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Blake Lehew has been a fixture in powerlifting for years. A former USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Juniors raw National Champion (2016) in the 74-kilogram weight class, Lehew now dominates at 82.5 kilograms. A stellar performance at the World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro, where the athlete attained the all-time heaviest total of 930-kilogram (2,050.3-pound), says as much. Judging by the latest update on his training progress, Lehew seems poised for even more pending greatness.
On Feb. 26, 2023, Lehew posted an Instagram video where he successfully pulled a 385-kilogram (848-pound) beltless deadlift. The powerlifter completed his pull from a sumo stance with a traditional grip, and he said he weighed 190 pounds at the time of the lift. What’s more, according to Open Powerlifting, the deadlift matches Lehew’s all-time raw competition best, also achieved at the latest American Pro.
“I believe the belt is a thing of the past for deadlifts.”
The beltless pull aside, Lehew had nothing else adorned to assist with the feat. He leaned fully on his strength to reach the lockout position.
In the caption of Lehew’s post, he alludes to an impending competition on his calendar. He has been hinting at these plans since the start of 2023. At the time of this writing, it is unclear which contest he is referring to, as he has not offered specifics on his social media platforms. The “six weeks out” reference would line up with a date sometime around Easter Weekend 2023 in early April.
Given that Lehew has mainly featured as a WRPF and United States Powerlifting Association competitor lately, there are a variety of possibilities.
Per the WRPF 2023 events calendar, there is the WRPF Face Off on April 2, the Drug Tested Out For Blood 2, the Southwest Showdown, and the War for the Valley on April 15. According to the USPA 2023 events calendar, the only date and contest roughly matching Lehew’s timeline is the 2023 USA Powerlifting Battle at Bionic Barbell on April 2.
Whichever event Lehew ends up featuring in soon, it seems apparent he’ll be ready to add another illustrious accomplishment to his resume. He should probably expect nothing less as one of powerlifting’s current stronger stars.
Featured image: @deadliftingorangutan on Instagram
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The 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) is set for Aug. 19-20, 2023, in Loveland, CO. With the contest roughly a half-year away, the growing competition’s namesake recently revealed what’s partly in store.
On Feb. 27, 2023, strongman legend Brian Shaw posted a YouTube video announcing the roster of competitors for this year’s SC. In the process, Shaw also announced that the 2023 SC would be the final professional strongman contest of his illustrious career.
Shaw disclosed that there would be a 16th athlete at the contest. That athlete is unnamed at the time of this writing. Here’s an overview of the roster for the 2023 SC this summer:
Given his career of accomplishments — including four World’s Strongest Man (WSM) titles (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) and three Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) victories (2011, 2015, 2017) — Shaw was understandably emotional. It seemed to be a bit of a challenge revealing he’d soon put a bow on his professional strongman endeavors. Earlier in the year, Shaw also said that the 2023 WSM, occurring in April, will be his last.
“It’s tough to say those words, ‘this will be my final time,’ but it’s going to be,” Shaw said. It’s time to close this chapter of my career.”
According to Strongman Archives, Shaw made his first major strongman appearance at the 2007 America’s Strongest Man (ASM) contest. He would finish in sixth. Before becoming one of the greatest strongmen in history, Shaw would notch his first victory at the 2009 Venice Beach Grand Prix. After roughly 16 years of high-level competition, he’ll soon lift his final Atlas Stone onto a podium.
As for the 2023 SC, while the roster is confirmed, the events for the contest have yet to be announced. Shaw did not disclose when that reveal will happen, but Shaw says the layout will take the event to “the next level.”
Among the confirmed athletes, Maxime Boudreault recently broke a shin bone. The injury forced the Canadian strongman to withdraw from the 2023 WSM and the 2023 ASC. According to Shaw, Boudreault has maintained that he will be healthy and ready to go by the 2023 SC. The top three from the 2022 edition of the Shaw Classic — Trey Mitchell (defending champion), Shaw, and Mitchell Hooper — will return to the contest. Mitchell will be vying for a “three-peat” in a newer competition that will have had just four iterations come August.
