After seeing the barbell Bulgarian split squat video from last week, Mike Fouts, owner of the Edmonton Personal Training Company Overhaul Fitness and lead ESC fitness instructor wrote in with a few comments:
“While I think that Squat University is a great channel for content, their material is more appropriate for intermediate lifters. For a more general approach aimed at beginners to resistance training, I would suggest a couple other Youtube videos.
Here is a video I recommend studying for a side view of a Bodyweight Split Squat. It shows the two different foot placements: flat foot, or foot flex with some weight/pressure through your toe; the latter version is better for those with limited ankle flexibility.
“For added weight, you could also do a dumbbell split squat as shown in the following video using shoulder dumbbell placement. This is a more advanced position to have the dumbbells, with two technically easier alternative options being to hold the weights directly by your side, or in a goblet position (dumbbell turned vertically and palms underneath the top vertical portion of the dumbbell holding it like a “goblet”.
For another view of the Bulgarian Split Squat, Mike recommends the following video from Men’s Health.
Mike has a couple more pieces of advice for the Bulgarian Split Squat: “two of the most common mistakes I see are:
- People put too much weight on the back leg on the bench. Think of this more like a one-legged squat and that back foot is more for balance, not to assist you with the squat itself.
- They don’t have good pressure throughout their front foot, and either their heel creeps up or they roll their ankle inwards or outwards. Think of pressure through your foot like a triangle: heel, big toe, little toe. As you push up, equalize the pressure through that triangle as you ascend and descending with this squat variation.”
Thanks for the advice Mike! For more fitness information, visit his company’s website at www.overhaulfitness.ca.
