The Bulgarian Split Squat is one of the most effective leg exercise you can do...this modification turns it into a great DEADLIFT assistance exercise as well.
It's a great way to focus on improving the area without crushing your overall recovery like heavy deadlifts can. Working up to heavy loads on this can really help your deadlift off the floor.
Essentially, you're getting into position like you were about to do a Bulgarian Split Squat, then you just do a "deadlift" picking the dumbbells up off the floor and bringing your torso up to vertical or near vertical, then setting them back down on the floor.
The key here is you're maintaining isometric stretch tension on the glutes in that bottom Bulgarian position WHILE you're also using them to perform hip extension. This dual-action technique gives you massive muscle fiber activation in the glutes.
Then repeat on the other leg.
Treat it like a deadlift and fully set the dumbbells down in between each rep to reset your core bracing and lower back positioning.
Now, if you want to take it to the next level, at the top of the deadlift, do a Bulgarian Split Squat. Come back down to the bottom of that, the set the dumbbells down and do the deadlift.
I recommend this one for lower reps (3-5 on each leg). You can work up to some heavy loads with this one. I find it best done for strength rather than high reps.
Your deadlift off the floor will really improve with consistent work on this one. Best part is, you don't need any exotic equipment for this - just a bench and dumbbells (trap bar can work, too).
Adding Band Resistance Plus a Full Split Squat
This adds an additional element of tensio to the exercise. You're going to hitch a band to a solid object in front of you then loop the other end around your lower back.
Then you'll do the deadlift AND you'll come up into the full split squat (for overall leg work).
Then come back down all the way to the floor again.
This variation is very challenging and will give you a fantastic overall leg and posterior chain workout.
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