Barbell Split Squat
How to do it
- Stand in a long split stance (for the Bulgarian version, rear foot on a bench behind you).
- Lower straight down until your back knee is close to the floor and your front thigh is about parallel.
- Push through the front foot to stand up; finish the set, then switch legs.
- Movement pattern
- Lunge, Squat
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Muscle groups
- Glutes, Quadriceps
- Level
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound, push, one side at a time
- Load
- External load
- Logged as
- Reps
- Joint load
- Knee: high, Lower back / trunk: high
Muscles worked
Main muscles: Gluteus maximus, Rectus femoris, Vastus intermedius, Vastus lateralis, Vastus medialis
Also works: Adductor brevis, Adductor longus, Adductor magnus, Biceps femoris (long head), Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Soleus
Stabilisers: External abdominal oblique, Gluteus medius, Internal abdominal oblique, Rectus abdominis, Transversus abdominis
More exercises for: Glute exercises · Quad exercises
Alternatives by equipment
Alternatives listed in the exercise knowledge graph come first, then exercises with the same movement pattern that train the same muscles. Joint stress is the knowledge graph's rating, not medical advice.
Bodyweight
- Split Squat Beginner · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat Intermediate · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Bodyweight Forward Lunge Beginner · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Bodyweight Reverse Lunge Beginner · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Pistol Squat Advanced
Dumbbells
- Bulgarian Split Squat Intermediate · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Dumbbell Lunge Beginner · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Dumbbell Split Squat Intermediate · lower knee stress (KG rating)
Barbell
- Barbell Lunge Beginner
- Barbell Reverse Lunge Beginner
Kettlebell
- Kettlebell Reverse Lunge Beginner · lower knee stress (KG rating)
- Kettlebell Split Squat Intermediate · lower knee stress (KG rating)
How to program it
In a free plan with a muscle-building goal, the generator programs Barbell Split Squat as 3 sets of 6–10 reps. It uses double progression: once you reach 10 reps on every set, the load goes up by 5 kg the next week and you work back up the range.
With Premium, Overachiever Progression can run it as a main lift with weekly load targets. Premium · €29
Related exercises
Belongs to: Split Squat
Variation of: Split Squat
Opposing movement: Barbell Clean, Barbell Clean and Jerk, Barbell Snatch, Conventional Deadlift, Deficit Barbell Deadlift, Hang Barbell Snatch, Power Barbell Snatch, Power Clean, Romanian Deadlift, Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Other names
Liftosaur: Split Squat, Barbell
Also called: BB Split Squat, Barbell Split Squats, Barbell Static Lunge, Barbell Stationary Lunge, Split Squat (Barbell), Split Squats (Barbell), Static Lunge (Barbell), Stationary Lunge (Barbell)
Build a free plan with this exercise See it in the explorer
Identifier: barbell-split-squat
Exercise data: Exercise Knowledge Graph by Giovanni Degani, incl. wger contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0. Version 1.3.2. Adapted from the Exercise Knowledge Graph; licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Attribution and sources · Download the data (JSON)