Sometimes you want to squat...and sometimes you just want to use a machine to push your legs to the limit without worrying about squat technique.
I'll be the first to say that squatting is awesome...but sometimes it's not the best tool for the job. It requires sharp focus on technique and fatigue can compromise your form when you're really pushing hard.
If you want to really push your legs to the limit, you need to take your brain out of it, to some degree, by setting yourself to be able to just PUSH without any thought of technique or balance.
That's where THIS exercise setup comes in.
How to Set Up The Barbell Split Squat Machine in the Power Rack
This is essentially an elevated landmine type of setup, meaning one end of the bar is the pivot/fulcrum while the other end is the moving part of the "machine."
It will take a bit of messing around to get the rack rail heights right but once you get it set perfectly, you can just work on loading.
Set one side rail to about lower chest level (higher is fine, too). Set the other rail to about belly button level. Set an Olympic bar on the rails. This will give you a downward angle...the position of the bottom rail is more important than the top rail.
You should be able to get yourself under the end of the bar in a split squat and get it on your shoulder (you'll see when I show you the exercise below). Then stand up.
That's the exercise!
Test it without weight, then once you have the height where you think it should be, put a 45 lb plate on the top end and a 45 lb plate on the bottom end and test it again. If it's still good, you're golden.
In the picture here, I've got 4 plates on the bottom end, counterbalanced with 3 plates on the top end. You always want to keep the barbell fairly balanced. It doesn't have to be exact, but it should be close.
Once you've established that the height is good, you're ready to start hammering your entire posterior chain and your quads (and your core, to a large degree).
You'll be setting the bar end on one shoulder (the meaty part of the upper traps...it's the fat end of the bar so it won't hurt), then you'll do a simple split squat movement.
Set one hand on the safety rail for balance and the other hand (on the working shoulder side) on top of the plates. This keeps the shoulder elevated, which keeps the bar from rolling off to the side.
Set the bar on the same side shoulder as the leg you have forward (i.e. if the left leg is forward, put the bar on the left shoulder).
Then just PUSH.
Because the other end of the bar is the pivot point, you still have some freedom of movement on the other end. You're not locked into a strict path like you are with most machines.
You get the stabilization benefits of a machine coupled with the activation and movement benefits of a free weight exercise.
And because the bottom rail is right there, when you hit the limit, you don't have to worry about reracking the weight or setting a safety bar on a machine. Just set the bar on the rail and fall down.
When you finish on one side, switch to the other and go again.
Because it's a split squat, the back leg will get SOME work, too, though not as much as if you were doing the exercise with free weight.
As well, the offset loading will bring in the deep core for stabilization.
How to Use the Barbell Split Squat Machine in Your Leg Training
When doing this exercise, switch up which leg you start with (e.g. start with left on set 1, then start with right on set 2). I recommend doing an even number of sets for this reason.
This exercise shines as a heavy single-leg exercise but it can also be used for higher reps with lighter weight.
You can use it as the primary exercise for your leg training or as a finisher once you've done exercises (like squats) that require more technique and balance. This exercise is one where you can just get into position and blast out reps until you collapse to the ground.
And that, my friend, is what makes leg day so much fun...
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Want more unique and challenging exercises to work your entire body with simple equipment? All you need is just a barbell, dumbbells and a bench. Check out The Best Home Gym Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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