The Dumbbell Split Squat: How to Do It
First things first: the Bulgarian split squat and the dumbbell split squat are not the same workout. One of the main characteristics of Bulgarians is that you hang your non-working leg from something higher.
You only need some free floor space and a couple of dumbbells for this one.
Step 1 Split your feet.
Place your feet beneath your hips and stand straight, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Then, take a step backward while balancing on the balls of your non-working leg—your right or left, it doesn’t matter—and walk backward.
Using your other leg, take a few steps forward, about two thirds of the distance. If not exactly balanced, then your weight should be shifted slightly in favor of your working leg.
Step 2: Drop your Hips
Lower your hips straight down to begin the squat from a split stance. Sinking down until your non-working knee contacts the floor or your working thigh gets parallel to it should be possible. After either happens, switch up the movement and raise yourself again using your working leg.
Split Squat Sets and Reps with Dumbbells
Whether you use weights or not, the traditional split squat is an excellent leg accessory exercise, but it shouldn’t take center stage. You should be aware of this while programming any type of single-leg squat. Here are several possibilities:
Warm-up: Use a very low weight for two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions per leg.
Try three sets of eight to ten repetitions with a moderate weight for muscle growth.
Perform two or three sets of light weight exercises at a leisurely tempo in order to improve balance.
Typical Errors in Dumbbell Split Squats
Dumbbell split squat mistakes can still occur if you’re not careful, even if they don’t have the complex setup of other lower-body exercises that involve just one leg. If you want to obtain the greatest benefit from the workout, avoid making these typical mistakes.
Lowering Your Knee to the Floor
The fact that the dumbbell split squat requires you to continually balance your body in space accounts for the majority of its benefits. You can unintentionally make the exercise easier and rob yourself of those benefits if you frequently bounce your back knee off the floor during your reps.
Unbalanced
Any single-leg exercise is difficult, but a free weight one-legged squat is even more so. It’s possible that your inability to maintain your balance will make it difficult for you to exert effort.
If this happens, it’s possible that your front or rear leg is bearing too much of your body weight. Make sure one leg isn’t bearing too much of your weight by adjusting your weight distribution before you begin your set.
Retaining Stress in Your Arms
Without a doubt, the dumbbell split squat is primarily a leg workout. It is just formal that you are holding a pair of weights in your hand. However, just firmly hold the weights in your hands to ensure their security.
As a seasoned content writer specialized in the fitness and health niche, Arun Bhagat has always wanted to promote wellness. After gaining proper certification as a gym trainer with in-depth knowledge of virtually all the information related to it, he exercised his flair for writing interesting, informative content to advise readers on their healthier lifestyle. His topics range from workout routines, nutrition, and mental health to strategies on how to be more fit in general. His writing is informative but inspiring for people to achieve their wellness goals as well. Arun is committed to equipping those he reaches with the insights and knowledge gained through fitness.