Legs · Barbell
Barbell Zercher Bulgarian Split Squat
How to do the barbell zercher bulgarian split squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Cradle a barbell in the crooks of your elbows held tight to your torso, and set your rear foot on a bench behind you. Lower straight down until your front thigh is near parallel, bracing hard to keep your chest up against the front-loaded bar. Drive through the front heel to stand, then switch legs.
- 1Front-leg quad and glute drive with the bar pulling you upright
- 2A heavily braced core fighting the front load
- 3Steady balance through each rep
Common mistakes
- Letting the front knee cave inward
- Letting the bar pull your torso forward into a slump
- Pushing off the back foot to stand
Muscles worked
The barbell zercher bulgarian split squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the lower back, upper abs, hamstrings, forearms, lower abs, obliques, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- CalvesSupport
- BicepsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell zercher bulgarian split squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.