Barbell Split Squat: Proper Form & Benefits

There’s nothing like the feeling of strong legs holding you steady. Whether you’re hiking up a steep trail, running to catch the bus, or climbing a flight of stairs, building leg strength opens up whole new worlds, no matter where you are on your fitness journey.

But how do you build leg strength? One excellent move to help you get there is the barbell split squat. This powerful exercise works your quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while improving your balance and coordination, making it the perfect addition to your leg workout.

If you’re keen to get your leg up, this guide is all you need. Learn everything from initial setup to improving your form, so you can confidently add barbell split squats to your routine and start seeing results.

What is a barbell split squat?

The barbell split squat is a compound lower-body exercise that places a barbell through your upper traps (the meaty part of your upper back) while working one leg at a time. Basically, you assume a staggered stance with one foot in front of you and the other behind you. From there, you lower your body by bending your knees.

What makes this exercise different from a traditional squat is that it is about building unilateral strength. Since each leg has to support its own weight, you’ll quickly know if you have a weaker side.

By focusing on each side individually, the barbell split squat addresses muscle imbalances that can develop over time. In fact, unilateral training can strengthen the weaker limb and reduce sports injuries by improving limb balance more effectively than bilateral exercises alone. Additionally, you will notice improvements in coordination and muscle control. These benefits translate into better performance in sports, other exercises, or your usual daily activities.

How do barbell split squats work?

The barbell split squat recruits multiple muscle groups to work together. These muscles work during each repetition:

• The quads The front of your thighs lifts weights, especially when returning to a standing position.

• Ass These muscles stabilize your hips and control your descent.

• Inner thighs, hamstrings and calves — This group of muscles works together to control your movement and stabilize your joints as you move.

• essence – Your abdominal muscles and obliques remain engaged throughout the movement to keep your torso upright and prevent your hips from rotating.

• Back muscles – Since you’re balancing the loaded barbell on your upper back, the muscles along your spine and back get a workout by stabilizing everything.

This full-body engagement is part of what makes the barbell split squat so effective. Allows you to build leg strength while improving stability, balance and coordination at the same time.

Steps to perform barbell squats

Installing your setup is only the first step. The next most important aspect of the barbell split squat is improving your form to get the most out of the exercise. Let’s walk through each step.

1. Prepare your stance

Start by placing the barbell on the squat rack just below shoulder height. Step under the bar and hold it over the upper traps. Hold the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, keeping your elbows facing down and your chest up.

Step back from the stand and place your feet in a staggered position, following this posture checklist:

• Your front foot is flat on the floor

• Your back foot rests on the ball of your foot with your heel raised

• There is a space of two feet between the heel of the front foot and the toes of the back foot

• There is enough room to get down without feeling cramped or unbalanced

2. Start the descent

Before you lower yourself, take a deep breath and brace your core. Pull your shoulders back, keep your chin up, and open your chest.

Then bend your knees and lower your body in a controlled motion:

• Bend the knees to about 90 degrees

• Watch your front knee so it doesn’t drift forward over your toes

• Follow your front knee forward, keeping it nearly straight with your toes out

• Drop your back knee as close to the floor as possible without actually touching it

3. Press your front heel to rise

Once you reach the bottom, pause for just a minute. Next, press into the heel of your front foot and push yourself back to the starting position while engaging your core. Try to distribute your weight evenly between your legs instead of leaving the burden on your front leg.

When you reach the top of the movement, keep your body locked in and exhale before starting another repetition.

Here’s a final tip: Complete all of your exercises on one side before switching to the other leg. This helps you focus on your form and gives each aspect equal attention.

Tips for beginners

If you’re new to barbell split squats, here are some beginner-friendly modifications:

• Start with light weight with an empty barbell to get used to the movement pattern before adding weight plates.

• Use a Smith machine to hold the barbell in a consistent vertical path, removing some of the balance challenge from the equation while you focus on building strength.

