One thing I’ve always loved about Jessica Biel is her refreshingly honest approach to fitness. Take her Instagram, for example. She’s just as likely to be training in jogging bottoms with her hair in a messy bun as she is in a matching gym set, and she’s honest about how her workouts fit around a busy life, too.
Some days she has an hour to train. Other days, it’s closer to 20 minutes. Something many of us can relate to. Her approach is all about smart training: small tweaks to simple movements that deliver better results in less time.
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What is the wall-supported Bulgarian split squat?
Normally, and like most people, I’d perform split squats with my back foot resting on a bench (Bulgarian) or planted on the floor. But in this variation, Biel places her back foot against the wall instead. It looks subtle, but it changes the movement more than you might expect.
“Wall-supported Bulgarian split squats are an awesome exercise for the glutes and legs that you can do anywhere with just a set of dumbbells,” explains strength and conditioning coach and celebrity trainer Ben Bruno, who also trains the likes of Justin Timberlake and Kate Upton.
“It’s one of my favorite moves in my newest program, but I don’t think many people besides us do it, and that needs to change,” he says. Here’s why.
Why the wall-supported Bulgarian split squat works
This variation takes the classic Bulgarian split squat and mixes it up by placing your back foot against a wall. According to Bruno, this “offers a much greater challenge than resting the back foot on a bench because the back leg is almost completely unloaded, which places all the emphasis on the front leg.”
“Second, it makes the exercise more glute-dominant because you have to lean forward more from the torso, and it restricts forward knee travel,” he adds. “So I’d classify this as slightly more glute-focused and slightly less quad-focused than regular Bulgarian split squats.”
That makes it a great option for anyone looking to target the glutes in a new way, and for those who want the benefits of Bulgarian split squats without having to use heavy dumbbells or a gym bench.
It makes the exercise more glute-dominant because you have to lean forward more from the torso.
The payoff? An effective lower-body exercise that can be done almost anywhere with light weights and minimal space. Plus, because part of your base of support is removed, your core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis and pelvic floor, have to work hard to keep you stable.
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It’s functional fitness at its best, challenging balance, leg strength, hip stability and core control all at once. And for anyone who tends to skip unilateral training, this move sneaks it in while giving your coordination and core a serious workout, too.
How to do the wall-supported Bulgarian split squat like Jessica Biel
Check out the video above, and follow the steps below:
Stand facing a wall with your feet about hip-width apart.Take a large step forward so you’re around two to three feet away from your starting position.Rest your back foot against the wall at roughly hip height.Engage your core for stability, then bend both knees to lower into your split squat.Drive your back knee down toward where the wall meets the floor, allowing your front leg to take most of your weight.Keep your hips roughly stacked under your torso and maintain a slight forward lean.Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement.With your front knee tracking in line with your second and third toes, push firmly through your front heel to return to standing.Remember to switch sides.
Rep-wise, Bruno advises sticking to “slightly lower rep ranges (five to six per leg) because of the balance demand.” If you decide to add dumbbells like Biel, he recommends holding them at your sides rather than in a goblet position, as “the goblet hold doesn’t feel as good with the increased forward torso lean.”
That said, he suggests starting with just your bodyweight first to master the movement and build confidence before adding load.
I tried Jessica Biel’s favorite lower-body exercise: Here’s my verdict
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Like anything in fitness, it’s all in the setup. Once you get the angles right between your legs and the wall, and engage your core to maintain balance, it suddenly feels much more manageable than it looks at first glance.
My core worked overtime to keep me steady, my front leg wobbled as it took the load, my hips stretched as I lowered deep into the split squat and my glutes fired hard to push me back up.
It’s definitely as tough as it looks. And after just a few reps, my glutes felt like I’d done a round of heavy squats, and my quads were on fire. Would I add this to my routine? Absolutely.
It’s smart, time-efficient and builds strength, stability and better posture all in one. Jessica Biel clearly takes no prisoners with her training, and doing moves like the wall-supported Bulgarian split squat challenges lots of muscles, including the stabilizing ones that contribute to better core strength and rock-solid legs.
“It’s all in the variety of training, which keeps things fresh and her body guessing,” says Bruno. “Consistency trumps intensity every time. Jessica is a great example of sustainable strength training for women.” You’ll find plenty of variety and consistency on Biel’s page, so we have to agree there.
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