Split Squat

Squat · reps · unilateral The accessible entry: a vertical single-leg descent with the back foot down for balance.

The movement

Feet staggered, one forward and one back. Bend both knees to lower straight down until the back knee nearly touches the floor, then drive back up mostly through the front leg. The back foot stays on the floor for balance and carries a small share of the load — about a third — so the front leg does most of the work without yet needing single-leg balance.

Set-up — and what each part is for

  • Stance one foot forward, one back, ~60–80 cm apart. → feel stable front-to-back before you move.
  • Front foot flat, heel anchored — the leg that drives. Back foot on the ball, heel up — balance and a light share of load, not a motor.
  • Weight ~two-thirds on the front leg. → feel the load sit in the front thigh, not the back foot.
  • Torso vertical, gaze forward; hands on hips or forward for counterbalance.

The rep — rehearse it before you do it

  • Descend in 1–2 s, both knees bending together, torso going straight down (not forward). → feel the front quadriceps (front-thigh muscle) and glute (buttock muscle that extends the hip) take the weight.
  • Bottom: back knee within a couple cm of the floor (light touch, no weight on it); front thigh ~parallel, front shin near-vertical — knee over the foot, not past the toes.
  • Drive up through the front heel to standing.
  • Switch sides after all reps on one side.

Breathing

Inhale on the descent, exhale on the drive up.

Watch for

  • Front knee past the toes → stance too short or leaning forward; step the front foot out, descend straight down.
  • Torso leaning forward → shifts load to the back leg; stay vertical, that’s the point.
  • Front heel lifting → keep it anchored; it’s the push.
  • Knee caving inward → track it over the foot (joint safety).

Within the level

  • Harder: more weight on the front leg (lighter back foot); slower descent; pause at the bottom — toward the Bulgarian.
  • Easier: more support through the back foot; shorter range; a fingertip on a wall for balance.

Dose

Test a clean max per side, then practice at half of the weaker side rounded down, capped at 5 reps per set, same count both sides, weaker side first, spread through the day.