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Tag: Butt Exercises

  • The Right Way to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat, According to a Trainer – POPSUGAR Australia

    The Right Way to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat, According to a Trainer – POPSUGAR Australia

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    If you’re looking to change it up on leg day, Bulgarian split squats are a great way to add variety to your workout routine. In fact, they’re the move you should be adding to your lower-body day when you really want to know you worked out the next day, because Bulgarian split squats are sure to leave you with DOMS – especially in your glutes and quads. This lunge variation is made seriously challenging by elevating your back leg on a bench, stool, or even TRX strap (if you feel daring), which turns it into a glute and quad powerhouse.

    Bulgarian split squats deliver results along with the soreness. They’re great for improving your balance, strengthening your glutes, and preventing muscle imbalances. That’s because when we work both legs at the same time, such as with a regular squat, there’s a tendency for the more dominant or stronger leg to take over, which leads to muscle imbalances. Training one leg at a time can help prevent those imbalances and strengthen each leg independently, as well as focus the mind-body connection and improve form on each side.

    The tradeoff for the impressive benefits Bulgarian split squats offer is that they’re not the easiest to approach. Finding the right setup is key – you won’t believe how big of a difference one little adjustment can make. To help, PS spoke with Grace Taylor PT, DPT at Boston Sports Medicine, to get tips on proper Bulgarian split squat form as well as plenty of variations to try.

    Benefits of Bulgarian Split Squats

    Bulgarian split squats predominantly strengthen your quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius, Taylor says. The secondary muscles utilized are the hamstring, calf muscles, other ankle stabilizers, and core. By elevating your back leg, you eccentrically strengthen it, which is directly applicable to everyday activities like climbing stairs and hiking. This move is also a great way to transition from regular squats to single-leg squats (aka pistol squats) since it improves the mind-body connection and requires more balance. Single-leg exercises can also help you avoid overtraining your dominant limb, as turning the focus to a single leg helps eliminate the potential for muscular imbalances on one side.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Form Tips

    First, a few Bulgarian split squat form tips. The most common problems trainers see with Bulgarian split squats are clients trying to lean forward, letting their standing knee fall inward, or turning their pelvis outward.

    To avoid leaning forward, Taylor recommends imagining there’s a spotlight on your chest and keeping it pointed forward at the opposite wall throughout the entire exercise, rather than letting it point at the ground. She also recommends keeping a neutral spine (i.e. not rounding forward or arching back) and hinging through the hips as you perform the movement.

    To keep your standing knee from falling inward toward the midline of your body, imagine that you’re holding two sheets of paper on either side of your knee and that you have to keep the knee from touching them. If you’re having trouble with this, Taylor recommends minimizing the depth of the squat to the point just before the knee instability occurs and working on strengthening it by dropping a little lower each week until you can keep the knee in a straight line.

    To prevent a pelvic imbalance and to make sure you’re dropping your hips down evenly rather than favoring one side, Taylor recommends keeping your hands on your hips or watching yourself in a mirror to make sure they stay level.

    How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat

    To get started, you’ll need something you can elevate your back leg on, such as a bench, step, stool, chair, or other sturdy object (8-10 inches in height is best).

    • Sit on the edge of your bench/step/stool and extend one leg out in front of you. Mark the spot where your heel lands with a piece of tape or another object, like a small dumbbell.
    • Stand with one heel in line with your marked spot and the other toe/forefoot behind you resting on the bench. It’s best to have your foot closer to the front edge of the bench, but not to the point where you risk the foot losing contact with the bench. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Balance your weight equally between the heel of your standing leg and the toes on your back leg. This is your starting position.
    • Bend the front knee to lower your body and back knee toward the floor. Drive your glutes back toward the bench, hinging at the hips. Pause when your front leg is parallel to the ground, or as low as is comfortable.
    • Drive through the standing leg, using the glutes and quads to bring yourself back up to standing. Don’t lock the front knee when you reach the top.
    • Do 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Alternatives

    If you’re having trouble with Bulgarian split squats, don’t have the right equipment, or want to take it down a notch, there are plenty of alternate moves you can try. Reverse lunges and curtsy lunges are both more beginner-friendly moves that target the same muscles and don’t require any equipment.

