Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes

The normal Bulgarian Split Squat is a great glute-building exercise. This version of it takes away pretty much all assistance from the back leg, turning the exercise into more of a single leg squat, with a focus on the glute.

 



 


 

This exercise LOOKS like a Bulgarian split squat setup...ish, hence the name.

 

However, as a practical matter, the execution of the exercise is a single leg squat that particularly hammers the glutes VERY hard.

You will get some quads and a bit more hamstrings, but this really targets the glutes for strength and hypertrophy.

Hitch a green band to a bar or object set about face height. I'm using a pair of 40 lb dumbbells.

Stick your foot through the loop of the band look then hook it on your ankle.

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Setup

Bring your back leg down, then grab the dumbbells.

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Bottom

Pushing only from the front leg, come up into a single leg squat. Your entire body will move up as a unit.

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Top

I found it better to lean forward a bit to really keep the focus on the glutes. It helped with balance as well.

Now, if you find balance is a real issue for you on this, you can use one dumbbell and touch something solid with your other hand - don't hold on, just touch it to help keep balance.

The band is going to allow you to move your entire body up and down as a solid unit with no contribution from the back leg, as you normally get with split squats.

The band does, of course, help you out of the bottom a bit, but it's a reverse band effect, meaning that you lose that assist as you come up to the stronger part of the range of motion.

I like this one for lower to moderate reps and a bit heavier weight (e.g. 5-8 rep sets). If you start getting into higher rep ranges, you'll be working more balance as your stabilizing muscles will fatigue first. Heavier weight actually helps you keep your balance.

When you finish one leg, take your foot out then switch it to the other foot. Because the back leg doesn't help, it won't really be getting fatigued.

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Change Legs

Then do the single leg squat again.

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Bottom

Bulgarian Single Leg Band Squats For Building The Glutes Top

This one is excellent...looks a bit crazy but the band really forces the glutes work hard here.

And as I said, don't worry about balance...if you need balance help, use a single dumbbell and set a bench beside you to touch onto to help maintain balance.

For a more conventional pistol style of glute exercise, but with assistance, try the Towel Pistol.

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