Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Benefits, Form, & More

The Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (also called the Bulgarian Split Squat) is one of the best leg exercises you can do for strength, balance, and muscle growth. It looks similar to a lunge, but one foot stays raised behind you on a bench or platform.

This position helps you focus more on one leg at a time, making it great for building strength, balance, and stability. It targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings while also challenging your core. In this guide, you’ll learn how to do it properly, its benefits, some variations, and what mistakes to avoid.

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Quick Summary

• What It Is: A single-leg exercise (also called the Bulgarian Split Squat) where your rear foot is elevated on a bench or step.
• Muscles Worked: Primarily targets quads, glutes, and hamstrings while improving balance and core stability.
• Key Benefit: Fixes muscle imbalances, boosts leg strength, and enhances athletic performance better than traditional squats.
• Proper Form: Keep your torso upright, front knee aligned over toes, and lower until your thigh is parallel to the ground.
• Pro Tip: Start bodyweight-only, then add dumbbells or kettlebells once you master the movement.
• Supplement Support: For enhanced muscle growth, strength, and recovery, consider Anafuse—a natural supplement designed to support performance and repair after intense squat workouts.

What is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat?

The rear foot elevated split squat is a type of squat where you place one foot behind you on a raised surface, like a bench or box, while your other foot stays on the ground in front. Most of your body weight rests on the front leg, which does the work of lowering your body down and pushing back up. This exercise is sometimes called the Bulgarian split squat.

Because your back foot is elevated, the front leg has to work harder to balance and lift your body. This makes the exercise more challenging than regular squats or standard split squats, where both feet stay on the ground. It mainly targets the muscles in your front leg, including the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while also engaging your core to keep you stable.

The rear foot elevated split squat helps build strength and muscle in your legs, improves balance, and can correct muscle imbalances between your legs since each leg works separately. It’s a great exercise for anyone looking to improve lower body strength and maintain stability.

How to Perform the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

What You Need:

• A bench, step, or sturdy surface (about knee height)
• Optional: Dumbbells or kettlebells for extra challenge

Set Up:

• Stand about 2 feet in front of a bench.
• Place the top of your back foot on the bench (laces down, like you’re kicking it).
• Your other foot should be flat on the floor in front of you.

Stance:

• Your front foot should be far enough forward that when you squat, your knee stays over your ankle (not past your toes).
• Keep your torso tall, chest up, and core tight.
• Look straight ahead to help with balance.
• You can put your hands on your hips, in front of you, or hold dumbbells if you're using them.

Lower Your Body:

• Slowly bend your front knee and lower your hips straight down. Keep your front knee aligned with your toes and don’t let it go past your toes. Your back knee should bend and move toward the floor, but not touch it.
• Go down until your front thigh is parallel to the ground (or as low as comfortable).

Push Up (Back to Start):

• Push through your front heel and mid-foot to stand back up to the starting position.
• Squeeze your glutes on your front leg as you come up.

Repeat:

• Do the desired number of reps on one leg, then switch to the other leg.

Quick Tips for Success

• Start Slow: Begin without weights to learn the right form.
• Keep Your Balance: Focus on steady movements to stay balanced.
• Watch Your Knee: Make sure your front knee doesn’t go past your toes.
• Keep Your Back Straight: Stand tall and don’t lean forward.
• Use a mirror or record yourself. This helps you check your form.
• Use a Stable Surface: Make sure the bench or step is solid and won’t move.
• Breathe Properly: Inhale as you lower down, and exhale as you push up.
• Warm up first. Stretch your legs and hips before starting.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Standing too close or too far from the bench: If your front foot is not in the right spot, it can hurt your knees or mess up your balance.
• Letting the front knee go too far forward: Your knee should stay above your ankle, not past your toes.
• Knee Caving In: Many people let their front knee "cave in" towards the center during the movement. Push your knee outward slightly (like you’re spreading the floor).
• Leaning forward too much: Keep your chest up and back straight to avoid pressure on your lower back.
• Putting Too Much Weight on the Back Leg: The back leg should only help with balance, not do most of the work. Keep about 75% or more of your weight on the front leg to get the best results.
• Using an Elevated Surface That’s Too High: If the bench or step is too high, it can hurt your hips and make the movement hard. Use a lower surface if you feel pain or can’t lower yourself properly.
• Not going low enough: Lower your body until your front thigh is almost parallel to the ground for full benefits.

Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Muscles Worked

One of the best things about the rear foot elevated split squat is how effectively it targets multiple muscles in your lower body at the same time. While your whole leg gets a workout, some muscles are definitely doing more work than others.

