Barbell Split Squat: Proper Form and Benefits | Chuze Fitness

But how do you build that leg strength? An excellent move to help you with this is the barbell split squat. This powerful exercise works your quads, glutes and hamstrings while improving your balance and coordination, making it the perfect addition to the rotation of your leg workout.

If you’re looking to take your leg day to the next level, this guide is all you need. Learn everything from your initial setup to perfecting your form so you can confidently add barbell split squats to your routine and see results.

What is a Barbell Split Squat?

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

What makes this exercise different from traditional squats is that it’s all about building unilateral strength. Because each leg has to pull its own weight, you’ll know pretty quickly if you have a weaker side.

Thanks to the emphasis on each individual side, barbell split squats address muscle imbalances that can develop over time. In fact, unilateral training can strengthen weaker limbs and reduce sports injuries by improving limb balance more effectively than bilateral exercises alone. Additionally, you will see improvements in coordination and muscle control. These benefits translate into better performance when playing 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 are engaged during each repetition:

• Quadruplets – The front of your thighs does the heavy lifting, especially when you ride upright again.

• Glutes – These muscles stabilize your hips and control your descent.

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

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

• Back muscles – Because you’re balancing a loaded barbell on your upper back, the muscles along your spine and back get a workout as they keep everything stable.

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

Steps to Perform the Barbell Split Squat

Getting your setup right is just the first step. The next most important aspect of the barbell split squat is perfecting your form to get the most out of your workout. Let’s go through each step.

1. Determine your position

Start by placing a barbell on a squat rack, just below shoulder height. Step under the bar and place it on your top traps. Grasp the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your elbows pointing down and your chest up.

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

• Your front foot is flat on the floor

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

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

• There is plenty of room to lower yourself without feeling cramped or out of balance

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 both knees and lower your body in a controlled motion:

• Bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees

• Keep an eye on your front knee so it doesn’t slide forward over your toes

• Move your front knee forward, staying approximately in line with the toes

• Let your back knee drop as close to the ground as possible without actually touching it

3. Press through your front heel to rise

Once you reach the bottom, pause for a moment. Then press through the heel of your front foot and drive yourself back to the starting position while tightening your core. Try to distribute your weight evenly between both legs, rather than letting your front leg carry all the load.

When you reach the top of the movement, keep your core engaged and exhale before starting another rep.

Here’s one last tip: complete all your reps on one side before switching to the other leg. This helps you focus on your form and gives each side equal attention.

Tips for beginners

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

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

• Use a Smith machine to lock the barbell into a fixed vertical path, taking some of the balance challenge out of the equation while you focus on building strength.

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

Building strength takes time, and there is no trophy for rushing the process. Learning solid technique with exercises that feel manageable is the most effective way to keep going 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:

• Feet too close together – If your feet are too close, you may feel unstable and cramped at the end of the movement. Lengthen your stance by moving your back foot further behind you until you have enough room to move comfortably.

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

• Front knee moving past your toes – If your knee moves too far forward, it 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 then drop your hips straight down instead of pushing them forward.

• Rush through reps – Speed ​​does not always equal effectiveness. Moving too quickly compromises balance and control. Instead, slow things down for two or three seconds, pause at the bottom, and then come up in a slow, controlled motion.

Barbell Split Squats vs. Other Lower Body Exercises

You may be wondering how the barbell split squat compares to other leg exercises. Each movement serves its own purpose, so the right choice 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 your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. They are less about knee flexion and more about loading the posterior chain (the back of your body). Split squats, on the other hand, involve both knee and hip flexion, making them more quad-dominant while still working the glutes.

If you want to build well-rounded leg strength, both exercises belong in your routine. RDLs are great for strengthening your hamstrings and improving hip mobility, while split squats increase single-leg strength and balance.

Barbell Split Squats vs. Lunges

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

While lunges and barbell split squats are both great ways to improve stability in both legs, the stationary position of the barbell split squat allows you to carry heavier loads.

Barbell Split Squats vs. Bulgarian Split Squats

The Bulgarian split squat is a variation in which your back foot is on a bench or platform. This increases freedom of movement and places even more demands on your front leg. It’s a step up in difficulty from the traditional split squat.

If you’re still building fundamental strength, stick with the standard barbell split squat. Once you feel confident and strong in that position, a Bulgarian split squat can challenge you further.

Other variations to try

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

• Dumbbell split squat – This variation allows you to concentrate purely on the leg work without having to worry about barbell placement. It’s also a great option for at-home workouts.

• Tempo split squat – Slow down your reps to increase time under tension. This helps build strength and control without adding weight. To perform this exercise, lower down for a count of three, pause at the bottom, and then rise back up for another count of three.

• Split squat with barbell in front – With this variation, hold the barbell over the front of your shoulders instead of on your upper back. This forward load is more demanding on your core and is typically more comfortable on the shoulders. It also shifts even more emphasis to your quads.

Build stronger legs at Chuze Fitness

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

If you’re more of a visual learner or want to be absolutely sure you’ve mastered the technique, watch this video tutorial that shows you step-by-step how to perform the barbell split squat.

Are you ready to give these split squats a try? Access to a space to train, quality equipment, community support and friendly trainers who can personally check your form at your local Chuze Fitness.

Sources:

Exercise physiology. 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

NASM. The Muscles Used in Squats – Squat Biomechanics Explained. https://blog.nasm.org/biomechanics-of-the-squat

Mike Sirani. How to Perform Tempo Split Squats. https://www.mikesirani.com/blog/2020/3/24/how-to-perform-tempo-split-squats