Bulgarian Split Squat Alternative: 8 Swaps by Reason (Balance, Knees, No Bench)

The best Bulgarian split squat alternative for most people is the reverse lunge: it trains one leg at a time, needs no bench, and stepping backwards keeps your weight over the front foot so it tends to be easier on the knees. If you like the Bulgarian but simply have no bench, put your back foot on a sofa or the bottom stair and carry on. The right swap really depends on why you're dropping the exercise in the first place, so the alternatives below are grouped by reason: balance, knee pain, no bench, or training at home.

Quick pick: Bulgarian split squat alternatives

Alternative	Why choose it	Equipment needed
Reverse lunge	Closest all-round swap, no bench needed	Bodyweight or dumbbells
Front-foot-elevated split squat	More depth, easier balance than rear-foot-elevated	A step or weight plate
Step-up	Glute-heavy, simple to learn	Box, step or sturdy bench
Rear-foot-elevated on a sofa or box	Same exercise, no gym bench	Sofa, chair or stair
Single-leg leg press	Zero balance demand, heavy loading	Leg press machine
Smith machine split squat	Bar path fixed, easy to load	Smith machine
Goblet squat	Two-legged fallback for poor balance	One dumbbell or kettlebell
Skater squat	Hard bodyweight option for home	Nothing, or a cushion

What you lose (and keep) when you swap

The Bulgarian split squat is popular for three reasons that are worth separating, because no single swap keeps all of them. It trains one leg at a time, it stretches the front-leg glute and quad deeply at the bottom, and it lets you get a lot of work from light dumbbells. Pick the alternative that keeps the part you care about.

How much does losing the single-leg element matter? Less than people assume. A 2023 meta-analysis of 28 studies in athletes found unilateral training improved single-leg jumping and strength more, while bilateral training did better on two-legged measures (Front Physiol, 2023). A 2025 review of nine randomised trials then found no significant difference in overall athletic performance between the two approaches when training volume was matched (J Exerc Sci Fit, 2025). In plain terms, you get better at what you practise, and both styles build strong legs. If you're a runner, a footballer or just want to fix a lagging side, keep at least one single-leg move in the week.

Stance length also changes the exercise. A biomechanics study of the split squat found longer steps raised hip extensor activation while having limited effect on the quads, and suggested a step roughly equal to your leg length suits healthy adults (Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 2023). That's useful for knee-pain swaps below.

If balance is the problem

1. Front-foot-elevated split squat

Stand in a split stance with your front foot on a low step or a 10 to 15cm weight plate and your back foot flat on the floor. Lower your back knee straight down towards the floor, keep your torso tall, then drive up through your front heel.

Raising the front foot lets you sink deeper than a standard split squat while the back foot stays planted, so you get much of the Bulgarian's stretch with far less wobble. Hold a wall or rack upright with one hand for the first few weeks if you need to; that hand is there for balance, not to pull yourself up.

Who it suits: people who topple sideways on the Bulgarian, and anyone wanting a deep quad stretch.

2. Goblet squat

If single-leg work just isn't clicking yet, a goblet squat is the sensible fallback. Hold one dumbbell or kettlebell against your chest, feet a little wider than shoulder width, and sit down between your heels. The weight in front works as a counterbalance, so you stay upright and reach good depth without fighting your balance.

You lose the one-leg-at-a-time benefit, so treat it as a stepping stone and add split squats back once your hips and ankles feel more stable.

Who it suits: beginners and anyone returning from time off.

If your knees complain

3. Reverse lunge

Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides, step one foot back about a stride length and lower until your back knee nearly touches the floor. Push through the front foot and bring the back leg in to stand. Our reverse lunge guide covers the full technique.

Stepping back rather than forward means you aren't braking your body weight over the front knee, and your shin tends to stay more vertical. That's the main reason it's our first pick. Take a longer step to bias the glutes and a shorter one if you want more quad.

Who it suits: almost everyone, and especially people who find forward lunges or the Bulgarian painful at the front knee.

