Smith machine Bulgarian split squat

Name: Smith machine Bulgarian split squat exercise demonstration
Uploaded: 2026-11-03
Duration: PT6.6S
Description: The Smith machine Bulgarian split squat is a rear-foot-elevated split squat with the bar guided by rails. The front foot stays planted on the floor and the rear foot rests on a stable bench. It trains the quadriceps and gluteus maximus as you lower and stand on the front leg.

Also called Smith Bulgarian split squat, Smith machine rear foot elevated split squat.

What is a Smith machine Bulgarian split squat?

The Smith machine Bulgarian split squat is a rear-foot-elevated split squat with the bar guided by rails. The front foot stays planted on the floor and the rear foot rests on a stable bench. It trains the quadriceps and gluteus maximus as you lower and stand on the front leg.

Front-oblique anatomical illustration of a woman performing a Smith machine Bulgarian split squat, with her rear foot on a bench, shown standing on the left and lowered on the right.

How do you perform a Smith machine Bulgarian split squat?

Set up

Put a stable bench behind the Smith bar. Set the hooks just below standing shoulder level and the safety stops slightly below your planned bottom position. Check the arrangement with an unloaded bar.
Set the bar on your upper back and hold it on both sides. Plant the front foot ahead of you and rest the top of the other foot on the bench, leaving some width between your feet.
Brace your trunk, stand tall and release the hooks. Settle your weight over the front foot before starting the descent.

Execution

Bend the front knee and hip as the rear knee moves toward the floor. Keep the front foot flat and let the knee follow the direction of the toes.
Stop before the front heel lifts, the hips turn or the rear leg feels pulled out of position.
Push through the front foot to stand. Finish the set, engage the hooks securely, then take the rear foot off the bench and change legs.

Common mistakes

Forcing a stance that does not fit
A cramped stance can lift the front heel; an overlong one can pull at the rear hip. Secure the bar and adjust the front foot or bench before trying again.
Using a support that shifts
A moving bench changes where the rear foot rests during the rep. Check that the support stays put before loading the bar.
Rebounding from the bottom
Lower smoothly and reverse under control. End the set if you need a bounce or a push from the rear foot to return to standing.

Where it fits in a session

Use it as a single-leg accessory in a lower-body workout.

Learn the stance and hook operation with an unloaded bar. Add weight only while you can keep the same controlled depth on both sides. Start with the side that needs more practice and match its reps on the other leg.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Secondary

None listed in this guide

Select a muscle name to locate it.

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

The quadriceps straighten the front knee, while the gluteus maximus extends the front hip.

Variations

Smith machine split squatKeeps the rear forefoot on the floor instead of elevating it on a bench.
Bulgarian split squatUses free weights rather than a bar guided by the Smith rails.

Related tools

One-rep max calculator

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Smith machine Bulgarian split squat work?

It trains the quadriceps at the front of the thigh and the gluteus maximus at the buttock. The quadriceps straighten the front knee and the gluteus maximus extends the front hip as you stand.

Is it the same as a Smith machine split squat?

This version raises the rear foot on a bench. The floor split squat keeps the rear forefoot on the ground. Both use a fixed split stance, but the rear-foot support differs.

How far should my front foot be from the bench?

Fit the distance to your stance rather than copying a fixed measurement. Try a few unloaded reps and adjust until the front foot stays flat, the rear foot rests securely and you can lower without twisting or feeling pulled at the rear hip.

Does my rear knee have to touch the floor?

No. Lower only as far as you can control with the front heel down and the rear leg comfortable. Keep the depth consistent instead of chasing the floor or bouncing at the bottom.

Should I keep my torso completely upright?

You can use a small forward lean if it feels comfortable. Keep that angle steady through the rep rather than folding farther forward as you tire. Secure the bar and reset if the bench or stance forces an awkward position.

Sources

Bruno Bordoni and Matthew A. Varacallo. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb: Thigh Quadriceps Muscle. StatPearls, updated May 8, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK513334/
Adel Elzanie and Judith Borger. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Gluteus Maximus Muscle. StatPearls, updated April 1, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/books/NBK538193/