The latest SC would have likely already been a tentpole contest in the 2023 strongman calendar. The announcement that an icon like Shaw will be stepping away from the sport at its conclusion adds a powerful and sentimental note.
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On Feb. 24-26, 2023, during the Powerlifting America (AMP) Classic Raw Nationals in Austin, TX, powerlifter Ray Williams captured his seventh career raw National championship in the +120-kilogram class. The title count is a mix of Williams’ various wins in the USA Powerlifting (USAPL) Raw Nationals contests (2013, 2015-2019) and this new AMP conquest.
Williams wore a lifting belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps for his top back squat, just a lifting belt for his top deadlift, and only wrist wraps for his top bench press. What might make the athlete’s performance more impressive is that he finished the victory despite an apparent injury with limited details on the nature and severity.
At the time of this writing, it isn’t clear what Williams’ exact statistics on each of his best lifts were. According to the Instagram post detailing his output, all that’s clear is the competitor recorded a 1,000-kilogram (2,204.6-pound) total.
Williams’ seventh raw national title follows in a long line of achievements.
He’s a five-time International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion (2014-2018) in the 120-kilogram weight class. According to Open Powerlifting, he also holds the all-time raw squat World Record with a lift of 490 kilograms (1,080.2 pounds) at the 2019 USAPL Arnold SBD Pro American.
Williams’ IPF raw squat World Record has stood for roughly six years now. Though, it appears some younger phenom powerlifters could be hot on his tail soon enough.
If the last two years of his track record indicate anything, the 2023 AMP Classic Raw Nationals might be Williams’ only competitive appearance of the year. If that’s the case, he certainly maximized his efforts.
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Phil Heath stopped competing after his third-place finish at the 2020 Mr. Olympia. The seven-time champion (2011-2017) hasn’t been seen on a stage in over two years, but he never retired. Even as he stays active in other endeavors at age 43, the door for a potential comeback remains open.
On Feb. 24, 2023, Heath posted a video to his Instagram where he walks through a few biceps and shoulder movements in front of a dumbbell rack at an undisclosed gym. A combination of the icon’s jacked look and a heartfelt reflection about a positive mental attitude while overcoming adversity could paint the picture of someone planning to don their posing trunks again.
To rise to the top of a rigorous sport like bodybuilding, an athlete has to sacrifice a lot in terms of nutrition and training on their respective journey. After making those kinds of sacrifices for years, it seems Heath is focusing on recalibrating himself gradually.
“One of the things which I had to fight throughout my life was my own reflection in the mirror,” Heath wrote. “I wasn’t staring into the mirrors in admiration of my hard work, but the work which is left to be done. Not just in my muscles but more importantly in my mind and spirit.”
It’s not clear what Heath is referring to precisely when he mentions his “fight,” but those are an intriguing choice of words. While characterizing where he’s previously put his energies — some of it elite bodybuilding — it’s almost as if Heath is setting the stage for a potential return.
“… My reason to fight will be my future version of self that achieves everything I’ve put my heart and soul into.”
While the 2023 Masters Olympia recently announced a $229,000 overall prize purse, Heath is not yet eligible for the Men’s Open portion of the returning contest. The competition starts its age guidelines for that division at 45. With a Dec. 18, 1979 birthday, Heath can’t feature there until late 2024 at the earliest. That doesn’t consider potential prep time and when future iterations of the Masters competition would take place.
Heath is not competing in the 2023 Arnold Classic but will be on hand to interact with the athletes and spectators. If he does indeed have a comeback planned in the works, it seems the legend is taking his time dipping his toes back into the water. He’s undoubtedly earned the right to bide his time and weigh all options as one of the faces of the sport.
