological characteristics of the female body, the legs and hips of the weaker sex are more often (compared to men) a problem area. It is in this area that cellulite and fat deposits operate. This is how nature takes care of future offspring, giving a woman the opportunity to provide her baby with everything necessary during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Excess weight on the hips quickly appears, but is in no hurry to go away. Bulgarian split squats will hit the excess in the legs and buttocks hard. Regular training will help reduce the volume of the target area, make the body elastic, and the skin tightened.

We can say that the Bulgarian squat is a classic lunge in a more complicated version. The main difference from the usual lunges is the position of the legs. When performing BV, one leg is on a hill. This forces the supporting leg to work more intensely, increasing the effectiveness of the workout several times.

The apparent simplicity of the exercise is deceptive; if you have recently been working out in the gym, then you should refuse to include it in the training program. You need to start getting acquainted with BV without any burden, gradually moving on to more complex options. Split squats can be performed by athletes of both genders. The presence of different variations allows everyone to find their own type of BV to obtain good results.

The effectiveness of the exercise is confirmed by the specific mechanism of the muscle atlas. Several joints are involved in the work. The load is distributed on the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, adductor and soleus muscles, muscles of the back of the thighs, calf muscles, gluteus minimus and medius muscles. The simultaneous work of the listed muscles will not only tighten the buttocks and legs, but also give a beautiful relief.

Here the question may arise: why is BV better than classic squats and lunges, since the same muscles are involved? Exercise has its benefits. When performing squats/lunges, an athlete can use a lot of weight as a burden. The advantage of the split squat is a more intense load on the target muscles - due to the fact that the supporting leg is continuously loaded.

Let's list the advantages of Bulgarian lunges

the load falls on one leg (alternately), which increases work efficiency;
the need to maintain balance develops the athlete’s ability to balance the body and develop stabilizer muscles;
the Bulgarian lunge targets the small leg muscles;
the buttocks acquire the desired rounded shape, the hips and legs decrease in volume;
core muscles develop and strengthen;
the knee joint is stabilized;
the athlete is better at jumping and pushing;
the presence of types allows you to select the load individually;
The exercise can be done at home.

Features of execution (classic version)

Bulgarian squats require composure and attentiveness. The exercise is characterized by increased complexity. Deviations from technique will reduce efficiency and may result in injury.

A low bench and dumbbells are used as equipment in the gym.
Starting position: lift one leg up onto a hill, push the supporting leg forward. We fix our back and direct our gaze in front of us. Hands with dumbbells are lowered down.
We perform a squat - exhale. As soon as the loaded thigh is parallel to the floor, we straighten the knee and return to the starting position.
All work is done with the supporting leg.

Types of Bulgarian split squats

The Bulgarian split squat is performed with your own weight, with dumbbells, with a barbell, in a Smith machine, using a fitball.

The first option is suitable for beginner athletes. Moving on to more difficulty, remember that BVs do not allow heavy weights. If BV is performed with a barbell, then the equipment is placed on the shoulders behind the back. Using a fitball as a platform allows you to increase the difficulty due to the need to maintain balance. In addition, the fitball completely deprives the athlete of the ability to help himself with his back leg.

We take into account the specifics: tips and main mistakes

You should not allow your back to relax. If you use a mirror, it will be easier to monitor the fixation of the torso.
For balance, turn your supporting foot slightly so that your toe points inward.
A step forward with the supporting leg should allow the knee to have an angle of 90° at the lowest point. The knee in the lower position should not go beyond the line of the toe.
Don't squat too low. At the lowest point, the thigh is parallel to the floor.
If you feel tension in your back leg, it means you are in the wrong position or trying to help with a non-supporting leg. The entire load falls exclusively on the supporting leg. Otherwise, there will be a loss of effectiveness.
To come up, push through your supporting heel.
Try not to lean your body forward during the lunge. Just look straight ahead.
There is no place for haste and jerking.
It is recommended to use weights only after fully studying the technique. Only after learning how to perform a task without errors, only after mastering body balancing, can you move on to more complexity.
You can increase the load by using a higher bench.
The recommended number of repetitions is 3-4 sets of 10-12 lunges each.

A study was conducted in the United States to compare the effectiveness of BV and barbell squats. Professor McCurdy recorded electrical muscle activity during both exercises. BVs were found to be significantly superior to squats in terms of targeting the gluteal muscles and hamstrings. But during squats, greater EMG activity was noted in the quadriceps. Conclusion: if an athlete needs to work on the shape of his buttocks and hamstrings, he should include BV in his training program. To develop the quadriceps, it is better to stop at squats.

Another study found that athletes had the same testosterone levels when performing both exercises. Both squats and BV have a beneficial effect on the athlete’s hormonal environment to the same extent.

Bulgarian lunges will be a great help in shaping your buttocks and legs. Athletes are advised to treat the load with caution, due to the complexity of coordination and the presence of many subtleties of execution. Regular training and adherence to technique are a guarantee of a beautiful, toned and defined shape.

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