Ananya Panday does Bulgarian split squats. Here's why you should do them too

In her latest workout video, Ananya Panday performs the famous Bulgarian split squats carrying 17.5 kgs each in both hands.

Ananya Panday, currently gearing up for the release of Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, on Tuesday, December 2, shared a video on Instagram Stories featuring her performing the highly popular Bulgarian split squats. Providing her fans yet another sneak peek into her fitness regime, the 27-year-old carried a total weight of 35 kgs in her hands. Along with the black-and-white video, she wrote, "Bulgarian split squats with 17.5 kgs in each hand." Here is everything you need to know about the popular exercise, its key benefits, and the right way to do it.

Ananya Panday performs Bulgarian split squats. (Instagram)

Ananya Panday's gym photos go viral

What are Bulgarian split squats?

A type of single-leg squat exercise, in Bulgarian split squats, people are required to place one leg behind and elevate it off the ground, usually on a bench. This unilateral exercise helps in training one side of the body at a time, according to Healthline.com.

The exercise is common among athletes as it helps them in training lower body muscles, besides boosting their athletic performance. Also, it could help in recovering from a lower-body injury.

Benefits of Bulgarian split squats

1. Compared to the back squat, Bulgarian split squats isolate the hamstrings and glutes in a better way. This exercise remains focused on flexibility, movement and hip extension, as per Healthline.

2. Unlike traditional squats, performing Bulgarian split squats is easy, as it places less stress on your knee joints. This means people recovering from a knee injury can perform this exercise.

3. Can be useful in increasing balance and stability as it activates stabilizing muscles in the core and knee.

4. One of the biggest uses of this exercise is for improving athletic performance involving activities such as running, swimming, jumping, and more.

5. Bulgarian split squats do not put much load on the lower back. This means that there is minimal risk of injury.

While Bulgarian split squats and single-leg squats are unilateral exercises, they are quite different from each other. In the latter one, the stabilising leg comes in front as people are required to hold it in the air. In Bulgarian split squats, the stabilising leg remains behind on an elevated surface. This allows people to reach greater depth.