The Bulgarian split squat (also called the rear‑foot‑elevated split squat) is a unilateral lower‑body move that crushes your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving balance and core stability.

Setup and stance

  • Stand 2–4 feet in front of a sturdy bench or box about knee‑height, facing away from it.
  • Place one foot back on the bench, with the top of the foot or laces resting on the surface and your toes pointed slightly down (not up).
  • Position your front foot under or slightly behind your hip so your shin is close to vertical when you squat; your front heel should be flat and your feet roughly shoulder‑width apart.

How to perform it

  1. Lower phase (eccentric)
    • Keep your torso relatively upright, chest up, and core tight.
 * Bend your front knee and hip, letting your back knee drop toward the floor in a straight line, until your **front thigh is接近 parallel** to the ground and your rear knee nearly or lightly touches the floor.
  1. Push phase (concentric)
    • Drive hard into your front heel and midfoot, pushing the ground away as you straighten the front leg.
 * Keep the **rear leg relaxed** and used mostly for balance; avoid “pushing off” the back foot, since this is a single‑leg exercise.

Loading and reps

  • You can do bodyweight , hold dumbbells/kettlebells at your sides (suitcase style), a goblet hold in front of the chest, or a barbell on your back for heavier loading.
  • A common hypertrophy template is 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps per leg , resting 60–90 seconds between sets.

Common mistakes to fix

  • Caving‑in knees: Keep your front knee in line with your toes; don’t let it collapse inward.
  • Over‑long stride: If your front shin tilts way forward or you can’t go deep without leaning, shorten the distance between your front foot and the bench.
  • Rocking torso: Avoid collapsing forward; use a slight lean but keep your chest up.

Benefits (why people love it in 2026)

  • Builds quad and glute size more directly than many bilateral squats because of the single‑leg loading and deeper stretch.
  • Improves unilateral strength, balance, and injury resilience , which is trendy in functional and hybrid fitness circles.

If you share what you’re training for (strength, size, rehab, etc.), I can dial in a sample rep/set scheme and a couple of “trending in 2026” variations (dumbbell, goblet, or tempo options). Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.