How to Transform Your Body Strength with Split Squats

Q: What Are the Benefits of Split Squats for Strength Training?

Strengthen lower body, improve balance and stability, enhance muscle symmetry, and relieve lower backpain

Q: How Can Split Squats Be Modified for Different Fitness Levels?

To ake it easier: Instead of making a stride at the beginning of the exercise, take a small step forward so that your legs are not split too wide. Place one hand on a chair, table, or wall for extra support and balance. To make it harder: Wrap a resistance band around your thighs to make the movement challenging. The closer the band is to your knees, the harder the movement. Hold free weights (dumbbells or kettlebells) in each hand to put extra pressure on the muscles and joints. Instead of having the trailing foot on the floor, elevate it onto a bench or chair to form a right angle at the knee joint. This is called a Bulgarian split squat. You can incorporate weights to make the exercise even more challenging.

Split squats are a good place to start if you’re looking to strengthen your core, lower back, and upper leg.

If you already train with lunges and regular squats, try split squats to challenge your muscles differently.

In addition to lower body strength training, split squats are great for posture correction, balance training, and pain relief.

At JAG Physical Therapy, we’re keen to provide expert guidance for effective and safe exercises. This split squat exercise guide explains how to perform the movement safely and for maximum results.

What Are Split Squats?

A split squat is a unilateral lower body movement. “Unilateral” means that it exercises one side of the body at a time.

Think of split squats as a cross between a lunge and a squat.

To perform a split squat, you start with your legs split (hence the name) — one in front of the other. You then sink into a squat and rise to an upright position. The movement works the side of your body with the leading leg. The trailing leg is only there for support, although you might feel a slight stretch in the quads.

The great thing about the split squat is that it engages nearly all muscle groups in the lower body, including:

Calves: These muscles attach the Achilles tendon to the back of the knee and help with various foot movements.
Core muscles. This is an umbrella term for all the muscles that support your trunk. When doing a split squat, you must engage various core muscles to stay upright and balanced.
Glutes. Gluteal muscles make up most of the buttocks. They are responsible for extending the hip joint and providing stability when standing, bending, and squatting.
Hamstrings. These are the muscles running down the back of your thighs. They pull on the knee joint, allowing it to bend.
Hip flexors. As the name suggests, these muscles flex the hips (i.e., bring the knee closer to the chest). Hip flexors stretch and contract when performing split squats.
Quadriceps. Quads are the long, thick muscles at the front of your thighs that extend and stabilize the knee. They are heavily engaged during squat movements.

What Are the Benefits of Split Squats for Strength Training?

Let’s look at the four main reasons why you need to incorporate split squats into your workout routine.

Strengthen Lower Body

The split squat is one of the most effective lower body strengthening exercises. Whether using body weight, a resistance band, or additional weights, split squats can restore or build strength in your legs, lower back, and core.

Improve Balance and Stability

Split squats work the hip, knee, and ankle, improving range of motion and load bearing in these joints. This makes the joints more stable. Also, the exercise enhances posture and balance by engaging the abdominals and lower back muscles.

Enhance Muscle Symmetry

Unlike regular squats, split squats work one side of the body at a time. This irons out any unwanted muscle imbalances, especially in the dominant vs. non-dominant leg. Basically, all unilateral workouts help balance muscle pairs.

Relieve Lower Back Pain

By placing most of your body weight on either leg, split squats reduce the load on the spine and pelvis. Lowering pressure in these areas results in pain relief, which is particularly notable when recovering from lower back surgery or injury.

How to Perform Split Squats Correctly

Split squats only work when done properly. Also, using the correct technique and form reduces the risk of injury.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to perform a proper split squat:

Start from an upright standing position with both feet facing forward, and take a big step forward with one leg.
Raise your back heel so the back leg stands on its toes.
Bend both knees and sink into a squatting position until the front leg forms a right angle at the knee. At the same time, lower the back knee as close as possible to the floor.
Push the front heel hard against the floor and rise to the starting position.
Repeat this movement at least 8-10 times on each leg. Aim for three sets.

Here are a few key things to note and mistakes to avoid when doing split squats:

Avoid rounding your shoulders. Straight shoulders stop you from leaning too far forward.
Do not bend or arch your back. This can result in a back injury, especially when using weights.
Keep the front knee behind the front toes when squatting. Do this so as not to overload your ankle.
Keep the leading foot flat on the floor at all times. You want to push up with the heel, not the toes.
Try not to lean too far forward or backward. Leaning or rotating will compromise your balance.

How Can Split Squats Be Modified for Different Fitness Levels?

The split squat can be modified to adjust the difficulty depending on your fitness level.

To make it easier:

Instead of making a stride at the beginning of the exercise, take a small step forward so that your legs are not split too wide.
Place one hand on a chair, table, or wall for extra support and balance.

To make it harder:

Wrap a resistance band around your thighs to make the movement challenging. The closer the band is to your knees, the harder the movement.
Hold free weights (dumbbells or kettlebells) in each hand to put extra pressure on the muscles and joints.
Instead of having the trailing foot on the floor, elevate it onto a bench or chair to form a right angle at the knee joint. This is called a Bulgarian split squat. You can incorporate weights to make the exercise even more challenging.

Schedule a Session with JAG Physical Therapy

Get a professional to guide you in performing physical therapy exercises. Working out with a PT expert guarantees optimal results and injury-free workouts. That’s exactly what we do here at JAG Physical Therapy. Contact us at (201)-801-7141 to get started on your fitness journey, or visit our website for more information.