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After a decade-plus absence, the 2023 Masters Olympia contest will return this summer on Aug. 26-27, 2023, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. While the complete list of participating athletes over 10 competitive divisions will be revealed on Apr. 24, 2023, the contest organizers have revealed what some of the bodybuilders can potentially expect to win with respective exemplary performances. (Note: The roster probably won’t include one legend.)
On Feb. 23, 2023, the Masters Olympia announced that the overall prize purse for the 2023 iteration of the competition would be $229,000. Presumably, the money is in reference to what will likely be the showcase event in the Men’s Open division (ages 45 and up). At the time of this writing, it is unclear how that money will be divvied up in that category or, if applicable, amongst the other respective divisions.
In the last edition of the Masters Olympia, which took place in 2012, the 2008 Mr. Olympia champion Dexter Jackson won the Men’s Open portion. He would take home $75,000 for his efforts. For comparison’s sake to the competition’s modern return, here is an overview of the total Men’s Open winnings ($145,000) from the 2012 Masters Olympia:
If the $229,000 in 2023 is indeed only for the Men’s Open, that means the organization will have increased the winning incentive by $84,000. If it is the purse for the entire contest, it is unclear how both editions compare from a broad scale at the time of this article’s publication.
Here is an overview of the classifications for each division at the 2023 Masters Olympia.
2023 Masters Olympia Divisions
Men’s Open — Age 45 and up
Women’s Open — Age 45 and up
212 Bodybuilding — Age 45 and up
Men’s Physique — Age 40 and up
Women’s Physique — Age 40 and up
Classic Physique — Age 40 and up
Wellness — Age 40 and up
Bikini — Age 40 and up
Fitness — Age 40 and up
Figure — Age 40 and up
Participating athletes who wish to apply for a roster spot in the 2023 Masters Olympia have until April 10, 2023 to complete a relatively simple process. They must email contest organizers a “letter of intent”, which includes their age, nationality, competitive background, and any social media platforms. In their submissions, athletes have the choice to include a video that is no longer than one minute. They can also include any images of their physique. A full list of chosen competitors will then be announced on April 24, 2023.
While much of the bodybuilding world will be understandably fixated on the upcoming 2023 Olympia contest, the return of the Masters remains noteworthy. Giving a platform to established veterans who want to compete on stage could be considered a quality step forward for the sport overall. When the official list of competitors is revealed, there will be a better idea of who might put on a show in Romania.
Featured image: @mastersolympiaofficial on Instagram
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The 2023 CrossFit Open is still underway. In week two of its multi-week format, the 23.2 workout has been revealed. CrossFit HQ made a live announcement of the workout at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023. It was a showcase battle between 2021 CrossFit Games Men’s runner-up Patrick Vellner and 2022 CrossFit Games runner-up Roman Khrennikov.
Workout 23.2 is divided into two parts. Part A is a combination of burpee pull-ups and shuttle runs. Part B features a one-rep max thruster.
Complete a max amount of reps of these movements with a time limit of 15 minutes:
Five burpees
10 shuttle runs or walks (one rep is 50 feet)
Add five burpees at the conclusion of each round.
23.2B:
Right after 23.2A, competitors have five minutes to do the following:
One-rep max thruster (for optimal technique and load)
Adaptive Divisions
Given that there are eightAdaptive Divisions in the CrossFit Open, each will have its own variations and movement standards.
These respective divisions are Upper Extremity, Lower Extremity, Multi-Extremity, Vision, Short Stature, Seated Athletes (With Hip Function), Seated Athletes (Without Hip Function), and Intellectual. As is the case with Individual and Age Groups, each division has a Women’s and Men’s category.
The 2023 CrossFit Open will continue during the final week of February 2023, heading into the first week of the month of March.
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Maxime Boudreault has withdrawn his respective roster spots in the upcoming 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) and 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contests. The athlete cited a broken shin bone he suffered from a fall as the reason behind the moves.
