Medicine Ball Woodchop Bulgarian Split Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand approximately two feet in front of a flat bench, holding a medicine ball with both hands at chest height.
2. Reach one foot back and place the top of your foot (laces down) securely on the bench.
3. Find your balance on the front leg, ensuring your front foot is far enough forward that your knee won't excessively pass your toes.
4. Position the medicine ball over the shoulder opposite to your front lead leg (e.g., if the left leg is forward, hold the ball over your right shoulder).

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower your back knee toward the floor in a controlled descent while simultaneously 'chopping' the medicine ball diagonally across your body toward the outside of your front hip.
2. Keep your torso upright and your core braced as you reach the bottom of the split squat.
3. Exhale and drive forcefully through the heel of your front foot to return to the standing position.
4. Simultaneously bring the medicine ball back up across your body to the starting shoulder in a smooth, diagonal arc.

Form checklist

• Keep the front knee tracked directly over the middle toes, avoiding any inward collapse.
• Maintain a neutral spine and proud chest; do not allow the weight of the ball to round your shoulders.
• Ensure the rotation occurs through the thoracic spine (mid-back) while keeping the hips as square as possible.
• Keep a slight bend in the elbows throughout the chop to protect the joints and engage the deltoids.

Pro tips

• Focus on the 'anti-rotational' demand by using your obliques to resist the momentum of the ball at the end of the chop.
• Maximize glute activation by leaning your torso slightly forward (about 15 degrees) while maintaining a flat back.
• Initiate the upward movement of the ball using your core and shoulders rather than just swinging with your arms.

Make it harder

• Increase the tempo of the chop phase to add a power element, requiring greater stabilization from the lead leg.
• Hold the medicine ball further away from your body with straighter arms to increase the lever arm and core demand.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat work?

The medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, forearms, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat?

The medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat uses medicine ball.

Is the medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat good for beginners?

The medicine ball woodchop bulgarian split squat is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Barbell Snatch From BlocksAdvanced · adductors, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, serratus anterior, and trapezius
• Burpee Over The DumbbellIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Burpee ShuffleIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Burpee Single Leg JumpIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps