Barbell Split Squat
The Split Squat with a barbell is one of the greatest leg exercises available for developing flexibility, bodyweight strength, maximum strength, and proper squatting posture. Performed the same as a bodyweight split squat except with a barbell on the back of your shoulders.
What makes it so effective is the combination of several factors:
To perform Split Squats with a barbell you will need to have already mastered Stepping Lunges.
Set up a barbell on a squat rack (or a broomstick if you are just learning the exercise) and set up a bench, a plyo box, or some other object that stands about a 12 inches off of the ground several feet away from the front of the squat rack (as you gain more flexibility you can utilize an object of higher height if you would like). Step up under the barbell as though you are about to perform a Back Squat and step back from the rack until you get close enough to reach your foot back to the object that you have set up for your back foot. Stand facing away from the object and reach one of your feet back and drape it over the object.
The distance that you set between your front foot and the object that you back foot is draped over should be very similar to the distance that you typically step forward on each lunge when you perform Stepping Lunges. Once your feet are set, simply squat down until your knee touches the ground (while keeping your back arched and your torso upright the entire time). If you are unable to squat this low without rounding your lower back then you will need to limit your range of motion to whatever squat depth is possible for you with your current flexibility. As you gain more flexibility from performing this exercise, you should eventually be able to go all the way down on them with a perfectly arched back and upright torso throughout the exercise. It is important as you are squatting to keep your weight firmly flat on your entire foot, with a larger portion of the weight on the rear area of the foot. Never allow your weight to shift to your toes or allow your heel to lift off of the ground.
Once you reach the full depth of you squat, push firmly through your hip and drive your foot firmly into the ground through your heel. As you come back up, keep your chest up, your torso upright, and keep pushing through your hip (not your knee).
Complete the planned number of repetitions and then perform the same number on the other leg. It is sometimes beneficial to take 20-30 seconds to rest between each leg on this exercise because it is a very intense exercise and your second leg will be significantly weaker if your are fatigued when you begin the set on that leg.
In the video below Split Squats are being demonstrated with chains. However, chains are an advanced technique that does not need to be applied by the majority of the population.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.getrealstrength.com
What makes it so effective is the combination of several factors:
- By focusing on only one leg at a time, your flexible range of motion is greater than when you are squatting with both legs at once. By performing one leg squats, you are training your body to utilize a large range of motion and this has a carryover effect to your flexibility on your two leg exercises.
- By focusing on only one leg at a time, the body can create a stronger muscular contraction because of increased neural activation. This ultimately can develop a higher degree of strength in each leg than in the two leg squatting exercises. When this added strength carries over to the two leg squats, you will find your max lifts on your Back Squat, Front Squat, and Deadlift increasing dramatically.
- The amount of weight needed is less due to the fact that you are only squatting on one leg. As a result, there is less of a distraction from the presence of an extremely heavy bar on your back and you are consequently able to focus more intensely on the exercise and the quality of your exercise technique. This can cause significant increases
- Because the back leg is propped up on something behind you, your body has a tendency to want to lean forward. If you lean forward however, you will not be able to perform the lift properly. As a result, you must put extra effort into keeping your torso upright by sticking your chest up high and keeping your upper back arched throughout the exercise. This will develop a habit of strong upright posture that will carry over to you big primary squat lifts and thereby give you more leverage over the bar, and consequently bigger lifts. Another result of this is that you are forced to put more of the pressure of the lift on your hip (rather than your knee) and this causes the body to heavily recruit the glutes and hamstrings to complete the lift. This glute and hamstring recruitment is absolutely crucial to developing a strong Back Squat, Front Squat, and Deadlift. If you tend to squat using primarily your quads you will be unlikely to ever develop a high degree of strength on those primary lifts and you will be very likely to injure your knees at some point because of excessive pressure being placed on them due to excessive quad recruitment.
To perform Split Squats with a barbell you will need to have already mastered Stepping Lunges.
Set up a barbell on a squat rack (or a broomstick if you are just learning the exercise) and set up a bench, a plyo box, or some other object that stands about a 12 inches off of the ground several feet away from the front of the squat rack (as you gain more flexibility you can utilize an object of higher height if you would like). Step up under the barbell as though you are about to perform a Back Squat and step back from the rack until you get close enough to reach your foot back to the object that you have set up for your back foot. Stand facing away from the object and reach one of your feet back and drape it over the object.
The distance that you set between your front foot and the object that you back foot is draped over should be very similar to the distance that you typically step forward on each lunge when you perform Stepping Lunges. Once your feet are set, simply squat down until your knee touches the ground (while keeping your back arched and your torso upright the entire time). If you are unable to squat this low without rounding your lower back then you will need to limit your range of motion to whatever squat depth is possible for you with your current flexibility. As you gain more flexibility from performing this exercise, you should eventually be able to go all the way down on them with a perfectly arched back and upright torso throughout the exercise. It is important as you are squatting to keep your weight firmly flat on your entire foot, with a larger portion of the weight on the rear area of the foot. Never allow your weight to shift to your toes or allow your heel to lift off of the ground.
Once you reach the full depth of you squat, push firmly through your hip and drive your foot firmly into the ground through your heel. As you come back up, keep your chest up, your torso upright, and keep pushing through your hip (not your knee).
Complete the planned number of repetitions and then perform the same number on the other leg. It is sometimes beneficial to take 20-30 seconds to rest between each leg on this exercise because it is a very intense exercise and your second leg will be significantly weaker if your are fatigued when you begin the set on that leg.
In the video below Split Squats are being demonstrated with chains. However, chains are an advanced technique that does not need to be applied by the majority of the population.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.getrealstrength.com