“Fell on the ice yesterday and broke the small shin bone. Waiting to see the surgeon but staying optimistic.”
Boudreault posted an Instagram video on February 23, 2023, disclosing the news of his immediate competitive future being put on hold. While delivering the update, it appeared the athlete was being wheeled in for the care of his injury by his partner Samantha Belliveau, the 2021 Canada’s Strongest Woman (CSW) champion.
The timeline of Boudreault’s withdrawal from the 2023 ASC, which is scheduled for Mar. 2-5, 2023, in Columbus, OH, makes perfect sense. It likely would’ve been too much for a strength-based athlete to put the requisite stress on his body on such a short turnaround where he might not even be fully healed.
The 2023 WSM taking place on an Apr. 19-23, 2023, date — after occurring in late May during the 2022 iteration — seems to be an unlucky coincidence for Boudreault. While WSM scheduling has usually jumped around the calendar in recent years (the 2021 competition took place in June and the 2020 contest was held in November), the athlete may have been able to heal completely and compete if given more time.
On Feb. 22, 2023, the ASC revealed that Kevin Faires would replace Boudreault on the 2023 ASC roster. At the time of this writing, it is unclear who will take Boudreault’s place in the 2023 WSM.
Regarding recent competitive results, Boudreault captured the 2022 Canada’s Strongest Man (CSM) title in August 2022. He finished in fifth place during the 2022 WSM. To date, Boudreault’s best output at a WSM contest was when he stood on the podium in 2021, with only the legendary Brian Shaw and now two-time reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman eclipsing him. As for his last ASC, the Canadian competitor garnered a sixth-place performance in March 2022.
Nevertheless, before he can build on any of this past precedent, Boudreault will be on the shelf until further notice.
Boudreault’s currently one of the bigger names in strongman and seems to have suffered an unfortunate bout of luck, knocking him out of two major contests. Seeing him compete again might be worth the wait whenever he returns fully healthy.
Featured image: @evolutionathleticsgear on Instagram
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When it comes to building muscle one leg at a time, the Bulgarian split squat, also known as the rear foot elevated split squat, usually gets all the praise and attention. But the real ones know how underrated the front foot elevated split squat truly is.
Credit: Zoran Pucarevic / Shutterstock
The unfairly overlooked front foot elevated split squat is gaining quite the popularity surge, especially from its use in rehab and athletic settings. This upgraded split squat variation is typically a little more comfortable to set up than the rear foot elevated option and it can skyrocket your lower body muscle, strength, and athleticism. Here’s a closer look at this unique exercise.
How to Perform the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
The front foot elevated split squat, or FFESS, requires a high-level of stability across a long range of motion, which can make the exercise difficult to master. Follow these technique cues to tackle this single-leg exercise.
Step 1 — Set Up Your Platform
Credit: Balance in Motion / YouTube
You will notice a massive benefit from even the slightest elevation. Any platform that is at least two to four inches high will be sufficient. A small aerobic step or one or two weight plates work nicely. Use bumper plates, if possible, to prevent sliding. If your gym has an Olympic lifting platform with a raised edge, that can work too.
Form Tip: A staircase might seem like a convenient option, but it’s likely too high to start with and can make the movement too awkward. It will end up feeling more like an indecisive hybrid between a split squat and a step-up while delivering the results of neither.
Step 2 — Elevate Your Front Foot
Credit: Iron Monk / YouTube
Having a strong and stable front foot is, obviously, key to the front foot elevated split squat. Stand upright and set one foot flat on the platform. Keep your entire foot in contact throughout each repetition. Don’t raise up onto your toes or heel.
Form Tip: Supportive shoes can play a surprisingly significant role in your mobility, stability, and force production. (1) Old school Chuck Taylor sneakers, dedicated weightlifting shoes, or any stable-soled shoe is preferable. Super-floppy, extremely cushioned running shoes are not ideal because stability will be compromised as your foot compresses into the cushioning.
