Bulgarian Split Squat With Dumbbells

7 May 2023 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:57

In this short instructional video, the trainer highlights a frequent error in performing Bulgarian split squats with dumbbells: allowing the shoulders to round forward while holding the weights. He explains that many lifters focus only on the legs and neglect upper‑body posture. The key correction is to actively pull the shoulders down and back—imagining the shoulders are being tucked into the back pocket or “shutting the armpits.” Maintaining this position prevents rounding, reduces the risk of back pain, and makes the lift easier, enabling heavier loads, better balance, stability, and control. The trainer ends with an encouraging reminder to apply the cue in the next workout.

Chapters

Here's one of the biggest mistakes people make with their Bulgarian split squats that actually has nothing to do with your legs. When you are holding these weights by your side, you want to make sure you are actively pulling your shoulders down into your back pocket. Because if not, what'll happen is you'll start to go down and you'll round your shoulders like this right here. This is not only usually going to cause back pain, but it's going to make the exercise way harder than it already is, which is hard as fuck. So you really want to make sure you shrug your shoulders away from your ears and you keep them there the entire time, almost thinking about like shutting your armpit and pushing your shoulders down. This will allow you to lift heavier, have better balance, stability, and control. Try it out next time. Hope it helps.