Bulgarian Squats: The Ultimate Guide (and the Best Variations!) –

The Bulgarian squat is one of the best exercises you can do to develop your quadriceps, hip flexors and posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and back). It’s easy to learn and perform in any location, and when done correctly, it’s also perfectly safe.

WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT IS FOR THE BULGARIAN SQUAT

It’s a single-leg exercise that targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

There are three main parts to the movement:

You balance on one foot, with your back foot on a bench or box. Your back is more or less straight throughout the movement. You usually hold dumbbells to add weight instead of using a barbell.

You might also be wondering why it’s called the “Bulgarian squat”. Well, nobody knows exactly who created this exercise, but it was popularized by a Bulgarian Olympic weightlifting coach named Angel Spassov.

MUSCLES WORKED IN BULGARIAN SQUATS

It’s generally considered one of the best exercises you can do to train all the major muscle groups in your body, and for good reason.

Like all good compound exercises, the exercise trains a number of other muscle groups, including the …

Hamstrings Glutes Spinal Erectors Forearms Calves

But the Bulgarian squat mainly emphasizes the quadriceps, which is the group of muscles at the front of the thigh, including the…

Rectus femoris Vastus lateralis Vastus medialis Vastus intermedius

To a lesser extent, it also involves the lats, shoulders and abs.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SLUGS AND BULGARIAN SQUATS

Functionally speaking, the main differences between the lunge and the Bulgarian squat are that the lunge involves more of the back leg and uses a smaller range of motion.

The lunge also requires even more balance, making it less beginner friendly. Even advanced powerlifters usually can’t use that much weight in lunges.

WHICH IS BETTER: AFUNDO OR BULGARIAN?

Both work the same muscles and are very similar. Do what is most comfortable for you.

HOW TO DO BULGARIAN SQUATS IN 3 SIMPLE STEPS

Compound exercises like the Bulgarian squat are a double-edged sword: they offer maximum muscle building, but they also require good technique or they can become dangerous.

So let’s detail how to do the Bulgarian squat step by step.

1

Settings
There are two ways to set up the Bulgarian squat:

With standard bench With support plates

Some people say that placing your back foot on a bench makes it very difficult to balance effectively while holding heavy dumbbells, increasing your risk of injury and reducing the practicality and effectiveness of the exercise. So use whatever makes you more balanced.

two

Position

The trickiest part of the Bulgarian squat is figuring out where to put your front foot.

There is no consensus on whether to put the foot too far forward or too little. But you should feel most of your weight in your front leg, and you shouldn’t feel excessive pain or stiffness in your knees, hip flexors, glutes, or lower back.

The easiest way to find your “sweet spot” is to do a few warm-up sets without weights, trying different foot positions.

Once you’ve found the foot position you like, grab the dumbbells, get your front foot into position, and place your back foot flat on the bench.

3

Movement

Keeping the dumbbells somewhere between your hips and front foot and back straight, lower your hips toward the floor.

Most of your weight should be on your front foot, and your back foot should be helping you balance but not significantly contributing to the movement.

Keep going down until your back starts to round or your back knee touches the floor.

Keeping your back straight and chest lifted, push off the ground with your front foot, reversing the same path you took on the way down.

CAN I DO BULGARIAN SQUATS ALL DAY?

No. Ideally, wait at least 24 hours after working a muscle group before training it again. This is the period necessary for the muscle to recover, avoiding injuries and encouraging growth (hypertrophy).

VARIATIONS OF THE BULGARIAN SQUAT

The traditional one is done with a pair of dumbbells, but there are two variations worth considering:

Bulgarian barbell squat

It’s exactly the same as the regular Bulgarian squat, except you use a barbell instead of a pair of dumbbells.

The advantages of using a barbell are that you can usually use more weight, you aren’t limited by grip strength, and you don’t have to control the two dumbbells independently.

The downside is that it requires a longer setup, it’s a bit riskier (you can’t just drop the bar if you get tired), and it can be harder to keep your balance.

This variation also puts more stress on your back, so if you have lower back pain or an injury, it’s not for you.

Bulgarian squat with kettlebell

It’s exactly like the Bulgarian dumbbell squat, except you hold a single kettlebell and it’s in front of your chest instead of at your side.

This exercise works well if you have trouble balancing with two dumbbells.

The downside though is that you can’t use as much weight as the regular dumbbell dumbbell squat.