Step 3 — Set Your Back Foot
Credit: PriorityStrength / YouTube
Your back foot should be as secure and stable as your front foot. Keep your front foot in place and step back a comfortable distance for you, depending on your leg length and general mobility.
Depending on your ankle mobility, your back foot will likely be on the ball rather than flat on the ground. This is acceptable because this foot is primarily for support and balance, and will not be producing much force into the floor.
Form Tip: For maximum balance and stability, make sure your back foot is in its own “lane,” not directly in line with your front foot. You shouldn’t feel like you’re perched on a thin balance beam. You should feel stable and grounded.
Step 4 — Lower Yourself With Control
Credit: PriorityStrength / YouTube
Take a deep breath and feel both feet securely in place before descending into the rep. Feel your lower body and your core being still before descending. Keep your upper body upright with your shoulders pulled back.
Bend your front leg and lower yourself with control. Descend as low as possible, ideally reaching your back knee to the ground.
Form Tip: Depending on your mobility, your back knee should gently graze the ground — with an emphasis on gently. Some lifters fail to pay attention during the descent and quickly smash their back knee into the ground. Don’t do that.
Step 5 — Drive Up to the Starting Position
Credit: PriorityStrength / YouTube
When you’ve reached the deepest position your hip and leg mobility allows, push through your front leg to drive up to a standing position
Keep your upper body close to vertical as you drive up. Don’t allow yourself to bend forward at the waist. Repeat all repetitions with one leg before switching sides.
Form Tip: It can be tempting to bounce out of the bottom by leveraging the stretch reflex — a muscle’s ability to “rebound” during the transition from a stretched position to a full contraction for increased momentum and power. (2) Avoid it to allow your glutes and quads to do all the work. This will build more muscle by increasing the time under tension, while keeping you safer by reducing ballistic forces.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat Mistakes to Avoid
This exercise can feel tricky, especially when you’re awkwardly setting up for the first time. Here are some common mistakes to avoid.
Not Being Mobile Enough
While this exercise can be great for building mobility, if your hip and ankle mobility resemble the Tin Man, you will struggle to go deep enough to reap the muscle- and strength-building benefits. (3)
Credit: GrowFormance / YouTube
If you’re unable to descend near full-depth, the exercise won’t be any different for building size or strength than a standard split squat, but it can still be beneficial as a mobility drill if you focus on improving your depth instead of adding reps or weight.
Avoid it: To perform the exercise efficiently, do a dynamic warm-up prior to your leg workout to ensure your hips and ankles are thoroughly mobilized and prepared for training. Over time, this should help to get into the deeper positions of knee flexion and hip flexion needed to reach the bottom position.
Not Going Low Enough
The purpose of the platform elevation is to increase the range of motion. It lets you get into degrees of knee and hip flexion that you couldn’t access with other exercises.
Credit: Kevin Maxen / YouTube
However, it’s common to see people do the first few reps with a perfect deep reps but, when the pump sets in, they start to compromise the range of motion. Soon enough, the “front foot elevated split squats” appear to be using less range than traditional split squats with both feet on the ground.
Avoid it: Choose an elevation level that works for you and keep every rep consistent. Try to lightly touch your back knee to the ground each rep, or at least get close. Using a folded towel or padded mat under your back knee can serve as a reliable target as long as it allows your back knee to reach lower than your front foot.
Being Too Wobbly
The elevated front foot-position will make balance more challenging. The more wobbly you are, the less muscle-building force you can generate. Not to mention, you’ll feel self-conscious if you topple over while holding a pair of light dumbbells.
If you’re focused on maintaining balance more than you’re focused on actually training your legs, the overall stimulus will be reduced and you’ll waste energy.
Credit: kristifitnick / YouTube
Avoid it: Take your time to secure your foot position before doing a couple of warm-up sets. Even if your working weight will be relatively light, a warm-up set or two with only your body weight can be a game changer in preparing your nervous system and core musculature to stabilize the load effectively.
