The Bulgarian Split Squat is a beginner-friendly bodyweight strength exercise that targets the glutes and quadriceps. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesGlutes, Quads
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentBodyweight
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Bulgarian Split Squat
Stand a stride-length away from a bench and place the top of your back foot on the bench behind you.
Square your hips forward and brace your core with your hands on your hips or at your chest.
Lower your back knee straight down toward the floor while keeping your front shin near vertical.
Drop until the back knee is just above the ground and the front thigh is roughly parallel to the floor.
Keep your weight in the front heel and your chest tall throughout the descent.
Drive through the front heel to push yourself back up, finishing with the front glute squeezed.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds single-leg strength in the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Exposes and corrects left-right strength imbalances.
Improves hip stability and balance under load.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Standing too close to the bench, which shoves the front knee too far forward and loads the joint.
Letting the front knee cave inward instead of tracking over the foot.
Pushing off the back foot instead of driving through the front heel — robs the front leg of work.
Twisting the hips to compensate for balance instead of staying square — kills the unilateral training.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Bulgarian Split Squat, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
