Barbell Split Squat

What you'll gain

• Builds single-leg quad and glute strength with full barbell loading.

• Exposes and corrects strength imbalances between legs.

• Reinforces balance and core stability under a back-loaded bar.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Rack the bar across the upper back and step into a long split stance with feet hip-width apart.

2. 2

   Brace your core and stand tall with most of your weight on the front foot.

3. 3

   Lower the back knee straight down toward the floor, keeping the front shin close to vertical.

4. 4

   Stop just before the back knee touches the floor, keeping the torso upright and chest up.

5. 5

   Drive through the front foot to stand back up to the starting split-stance position.

6. 6

   Complete all reps on one side before switching legs, keeping the same setup each time.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the front knee cave inward, which strains the knee and reduces glute engagement.

• Pushing off the back foot to stand up, which removes load from the front working leg.

• Leaning the torso too far forward, which turns the lift into a hinge and loses the quad focus.

• Setting the stance too short, which forces the front knee far past the toes and stresses the joint.

About This Exercise

The barbell split squat is a loaded single-leg strength exercise. The lifter stands in a split stance with the back foot planted on the floor and squats straight down through the front leg, building quads and glutes one side at a time. It removes the side-to-side weakness that hides in regular bilateral squats and forces honest strength out of each leg. For any strength or athletic-prep app, this is a high-value clip in the unilateral leg category. Ship it between the back squat and the Bulgarian split squat as a clean progression piece, and use it in back-and-glute programs, runner training tracks, and rehab-adjacent strength content where balanced single-leg strength matters.

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