Split Squat: How To Do With Benefits, Variations & Points To Remember -

The split squat is one of the many knee-friendly exercises that can be performed in the comfort of your home without equipment. They are also a natural progression from doing lunges, so start there if you are new to lower bodywork.

#1 What Are Split Squat

If you’ve been doing lunges for an extended period, or have any knee issues whatsoever, you may notice it’s difficult to fully extend your leg on the ground without experiencing pain. This is indicative of an injury recurrence. If this becomes the case, the best thing to do is ease off with lunges and focus more on split squats instead.

Split squats are performed by splitting your stance, just like you would with a lunge. The only difference is you will be using a narrower stance and initially performing the exercise one leg at a time.

If you’re new to split squats and having knee pain, begin by holding onto something sturdy or finding an object that allows your foot to fully rest on it to reduce the amount of bodyweight you are bearing on your knee while performing the exercise. If this is not possible, then carefully hop from foot to foot as you perform each repetition.

Split Squats with dumbell — source:https://cdn1.coachmag.co.uk

#2 Here’s How To Do Split Squats:

1. Start in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart.

2. Lunge forward with one foot, keeping your back straight and in good posture.

3. Return to your starting position and switch from side to side using a pace that is comfortable for you.

4. Perform 15 reps and rest 60 seconds before doing 3 sets of these squats.

5. You can perform this exercise by alternating your legs to either side (i.e. left leg forward, right leg back; right leg forward, left leg back) or, if you want to get clever, you can alternate the side of your body you start and end on (i.e. left side lunges, right side lunges; right side lunges, left side lunges).

If you want to get more advanced, try jumping as you bring your lunging leg out of the way so that you can be back in the starting position without having to go through the trouble of balancing yourself on one leg only.

How To Do Split Squats — source:https://media2.giphy.com

#3 Mistakes People Do While Doing Split Squat

It is important to remember that if you are new to exercising or have not exercised before, a good form guide is always needed. It’s essential for safety reasons, as well as for the optimum results of your training routine.

mistakes people do while doing split squats are:

-not reaching their butt to the back of their head
-standing too close to the wall or chair for balance
-knees buckling in (while weight is on one leg)
-closely bending at the knees (while weight is on one leg)
-getting too close to the floor
-getting too close to the wall or cabinet (for balance)
-keeping your knees bent past 90 degrees (athletic stance)
-too much weight on the affected leg.
-pulling or pushing with your affected leg, instead of pushing your hips towards the other leg.
-reaching with your affected arm instead of pulling your hips towards the opposite leg.

#4 Variations Of Split Squat

Different variations of Split Squats:

Split squats, on the other hand, are just one example of how to squat variations can be modified to target different areas of your body — whether it be your hips or your legs.

-Conventional Split Squats
-Half Split Squats
-Split Squats in reverse.
-Split Squat Variations
-Bulgarian Split Squat

Variations Of Split Squat — source: https://mirafit.co.uk

#5 Points to Remember

Do not immediately do the exercise if you feel pain in your knees. Find out the cause of it and address it accordingly before starting the exercise again.

Never perform this exercise with an injured knee that has been operated on or has a torn ligament. Do not perform this exercise if you have a bad back problem, neck injury, or circulatory problem.

If you need help with balance, make sure you are standing far enough away from the wall, chair, or another object to maintain your balance. Your knees should not buckle in when doing split squats. Make it a rule not only to focus on performing this move correctly but also to allow yourself ample time before adding weight.

#Breakdown of the workout:

-sit on your left butt cheek with your right foot resting behind you, toes touching the ground. Place your hands on either side of you for support.

-push up into a standing position then repeat with the opposite leg bent. Move slowly and be careful not to overextend yourself if you’re new to this exercise.

Points to Remember While Doing Split Squat — source:https://www.nifs.org

#6 Benefits Of Split Squat

The benefits of doing split squats are:

they are safer to do than regular squats
they help with balance, flexibility and strength
most importantly, they stretch your hamstrings and quads.
try doing them once or twice a week for better results
you can better control the movement of your body
they can also be done using dumbbells
The Split Squats strengthen the quads, hips and buttocks.
To strengthen your abs, follow the exercise by lying flat on your back and performing sit-ups or knee tucks for about 30 – 40 repetitions each.