Here are the primary muscles that are really engaged during this exercise:

1. Quadriceps (Quads): These are the large muscles on the front of your thigh. They work hard to straighten your knee as you push back up from the bottom of the squat. You'll feel this burning!
2. Glutes (Gluteus Maximus, Medius, and Minimus): These are your butt muscles, and they're heavily involved, especially as you drive up. They help to extend your hip and stabilize your pelvis, giving you that powerful push. Many people find this exercise to be excellent for glute development.
3. Hamstrings: Located on the back of your thigh, the hamstrings assist the glutes in extending the hip and help control the lowering phase of the movement.
4. Adductors: These are the muscles on your inner thigh. They play a role in stabilizing your leg and helping your knee track correctly throughout the movement.
5. Core Muscles: While not directly a leg muscle, your core (abs and lower back) works hard to keep your body upright and stable. This is especially true because you're balancing on one leg, preventing you from wobbling side to side.

Benefits of Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

• Builds Stronger Legs: It helps make your quads, glutes, and hamstrings stronger.
• Improves Balance: Because you work one leg at a time, it helps you stay steady and balanced.
• Fixes Muscle Imbalances: It makes sure both legs get equal work, which can fix differences in strength between your legs.
• Boosts Core Strength: Your stomach and back muscles work hard to keep you stable during the exercise.
• Boosts Athletic Performance: Improves single-leg power for running, jumping, and cutting (great for sports!). Makes everyday movements (stairs, hiking) easier.
• Increases Flexibility: It stretches your hip flexors (front hips), which can get tight from sitting too much.
• Helps Prevent Injuries: Stronger muscles and better balance lower the chance of injuries in your legs and knees.
• Great for athletes: It helps with power, speed, and control in sports or everyday movement.

Variations of Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

1. Bodyweight Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Do the exercise using just your body weight. This is great for beginners to learn the movement and build strength.
2. Dumbbell Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Hold a dumbbell in each hand while doing the squat. This adds extra weight to make your muscles work harder.
3. Barbell Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Place a barbell on your shoulders behind your neck. This is a more advanced version that helps build more strength and muscle.
4. Tempo Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: Slow down the lowering part of the squat (for example, take 3-5 seconds to go down). This increases muscle control and strength.
5. Pulse Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat: At the bottom of the squat, do small up-and-down pulses before standing up. This adds extra burn to your muscles.
6. Goblet Split Squat (Elevated): Hold one dumbbell close to your chest. It’s easier on the lower back and good for learning balance.
7. Elevated Front Foot Split Squat: Instead of raising your back foot, place your front foot on a small platform. This changes the muscle focus and can help with flexibility.

Alternatives to Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

1. Regular Split Squat: Keep both feet on the ground instead of raising the back foot. This is easier but still works your legs well.
2. Lunges: Step forward or backward and lower your body by bending both knees. Lunges also build leg strength and balance.
3. Step-Ups: Step up onto a bench or box with one foot, then step down. This works your legs and helps improve balance.
4. Goblet Squat: Hold a weight close to your chest and do a regular squat with both feet on the ground. This is good for building leg strength.
5. Wall Sit: Sit against a wall with your knees bent like you’re sitting in a chair. Hold this position to build endurance in your legs.
6. Pistol Squats: Advanced bodyweight alternative (full single-leg squat).

Regular vs Front Foot Elevated vs Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

There are three common types of split squats: regular split squat, front foot elevated split squat, and rear foot elevated split squat. Each one works your muscles a bit differently and suits different goals and skill levels.

Regular Split Squat

• Both feet stay on the ground, one in front and one behind.
• It’s the easiest to learn and great for beginners.
• Helps build leg strength and balance with a stable base.
• Good for overall leg muscle growth and improving balance.

Front Foot Elevated Split Squat

• Your front foot is placed on a raised surface like a step or box.
• This variation increases hip flexion and targets the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors more.
• It can be easier on the front knee, making it good for people with knee issues.
• Great for taller people or those with less hip mobility because it allows a deeper range of motion.
• It reduces the load on the front leg and shifts some work to the rear leg.

Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (Bulgarian Split Squat)

• Your back foot is raised on a bench or box behind you.
• This variation puts more load on the front leg, especially the quads.
• It challenges your balance more and helps build single-leg power and strength.
• Good for intermediate and advanced lifters focused on quad strength and muscle growth.

Best Supplements for Your Squat Workout

1. AnaFuse by Vital Alchemy

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• It promotes muscle pumps during training.
• It may help inhibit myostatin activity.
• It supports faster muscle recovery.
• It may help reduce post-workout soreness.
• It helps promote protein synthesis.

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Final Thoughts

The rear foot elevated split squat delivers serious leg strength and muscle growth. It targets quads, glutes, and hamstrings like few other exercises. The single-leg focus fixes imbalances and boosts athletic power.

With different versions available, it fits many training styles. This unilateral exercise can be done with bodyweight or added weight. It’s tougher than regular squats but worth the effort. Builds stability, mobility, and raw leg power.