The split squat is a powerful exercise for the quads, however it does have several flaws that can reduce it's benefits...this setup fixes those.
The split squat exercise is essentially getting to a lunge position (without lunging forward or backward) then moving your body up and down in that position.
It's an excellent lower body exercise, targeting quads, glutes and hamstrings very effectively.
It's a fantastic exercise, however it does have a few drawbacks, all of which we're going to address with this exercise setup.
1. Your back knee hits the floor, limiting your range of motion.
2. Balance can be an issue because of the thinner base of support.
3. Dumbbells tend to be easier on the knees than barbells, yet you might be limited by how heavy your dumbbells go or how long you can hang on to them.
This two bench setup for split squats fixes all three of those problems.
To perform this one, you'll need two flat benches ((if you don't have two benches available, you can use one bench and something sturdy for your back leg like a box or chair), a dip belt and a bar to hold onto (either a bar set in the power rack or the Smith machine bar...or something else solid that fits in with this setup).
- Set one bench inside the rack and set the bar at about chest height (when standing on the floor in front of it).
- Set the other bench perpendicular about 2-3 feet back or so.
- Practice the setup with no weight, then with light weight, before moving on to heavier loads.
- String the chain of your dip belt through the plate(s), just like you normally would.
- Turn the hip belt 90 degrees to the RIGHT, if you're going to put your left foot on the front bench. Because you're doing a split squat, you don't want the weight hanging forward...you want it hanging to the side.
- FYI, if you're using a dip belt with a chain, you may want to put a towel between the chain and your inner thigh as it will dig in somewhat. The belt I'm using is from Dark Iron Fitness and uses a thick nylon straps that's much more comfortable. I've got a full review of the Dark Iron Fitness dip belt here.
- I'm using bumper plates here (160 lbs) but you can use regular steel plates for this.
Now stand up, set your left leg on the bench, then grab onto the bar.
Use your grip on the bar to help get to the top position. Maintain your grip on the bar...it's there for balanace and assistance (if you need it to spot yourself).
Set your back foot on the other bench. The reason it's set perpendicular is that this allows you to widen your base of support as needed. If the bench were lengthwise behind, it would make it tougher to set properly for balance.
Plus, it doesn't take up as much floor space that way.
Now you're ready to start.
Come down into the bottom split squat position. Come down until the plates lightly graze the floor. This gives you greater range of motion in the exercise because your back knee is no longer stopped by the floor.
Holding onto the bar in the rack allows you to balance yourself while keeping your body in an excellent position for minimizing knee stress.
You can use whatever rep ranges you like for this exercise. I like to do this one for lower rep ranges (4-6 reps per leg) for heavier sets.
When you're done on that leg, just step down with the back leg, then kneel down on the floor to change sides with the belt.
You can either switch legs and go straight into working your other leg or take a rest then do that.
Now, if you don't have a good dip belt or just prefer to use a dumbbell, you can use this setup while holding onto the bar with hand and a dumbbell in the other hand.
This gives you the benefits of the greater range of motion as well.
Overall, this exercise is ideal for working the legs (and glutes) hard with heavier loads, especially when using the dip belt setup to take your grip out of the equation.
Dumbbell Switch Leg Splits are another excellent variation for targeting the quads.
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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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