Male

Barbell Single Leg Split Squat

Muscles involved

Supporting the weight of a barbell across your shoulders while balancing on a single leg creates an intense sense of focus and deep muscular tension. In the barbell single leg split squat, you immediately feel your quads and glutes on the lead leg taking on the entire workload to stabilize every inch of the descent. It demands exceptional body control: you must refine your balance, keep your torso upright, and guide your knee alignment smoothly without wobbling. This advanced challenge forces you to stay fully present, tuning into the effort as you build unilateral strength and master complete control over your movement.

How to do it

1. Stand in a staggered stance with the barbell across your upper back, placing the top of your back foot on a bench behind you, and your front foot far enough forward to allow a deep knee bend. 2. Keeping your torso upright and core engaged, slowly lower your hips straight down until your front thigh is parallel to the floor, allowing your back knee to bend towards the ground. 3. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, ensuring your front knee is aligned over your toes. 4. Press through the heel of your front foot to slowly and powerfully drive back up to the starting position.

Equipment required

Barra

Muscles worked

Tips

- Place your front foot far enough forward so that when you lower, your front knee stays directly over your ankle, not your toes. - Keep your weight distributed primarily on the heel of your front foot. - Do not let your front knee collapse inward; keep it tracking in line with your toes. - Maintain a tall chest and engaged core to prevent excessive leaning or rotation of your torso.