Which split squat technique is best?
There are many great options - but some are better than others at accomplishing specific goals.
In this post, you're going to learn which split squat technique is best for what goal and how to manipulate your biomechanics to specifically bias the quads versus the glutes.
The Biomechanics Of Split-Squatting
We must first acknolwedge that the resistance of any split squat ultimatley comes through our foot's contact with the floor.
Although you may hold dumbbells in your hands or place a barbell on your back, what ultimately matters is how your legs relate to the resistance the ground imposes.
Things get a trickier when looking at machine-based split squats - because the mechanics of each machine may differ - so for the sake of clarity, we will only focus on free-weight variations in this post.
Let's first look at the two extremes of split squat technique and work backward:
Intuitively, you probably have a good idea of which variant creates which bias.
But to understand why the first photo is a quad bias and the second is a glute bias, we need to identify how force from the floor interacts with our legs.
Creating A Quad VS Glute Bias
Below, you'll see the same images, now with a line of force (shown with red arrows) imposed on each:
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