• Practice bodyweight split squats first to build the movement pattern without any additional weight.

Building strength takes time, and there is no prize for speeding up the process. Learning strong technique through manageable exercises is the most effective way to keep showing up for more.

Common Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Even experienced lifters can fall into bad habits with the split squat. Here are some common form problems and how to fix them:

• The feet are very close together -If your feet are too close together, you may feel unstable and crampy at the bottom of the movement. Lengthen your stance by moving your back foot behind you so you have enough room to move comfortably.

• Leaning too far forward – When your torso leans forward, this is a sign that you are putting too much weight on your front leg. Fix this by readjusting your position before each repetition. Keep your chest proud and your spine long, engaging your core to help you stay upright.

• Your front knee passes through your toes – A knee that moves too far forward indicates that you are shifting too much weight onto your front leg. Adjust your stance so that your front foot is slightly further forward, and lower your hips straight down instead of pushing them forward.

• Rush through the reps – Speed ​​does not always mean effectiveness. Moving too quickly harms balance and control. Instead, slow things down and count to two or three, pausing at the bottom, then come up in a slow, controlled motion.

Barbell split squats versus other lower body exercises

You’re probably wondering how a barbell split squat compares to other leg exercises. Each movement serves its own purpose, so which one is right for you depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Barbell Split Squats vs. RDLs (Romanian Deadlifts)

RDLs are a hip hinge movement that primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It’s less about bending the knee and more about loading the posterior chain (the back side of your body). Split squats, on the other hand, involve knee and hip flexion, making them more quad-dominant while still working your glutes.

If you’re looking to build total leg strength, both exercises belong in your routine. RDLs are great for strengthening the hamstrings and improving hip mobility, while split squats build single-leg strength and balance.

Barbell split squats vs lunges

At first glance, split squats and lunges look remarkably similar, but they have slightly different purposes. With lunges, you step forward or backward with each repetition, making the movement more dynamic. Split squats, on the other hand, keep you locked in one position to build stability and focus on manageable strength.

While lunges and barbell split squats are great ways to improve stability in both legs, the stable position of barbell split squats allows you to handle greater loads.

Barbell split squat vs. Bulgarian squat

The Bulgarian squat is a variation where your back foot is raised on a bench or platform. This increases the range of motion and puts more stress on your front leg. It is a step forward in difficulty from the traditional split squat.

If you’re still building core strength, stick with standard barbell squats. Once you feel confident and strong in this position, the Bulgarian squat can challenge you more.

Other variations to try

Once you understand the barbell split squat form, you can try other variations to keep your workout active:

• Dumbbell Split Squat – This variation allows you to focus fully on the leg exercise without worrying about bar placement. It’s also a great choice for at-home workouts.

• Tempo split squat Slow down your repetitions to increase time under tension. This helps build strength and control without gaining weight. To perform this exercise, count to three, pause at the bottom, then come up for a count of three again.

• Front rack split squat – In this variation, hold the barbell on the front of your shoulders instead of your upper back. This front load requires more of your body and tends to be more comfortable on the shoulders. It also shifts more focus to your quads.

Build stronger legs at Chuze Fitness

The barbell split squat may not be flashy, but it is an effective exercise that will help you build strong, balanced legs.

If you’re a visual learner or just want to make absolutely sure you’ve mastered the technique, check out this step-by-step video tutorial on how to do a barbell split squat.

Feeling ready to try the split squat? You get access to a workout space, quality equipment, community support, and friendly trainers who can check your form in person at your local Chuze Fitness.

sources:

Exercise physiology. The effect of unilateral training and bilateral training on physical performance: a meta-analysis. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2023.1128250/full

Nassim. Muscles used in the squat exercise – explaining the biomechanics of the squat. https://blog.nasm.org/biomechanics-of-the-squat

Mike Sirani. How to do a tempo split squat. https://www.mikesirani.com/blog/2020/3/24/how-to-perform-tempo-split-squats