Legs · Squat and lunge
Bulgarian Split Squat
The Bulgarian Split Squat mainly trains your quads and glutes. Also working: adductors and hamstrings.
Both cables
Stool or box
Standing, light pull
How to do it
- Rest the top of your back foot on a bench or box
- Front foot far enough forward: shin stays almost vertical
- Lower straight down until your back knee almost touches the floor
- Drive up through the front heel: then switch sides
Coach’s tip
Almost all the weight is on one leg: which makes the cable machine heavy enough even for strong legs. If you’re wobbly, take just one handle in the hand opposite your front leg and hold on to the frame with the other.
Noticeably loads the knee. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Pulley
Both pulleys at the bottom
Grip
Single handles at your sides
Load
Both cables
Needs two cable towers
You need
Stool or box
Stability
Standing with a moderate load. Brace your core.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (squat and lunge). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Bulgarian Split Squat work?
Mainly the quads and glutes. The adductors and hamstrings help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Bulgarian Split Squat?
Pulley: Both pulleys at the bottom. Grip: Single handles at your sides. You also need: Stool or box.
Can I do the Bulgarian Split Squat on a single cable tower?
Not like this. The Bulgarian Split Squat needs both cables at once, so two towers. If you set up DCFT for one tower, the app leaves it out of your plan and uses exercises such as Goblet Squat and Cable Goblet Squat instead.
What can I do instead of the Bulgarian Split Squat?
For the same movement: Cable Belt Squat, Cable Bar Front Squat and Cable Split Squat. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Bulgarian Split Squat in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.