Quads exercise
Split SquatHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Also works
- Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Split Squat?
- Stand in a long split stance, feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your back heel so you rest on the ball of that foot.
- Lower straight down until your back knee nearly touches the floor.
- Push through your front foot to rise back up.
- Finish your reps, then switch legs.
Cues
- Go straight down and up, like a lift.
- Front knee follows your toes.
- Keep your chest tall and hips square.
Common mistakes
- Standing with the feet too close, so the front heel lifts.
- Leaning forward or letting the hips twist.
- Letting the front knee fall inward.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Start in a long split stance: right foot forward and flat, left foot back on its ball with the heel up. Feet stay hip-width apart side to side (foot centre lines 15–20 cm apart), both toes pointing straight ahead. Hands on the hips. Trunk upright and braced, shoulders down and back, gaze ahead. Weight shared between the feet, a little more on the front foot. Leg length (L) below means front of the hip bone (ASIS) to the inner ankle: about 0.86 m on the 1.75 m avatar.
The movement
The feet do not move for the whole set. Bend both knees and lower the hips straight down, like an elevator, until the right thigh is level with the floor and the left knee hovers just above it, pointing down. The right knee tracks over the 2nd–3rd toes and the right shin stays close to vertical. The left heel stays up. Push through the right foot to rise straight back up.
End position
Bottom: front knee about 90°, front shin near vertical, rear knee 2–5 cm off the floor. The hip at the bottom sits at about standing knee height (0.50 m) and drops about 0.40 m from the top.
Tempo
2 s down, 0.3 s pause, 1.5 s up, 0.5 s at the top. The app tells users to finish the set, then switch sides.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stance length, front heel to rear heel | 0.9 × L ≈ 0.78 m | 0.7–1.0 × L (0.6–0.86 m) | [2][3] |
| Front knee flexion at the bottom | 90° | 80–105° | [2][3] |
| Rear knee flexion at the bottom | 90° | 80–100° | [1][4] |
| Trunk lean from vertical, whole rep | 0° | 0–10° | [1][2] |
| Front knee flexion at the top | 5° | 0–10° | [1] |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Split Squat is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
Sources
- ExRx, Split Squat
- Gao et al. 2022, Bioengineering, "Influence of different load conditions on lower extremity biomechanics during the lunge squat in novice men"
- Stastny et al. 2015, J Strength Cond Res, "Does the dumbbell-carrying position change the muscle activity in split squats and walking lunges?"
- Form-standards section 7 (walking lunge; ACE and ExRx)