How to Progress the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Consider including the FFESS in your program because it’s simple to progress. It also never runs out of progression because, if you do manage to run out of weights, your legs will be beyond elite status at that point.
Begin with Bodyweight
The bodyweight-only FFESS can be quite humbling. Even for some advanced lifters, the exercise can be challenging especially when done toward the latter part of a workout. Performing the exercise as a “finisher” when your legs are pre-fatigued from heavy training can be an eye-opening, leg-burning experience.
The bodyweight FFESS is also an excellent go-to exercise when you have limited equipment, like when you’re training at home or on the road.
Loading with Dumbbells
Once you master bodyweight FFESS, consider adding load via dumbbells. This is the easiest and most common setup for loading — simply hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
Using a narrow platform helps prevent the dumbbells from clashing with the platform, especially if you have longer arms and reach maximum depth. Controlling the weight and not allowing the dumbbells to hit the platform works fine, as well.
As the weights get heavier, and as you’re able to do more reps per set, your grip will likely fatigue quite a bit over the course of multiple sets. Once you feel it kick in, you should use lifting straps or some sort of assistance to eliminate your grip as a weak link.
Barbell Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Barbells allow for the most loading, but they are also the most time consuming to set up along with adding more instability. However, this is a necessary compromise once you get strong.
Make sure you have a strong, stable platform to support the added weight. Set up in a rack with safety pins, similar to performing squats. Progress like most barbell exercises, adding a little more weight and a few more reps from week to week.
Benefits of the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
This exercise has some unique ways of delivering its benefits. Here’s why you should incorporate the FFESS as soon as possible.
Hypertrophy and Strength
The front foot elevated split squat will produce single-leg strength and hypertrophy thanks to a long range of motion and unique positioning compared to other exercise options. The front foot elevation allows you to push your center of mass forward, bringing your hamstring against your calf without compromising torso position.
This stretches the muscles of the quads and glutes under load and increases mechanical tension compared to bilateral squat variations. The unilateral (single-leg) nature helps with addressing potential imbalances and also maximizes range of motion, which increases hypertrophy. (3)
The strength you gain from this exercise translates efficiently to many other exercises. You’ll notice your single-leg and bilateral (two-leg) lower body exercises getting stronger after focusing on the FFESS as an accessory movement.
Pain-Free Training
One of the main benefits people explore this exercise in the first place is to find pain-free alternatives to barbell squatting. If your joints are achy, this exercise can be a perfect option.
Credit: Anatoliy Karlyuk / Shutterstock
It allows you to lighten the load while achieving ranges of motions you likely didn’t have access to. Over time, you achieve pain-free muscle building. In addition, the FFESS reinforces new degrees of hip, knee, and ankle mobility.
Muscles Worked by the Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
The FFESS prioritizes your lower body muscles — perfect for your favorite leg day. Some core stability and upper body stability is trained as well, especially when using added load.
Quadriceps
The front foot elevated split squat primarily trains your quads. The front thigh muscle gets worked through a long range of motion as you get into deep angles of knee flexion (bending). With your front foot elevated, you have the opportunity to drive your knee forward for a deep weighted stretch in the quads.
Glutes
Similar to many squat variations, your glutes are also going to get a significant stimulus during the FFESS, especially in the bottom stretched position.
Credit: Sergii Gnatiuk / Shutterstock
You’ll likely feel more glute soreness, especially if you’re used to a relatively shortener range of motion from traditional squats and split squats.
Adductors
The FFESS will also nail your inner thighs (adductors), particularly in your front leg. This muscle gets a high degree of stabilizing action during the exercise, along with some dynamic contraction to extend your hips at the top of the movement.