    If you’ve mastered the basic Bulgarian split squat and you’re looking to level up, try one of the more challenging variations below.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Variation: Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

    To make this exercise more challenging, add weight. There are a few different ways to do so: You can hold a free weight in each hand by your sides, hold just one weight in the hand opposite your standing leg to increase the challenge on your balance, or hold a kettlebell in a goblet position, as seen in the photo above. Note that adding weight can increase the tendency to bend forward through your mid back, so be especially conscious of your form as you start to level up.

    • Sit on the edge of your bench/step/stool and extend one leg out in front of you. Mark the spot where your heel lands with a piece of tape or another object, like a small dumbbell.
    • Stand with one heel in line with your marked spot and the other toe/forefoot behind you resting on the bench. It’s best to have your foot closer to the front edge of the bench, but not to the point where you risk the foot losing contact with the bench. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Balance your weight equally between the heel of your standing leg and the toes on your back leg. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. This is your starting position.
    • Bend the front knee to lower your body and back knee toward the floor. Drive your glutes back toward the bench, hinging at the hips. Pause when your front leg is parallel to the ground, or as low as is comfortable.
    • Drive through the standing leg, using the glutes and quads to bring yourself back up to standing. Don’t lock the front knee when you reach the top.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Variation: Quad-Focused Split Squat

    If you want to make this a more quad-focused exercise, you can place a rolled-up yoga mat under the heel of your standing leg to elevate it.

    • Sit on the edge of your bench/step/stool and extend one leg out in front of you. Mark the spot where your heel lands with a rolled-up yoga mat.
    • Stand with one heel on the yoga mat with the toes of that foot resting on the floor. Place the other toe/forefoot behind you, resting on the bench. It’s best to have your foot closer to the front edge of the bench, but not to the point where you risk the foot losing contact with the bench. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Balance your weight equally between the heel of your standing leg and the toes on your back leg. This is your starting position.
    • Bend the front knee to lower your body and back knee toward the floor. Drive your glutes back toward the bench, hinging at the hips. Pause when your front leg is parallel to the ground, or as low as is comfortable.
    • Drive through the standing leg, using the glutes and quads to bring yourself back up to standing. Don’t lock the front knee when you reach the top.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Variation: Plyo Split Squat

    If you’re training for a sport that requires jumping, you can perform mini jumps with your standing leg. If you choose this more intense variation, be sure to focus on your form, particularly on keeping your knee stable, when pushing off and landing.

    • Sit on the edge of your bench/step/stool and extend one leg out in front of you. Mark the spot where your heel lands with a piece of tape or chalk mark on the floor.
    • Stand with one heel in line with your marked spot and the other toe/forefoot behind you resting on the bench. It’s best to have your foot closer to the front edge of the bench, but not to the point where you risk the foot losing contact with the bench. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Balance your weight equally between the heel of your standing leg and the toes on your back leg. This is your starting position.
    • Bend the front knee to lower your body and back knee toward the floor. Drive your glutes back toward the bench, hinging at the hips. Pause when your front leg is parallel to the ground, or as low as is comfortable.
    • Drive through the standing leg, using the glutes and quads to bring yourself back up to standing and then push off the front foot to jump a few inches off the floor. Land softly with a bent knee.

    Bulgarian Split Squat Variation: TRX Split Squat

    Finally, for an increased balance challenge, you can place the back leg in a TRX strap instead of on a bench. (If you’re having trouble with the setup, take a peek at this visual.)

    • Start on your hands and knees about a foot in front of a TRX. Reach behind you to grab the TRX, and place one foot, laces down, through the handle loop, then place that knee on the floor directly under your hip. Step the other foot in front of you so your leg is bent at a 90-degree angle with your knee directly over your ankle. This position should feel like the bottom of a Bulgarian split squat, just with your rear knee resting on the ground.
    • Slowly and carefully press into your front foot to stand on your front leg. Keep your other leg extended slightly behind you with your foot in the TRX. This is your starting position.
    • Bend the front knee to lower your body and back knee toward the floor. Allow your rear leg and hips to shift backward as you lower into the lunge. Pause when your front leg is parallel to the ground, or as low as is comfortable.
    • Drive through the standing leg, using the glutes and quads to bring yourself back up to standing. Don’t lock the front knee when you reach the top.

