Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat

The rear foot elevated split squat rests the top of the back foot on a bench or box and places almost the whole load on the front leg. That distribution is the reason it has become a staple: you can train one leg very hard with a modest total weight, so the spine carries far less than an equivalent bilateral squat would demand. The quadriceps and glute of the front leg do the work, while the hip of the trailing leg is stretched on every repetition. The distance between the feet decides the emphasis. A longer stance recruits more glute, a shorter one shifts the work toward the quadriceps, and both are legitimate depending on what you are training. The back foot provides balance only. If you catch yourself pushing off it, shorten the set and check the setup again.