The Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells is an excellent exercise for activating and strengthening your glutes and is great for developing your single leg strength, balance, and coordination. Bulgarian split squats are a variation of the classic bodybuilding squat that can be used as an alternative to the barbell squat or deadlift.
The barbell squat and deadlift tend to have a bad rap for causing lower back pain, and for this reason many people shy away from them. The Bulgarian split squat is a great replacement because it puts your body in an upright and stable position, eliminating any stress on the lower back. You can do the split squat using a dumbbell, barbell, kettlebells, bands, or medicine balls.
DB Bulgarian Split Squat Benefits
DB Bulgarian split squats are beneficial for your leg muscles, your heart, lungs, and waistline. These exercises are going to help scorch calories, build muscle, improve blood flow, and increase your cardio capacity. They are going to primarily target your inner thigh, quad and glute muscles.
Bulgarian split squats are also an excellent compound exercise because they target multiple muscle groups at once including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Keep in mind the Bulgarian split squat should be performed using a slower tempo on the concentric phase (lifting) and eccentric phase (lowering) of the lift.
You Can Use Bulgarian Split Squats To Greatly Improve Athletic Performance
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Bulgarian Split Squat Muscles Worked
The Bulgarian split squat targets the quadriceps, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, adductor magnus, hamstrings, and calf muscles. You’ll feel this exercise in the muscles behind your thighs but also in your hips, buttocks, and lower back.
The Bulgarian split squat works one leg at a time, which allows you to target one leg at a time, as long as you have adequate ankle mobility (the upper body doesn’t have to do much work). This allows us to develop strength and power in our legs without having to worry about balancing on two legs. The increased eccentric loading on the hamstrings can also lead to more muscle growth.
To perform the Bulgarian split squat properly, stand on one leg and put the other leg back on a chair, stair, or bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand. This is your starting position. While keeping your torso erect and avoiding leaning forward or backward, slowly lunge down until your front thigh is as close to parallel to the floor as possible. Pause for a moment at this position before returning to the starting position and repeating the movement with your other leg.
Bulgarian Split Squat Variations and Alternatives
The wide-stance Bulgarian split squat is a great variation to try if you have tight hip flexors and quads or you need to work on your ankle mobility. Just like the traditional Bulgarian split squat, this variation emphasizes the ability to control the range of motion through a large range of motion. Both knees should be close to, but not touching the floor at any point during the movement.
A good alternative to the Bulgarian Split Squat is standard squat or lunge. These are good exercises to work your way up the ladder and give you a better base for doing a more challenging exercise like the Bulgarian split squat.
Bulgarian Split Squat Dumbbell Weight
Anytime you start a new exercise, you need to choose a dumbbell weight that’s light and comfortable to handle until you get the proper form down pat. Choose 10-pound dumbbells and work your way up to 30 then 50-pound dumbbells. Progress over time and make sure you keep the exercise safe.
If you are trying to bulk up, do multiple reps. If you are trying to improve strength, increase weight and do less reps. Mixing both methods together is good for optimal loading and strength gain.
Summary: DB Bulgarian Split Squat for Glutes
If you’re looking for a way to really target your glutes, look no further than the DB Bulgarian split squat. The Bulgarian split squat is a great variation of the regular back squat and places more emphasis on the glutes than the quads, which is something that most people need. This exercise will help build strength in your legs and improve overall balance and stability. Do this with your weekly workout to target all the muscle groups of your legs. Increase the weight of your dumbbells over time to achieve maximum results.