    Related: Focus on Your Butt and Legs With This 6-Move, 20-Minute Bodyweight Strengthening Workout

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    Kaley rohlinger

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  • Want to Build Your Glutes, But Sick of Squats? Meet the Fire Hydrant Exercise – POPSUGAR Australia

    Want to Build Your Glutes, But Sick of Squats? Meet the Fire Hydrant Exercise – POPSUGAR Australia

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    The fire hydrant exercise has been around at least since the days of Jane Fonda workout tapes, but it’s not just your mama’s exercise – it’s something you should consider adding to your routine as well. Fire hydrants are a great exercise because they don’t require any equipment, but can still help you build some serious glute strength.

    Fire hydrants target your gluteus medius (think the side of your butt). “This muscle can be overshadowed in training, since many people focus on their gluteus maximus, the main part of your butt”, says Domenic Angelino, a certified personal trainer with Trainer Academy. “The gluteus maximus still will experience a training effect here, but it won’t be as profound as the gluteus medius.” So, no – the fire hydrant is not a replacement for squats. But it can be a great alternative, since it works related but different muscles.

    The benefit of having a strong gluteus medius is to be able to move the body in a lateral direction, or side to side. This is helpful not only for athletes who need lateral agility, but also for everyday life when you need to move out of the way quickly, like maneuvering your way through a busy airport.

    Fire Hydrant Exercise Benefits

    Again, the fire hydrant is an incredibly effective glute move. Here, three benefits of the lower-body exercise.

    They Don’t Require Equipment

    The fire hydrant is a great way to train your glutes without needing access to go to a gym. Lack of equipment can be a barrier when it comes to working out, but with the fire hydrant, all you need is your bodyweight. “This is huge, because a lot of people struggle to maintain motivation to workout consistently. Since motivation comes in waves and is transient, it’s important to have tools at your disposal to capitalize on those bursts of motivation. Having a way to workout on the spot is a great way to do this”, says Angelino. This also means you can keep up with your fitness routine anywhere.

    (That said, you can up the intensity of the move by adding on an exercise band – more on that below.)

    They’re Accessible

    The fire hydrant is simplistic. “They’re structured in such a way that most people will be able to lift their leg up appropriately, even if only through a partial range of motion,” Angelino explains. Though you do want to use your maximum range of motion, it does not need to be a large range of motion to be effective.

    They’re a Perfect Finisher

    When you’ve reached the end of a workout where you’ve used heavy loads, and want to do a final burnout round to push your muscle endurance, the last thing you want to think about is lifting more heavy weight. Enter the fire hydrant. “Since they rely on a single joint, they can be tagged on to a workout after completing more challenging exercises that involve multiple joints”, Angelino tells PS.

    How to Do a Fire Hydrant

    1. Start on all fours with your wrists under your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
    2. Keeping the left knee on the ground, lift your right leg up, opening up the hip.
    3. Bring your right leg up to 90 degrees, or as high as your range of motion allows while keeping your hips parallel to the floor.
    4. Return your right leg back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for 10 reps.
    6. Complete 10 reps on the left leg.

    An important note is to make sure you keep your hips square to the floor and not let your torso twist. Twisting the body will start to recruit the abdominals and take away from the activation of the glutes.

    Fire Hydrant Modifications and Variations

    One reason trainers love fire hydrants is because they’re so adaptable. You can start with a smaller range of motion when you’re still newer to the move; or wear a resistance band to make it more challenging. Here, more info about how to modify the exercise.

    Try a Clamshell

    The clamshell exercise trains similar muscles to the fire hydrant, so it can be a good place to start if you’re struggling with the fire hydrant, Angelio says.

    You can find the steps for performing a clamshell here. Basically, you’ll lay on your side with your hips, knees and ankles stacked. Lift your top knee, and open your hips as far as your range of motion allows, then return to the starting position.

    Add a resistance band

    When adding a resistance band to your fire hydrant, slip a closed band around your legs, placing it about two inches above your knee. Then perform a fire hydrant as normal.

    Add a pulse

    Another way to get more of a muscle burn is to add a pulse to the top of the fire hydrant movement. Raise your leg to the top of your range of motion. Then lower your leg an inch, then lift it an inch, and repeat for 10-20 reps. This creates more time under tension, which helps to build the muscle.

    Brittany Hammond is a NASM-certified fitness instructor, a fitness writer, and an avid reader. In addition to POPSUGAR, she has contributed to Livestrong.com, Well+Good, Verywell Fit, and Health.com. She has worked as a group fitness coach for the past seven years.

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    Brittany hammond

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