{"id":188204,"date":"2025-12-16T21:25:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/188204\/"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:25:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:25:08","slug":"this-ballerina-squat-variation-builds-strength-and-mobility-at-once-heres-why-its-a-pt-favourite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/188204\/","title":{"rendered":"This ‘Ballerina’ squat variation builds strength and mobility at once\u00a0\u2013 here’s why it’s a PT favourite"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here at WH, we\u2019re big fans of a squat variation, and we\u2019ve covered a fair few in the last few months \u2013 high-heeled squats<\/a>, bear hug squats<\/a>, and, of course, Bulgarian split squats<\/a> \u2013 for good reason. A cornerstone of functional fitness<\/a>, squat exercises mimic everyday movements like sitting and standing, which ordinarily naturally decline with age. And the latest viral squat variation we\u2019ve come across? Ballerina Bulgarian split squats. <\/p>\n

What muscles are used when performing ballerina Bulgarian squats?<\/p>\n

\u2018Ballerina Bulgarian squats primarily target the glutes, especially the glute medius and glute maximus,\u2019 says James Brady, a personal trainer at OriGym<\/a>. \u2018Compared to standard Bulgarian split squats, the ballerina stance targets the adductors<\/a> more and while not the primary mover, this exercise also recruits the quads, hamstrings and core muscles.\u2019<\/p>\n

In other words, you\u2019re getting quite a bit of bang for your buck with this move, and as well as building muscle strength and mass, you\u2019re also working on your mobility<\/a> \u2013 something many of us neglect when it comes to strength training<\/a>. <\/p>\n

What are the benefits of ballerina Bulgarian split squats?<\/p>\n

\u2018The biggest benefit of ballerina Bulgarian squats is that they help build strong glutes<\/a> while improving hip mobility,\u2019 Brady reaffirms. \u2018As this is a single-leg exercise, it\u2019s also great for correcting muscle imbalances, building core stability and improving balance<\/a>.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Single-leg exercises are particularly important for runners, with running<\/a> being a single-leg activity. By adding such moves to their routines, runners are conditioning their bodies to handle single-leg impact, helping to stay controlled, powerful and stable. <\/p>\n

Related StoryHow to do a ballerina Bulgarian split squat <\/p>\n

Below, Brady explains how to approach the movement step by step.<\/p>\n

Hold a dumbbell<\/a> in each hand and start by standing directly in front of the weight bench (or box). Take one stride forwards, plant one foot into the ground and place the other on the bench behind you.Bend your back leg so that your shin is on the bench and perpendicular to your front leg. Your foot should be positioned so that your laces are face down.Your front leg should be directly in front of you with your toes facing forwards. There should be a soft bend in your front knee.To start the movement, stand tall, engage your core<\/a> and bend your front knee towards the floor. Ensure your knee does not go over your toes (if this happens, reposition your foot slightly further away from the bench).To drive back up, push through your front heel and squeeze your glute until you return to the top of the movement. Repeat on the same leg for a full set before swapping sides. Common mistakes to avoid with ballerina Bulgarian split squats <\/p>\n

When performing this movement, Brady says that a common mistake can be \u2018allowing the front knee to collapse inwards, which reduces glute activation and can stress the knee joint.\u2019 <\/p>\n

And don\u2019t rush the movement, he adds. \u2018Instead, a slow and controlled pace is the best way to ensure benefits for balance and muscle engagement.\u2019<\/p>\n

Brady says another common mistake to avoid is using a bench or box that\u2019s too high, which \u2018can limit range of motion and compromise form.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Regressions and progressions for ballerina Bulgarian split squats<\/p>\n

\u2018If you\u2019re struggling with the ballerina stance, starting with a standard Bulgarian split squat is a good way to build your strength and balance,\u2019 says Brady. \u2018For a more accessible alternative, lower the back foot onto a step rather than a bench, or try holding on to something for extra balance.\u2019 You can also lose the weights, opting for bodyweight first instead. <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking to progress the movement, he suggests increasing the weight of your dumbbells or increasing time under tension by slowing the lowering phase. <\/p>\n

How often should you do ballerina Bulgarian squats?<\/p>\n

How often you do this squat variation each week will depend on your individual exercise goals, says Brady. \u2018For hypertrophy<\/a> (increasing muscle size), you could add ballerina Bulgarian squats into your lower-body sessions and perform them 2-3 times a week.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018The ideal number of sets and reps for hypertrophy is 8-12 reps (per leg) for 3 sets. Rest for 60-90 seconds between sets,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

So, whether you\u2019re a runner looking for single-leg moves to add to your strength routine or just looking for some new glute exercises to switch up your training, why not channel your inner ballerina with this Bulgarian squat variation. <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here at WH, we\u2019re big fans of a squat variation, and we\u2019ve covered a fair few in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":188205,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[7157,108487,637,589,163,85,46,636,108486],"class_list":{"0":"post-188204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-default","9":"tag-contentid-99f6c30e-45b8-41fe-928b-0cc074b6ffb7","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-il","14":"tag-israel","15":"tag-locale-gb","16":"tag-shorttitle-how-to-do-ballerina-bulgarian-split-squats"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/188205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}