Bulgarian Split Squat and Chest to Bar

Bulgarian Split Squat and Chest to Bar This is the beginning of our Strength Deload Week after we finished our last 3 week Strength cycle. Some extra skill work, correctives, as well as some other goodies added in this week. In the back squat, the limiting factor is typically the lower back. In the front squat, it’s the upper back. In the BSS, you essentially eliminate those limiting factors and are able to hone in more directly on the legs. Moreover, because you’re not loading the spine as heavily, it doesn’t take as long to recover, so you’re able to do them with greater frequency, potentially leading to greater strength and size gains.

It might seem that stability would be a severely limiting factor in getting strong, but this isn’t the case with the BSS, which is what makes it the best single-leg variation for building strength. In many ways, it bridges the gap between bilateral and single-leg exercises because you get the benefits of unilateral training while still getting assistance from the back leg to handle heavier loads. The back leg doesn’t do much as far as lifting the weight, but helps tremendously with stabilization, allowing the front working leg to push harder.