The Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat is a intermediate-friendly dumbbell 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—
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand a long stride in front of a knee-high bench.
Place the top of your back foot on the bench and set your front foot far enough forward to keep the knee stacked.
Brace your core and stand tall, with shoulders pulled back and chest up.
Lower yourself by bending the front knee until your back knee is just above the floor.
Pause briefly at the bottom with the front thigh roughly parallel to the floor and the torso upright.
Drive through the front-foot heel to stand back up to the starting position, then repeat for reps.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds serious single-leg strength in the quads and glutes.
Improves hip mobility, balance, and ankle stability under load.
Surfaces left-right strength gaps a barbell squat can hide.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Setting the front foot too close to the bench so the knee tracks far past the toes and gets overloaded.
Letting the front knee cave inward, which loads the joint and weakens the glute drive.
Pushing off the back foot to stand instead of driving through the front-leg heel.
Leaning too far forward so the lift becomes a hip hinge and pulls work out of the front quad.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
