Bulgarian Split Squats: How To Get The Best Glute Strength & Size

Even without considering aesthetics, the glutes are very important muscles (you absolutely cannot have a healthy back and hips without strong glutes).

Bulgarian split squats have a name that makes them sound complicated; they’re actually very simple, but there are mistakes that people make that sabotage their progress.

Professional coach Elisi Wolf explains in this video:

Mistakes most people make

There are quite a few, but bear with us, as they really do come together—and once you understand them, you’ll have it for life;

1. Lack of neural pathway establishment: most people skip the step of building a mind-muscle connection before adding weight. Focus on bodyweight movements first until you can feel your glutes working.
2. Not focusing on glute contraction: avoid counting reps; it distracts the brain. Don’t use weights too soon, as they can prevent neural pathway development. Focus on time under tension and feeling the glutes before adding resistance.
3. Not lowering slowly enough: slow, controlled movements give the brain time to activate the glutes. This increases time under tension and improves neural pathway formation.
4. Not wearing knee sleeves: knee sleeves stabilize the joint, allowing the brain to recruit the glutes more efficiently.
5. Not leaning over to the working side: staying upright distributes weight to the back leg instead of the glute, whereas leaning over the working side maximizes glute activation.
6. Holding two dumbbells instead of one: two dumbbells force your body to stay level, reducing glute activation. Instead, hold a single dumbbell on the opposite side to improve balance and allow for a greater lean. You can even rest it on your thigh if you like; you’re not here for an arm workout, after all, and allowing the body to focus on one task is better.
7. Not pushing out the working knee: pushing the knee outward mimics a sprinting motion, engaging the glutes more effectively.
8. Allowing the pelvis to tilt down: if the pelvis tilts as you lower, the glutes disengage. Keeping the pelvis level ensures the glute medius stays activated.

For more on all of these plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

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Take care!