Bulgarian squats

The bike is the discipline that will benefit most from a dedicated strength program.

The Bulgarian squat is also known as the rear-foot-elevated split squat (that mouthful is exactly why I call them Bulgarian squats – it saves time).

How to

These are performed exactly the same as split squats except that the rear foot is raised on a box, bench, or another object.

The best way to figure out how high the object should be is once again from the bottom position. In the bottom position, the rear knee should be able to almost touch the ground. You’ll find this a much greater stress on the front leg, as the rear leg is not in a good position to assist.

The added bonus of this exercise is that the rear hip and quad will get a massive stretch – I find many endurance athletes are unable to get into this position to begin with as they’re too stiff. So, to begin with, spend some time performing regular split squats and addressing your tightness.

Don’t be shy with the weight – Anna Meares uses 165 kilograms for sets of three.