4. Step-up

Face a sturdy box or step (knee height or a little below to start), plant your whole foot on it and stand up by driving through that heel. Lower back down slowly, staying on the same leg for the whole set. Our step-ups guide explains box height and loading.

The common fault is bouncing off the back toe, which shifts the work to the leg that's meant to be resting. Keep the trailing foot relaxed and lift it off the floor rather than pushing with it. Knee travel is usually smaller than in a deep Bulgarian, so many people with grumbly knees tolerate it well.

Who it suits: glute-focused lifters and anyone with knee discomfort in deep split positions.

5. Single-leg leg press

Sit in a leg press machine, place one foot in the middle of the platform and press with that leg alone. Use roughly half the load you'd press with two legs, and lower until your knee is at about 90 degrees or as deep as feels comfortable.

The machine removes balance completely and you control the depth, so this is a good option if you need to load one leg heavily while your knees settle down. It's a gym-only choice, though.

Who it suits: gym-goers with knee or balance limits who still want heavy single-leg work.

If you don't have a bench

6. Rear-foot-elevated split squat on a sofa or box

This is the same exercise with a different prop. Stand with your back to a sofa, sturdy chair or the second stair, place the laces of your back foot on the edge and set your front foot far enough out that your knee lines up roughly over your mid-foot at the bottom. Lower down, pause, and drive back up.

Anything around knee height or slightly lower works. Check it won't slide: chairs on laminate floors are the classic problem, so push them against a wall first. If you plan to train like this long term, a flat bench gives you a firmer surface and doubles up for presses and rows; our best weight bench UK guide covers flat and adjustable picks. The foldable Fostoy bench we feature there tucks away when you're done.

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Who it suits: home trainers who like the Bulgarian and just lack the equipment.

7. Smith machine split squat

In a gym without a spare bench, or if you want to push heavier, set the bar of a Smith machine at shoulder height, step under it and take a split stance. Lower your back knee towards the floor and press up. Because the bar runs on a fixed track, the machine handles most of the balance and you can focus on the front leg. You can also elevate the back foot on a plate stack. Our Smith machine squat guide explains foot position, and if you're thinking of buying one for home, see our best Smith machine UK roundup.

Who it suits: lifters chasing heavier single-leg loading with less balance demand.

If you're training at home with nothing

8. Skater squat

Stand on one leg, bend the other knee so that foot is behind you, and reach your arms forward as you lower the back knee towards a cushion on the floor. Touch it lightly and stand back up without the back foot touching down.

It's the hardest bodyweight move here and far easier to learn than a pistol squat, because the free leg goes behind you rather than out in front. Start with a thick cushion or a folded towel stack to shorten the range, and remove layers as you get stronger.

Who it suits: home trainers without weights who need a genuinely hard leg exercise.

How to programme your swap

Put the alternative where the Bulgarian used to sit: usually second in a leg session, after your main two-legged lift. Three sets of 8 to 12 per leg covers most goals. Start with your weaker leg and match its reps on the stronger side, which stops the imbalance growing.

Load each option in its own way. Dumbbells suit reverse lunges, step-ups and sofa split squats; adjustable dumbbells save space if you train at home. For skater squats, progress by lowering the cushion height or slowing the descent to three seconds before thinking about added weight.

Common mistakes with split squat swaps

Too short a stance. Feet close together push the front knee far forward and load it heavily. Lengthen the step until your front shin sits close to vertical at the bottom.

Pushing off the back leg. On step-ups and split squats, the back leg should steady you, not do the lifting. If the back foot is working hard, the front leg isn't.

Letting the front knee cave in. Keep it tracking over your second or third toe all the way down and up.

Rushing the lowering phase. Light dumbbells only work if you control them, so take two seconds on the way down.

Recommended reads

• Bulgarian split squat: how to do it, muscles worked and benefits
• Reverse lunge: technique, muscles worked and variations
• Goblet squat: how to do it, muscles worked and benefits
• Lunges: how to do them and the best variations
• Best weight bench UK: adjustable and foldable picks