How to Program The Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Generally speaking, it’s best to do unilateral exercises after heavier bilateral exercises to avoid fatiguing important stabilizers. You can program the FFESS after your heavy sets of squats, possibly as the second or third exercise of a lower body day.
However, the stimulus from the FFESS is effective and comprehensive for the quads, glutes, and adductors, so it’s can also be valid to program them as your first exercise. This is ideal, for example, for lifters with achy knees who don’t do well with heavy bilateral movements early in the workout. Prioritizing the front foot elevated split squat allows your hips, knees, and ankles to be more thoroughly warmed up before proceeding to relatively heavier lifting.
Moderate to Light Weight, High Reps
This exercise is best suited for moderate to light weight. This allows for less joint strain and connective tissue stress, and allows you to better control the weight which can give you a better mind-muscle connection.
Credit: BarBend / YouTube
Most people will prefer to do these with relatively light weight and higher reps to create a strong pump and an even stronger mind-muscle connection. With this approach, some lifters may even be able skip any warm-up sets, depending on how they feel and how their body responds. Pick a load you can do for at least 12 reps, and crank out two or three sets of 10 to 20 per leg.
Heavy Weight, Low Reps
If you do FFESS early in the workout, you can go heavier. Your nervous system will be fresh and you can stabilize heavier loads. Three or four sets of five to 10 reps (per leg) is already pretty heavy for this exercise. You will still need one or two warm-up sets, especially if you’re strong and plan on approaching your limits.
Using extremely heavy weights for very low reps is not advisable because the stability required for them may not be worth it. It’s not the type of exercise to test your one-rep max because the risk:reward just isn’t worth it.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat Variations
There’s a couple of effective variations of the front foot elevated split squat for those that are more adventurous or want to progress beyond the standard movement.
Heel-Elevated Split Squat
Instead of just elevating your front foot, add an additional plate or ramp to elevate your heel even higher. This puts your foot into a steep angle, creating even more knee flexion and makes an already quad-dominant split squat even more quad-dominant.
This is great for those in need of serious quad growth or for athletes who want to get used to deeper ranges of knee flexion, including combat sports athletes, strength sports athletes, football players, or sprinters.
Double-Elevated Split Squat
If you want to maximize your mobility and range of motion, you can elevate both the front and back foot. Essentially, you are combining the FFESS with a Bulgarian split squat. More range of motion for both the front leg and the back leg can help to skyrocket your quad and glute gains.
Setting this up can be cumbersome and requires some extra space, but once you’ve determined a good set up and know an effective distance to set each platform, it should be pretty smooth each time you’re in the gym.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the front foot elevated split squat different than the rear foot elevated split squat (Bulgarian split squat)?
Depending on your structure and mobility level, the two exercises might not be all that different. However, most people will feel their quads more during the FFESS. You can think of the front foot elevated split squat as a more “quad-dominant version” of Bulgarian split squats. FFESS are also easier to setup and generally feel more comfortable to perform. Elevating your back foot with Bulgarian split squats usually requires more hip and ankle mobility and can be a bigger challenge to maintain balance.
Why don’t I see more people in the gym doing the front foot elevated split squat?
Bulgarian split squats are simply more popular in recent years. They’ve garnered a reputation for being painful — the “good kind” of pain from post-workout soreness — and more “hardcore.” They are a great exercise, but the front foot elevated split squat is starting to catch up in popularity thanks to the rehab world. Many physiotherapists assign the FFESS as a way to train deep ranges of motion with reduced knee pain. Many people learn the movement and end up realizing, “Oh, snap, these are great even if I’m not trying to rehab my knee thanks to the gnarly quad pump.”
Put Your Best Foot Forward
Single-leg training is often overlooked in many training routines. Performing exercises with an increased range of motion, even moreso. The FFESS is a straightforward solution to both of these deficiencies. This comprehensive exercise will payoff with more size, more strength, better mobility, and improved all-around performance. You just need to step up to the challenge.
References
Legg, H. S., Glaister, M., Cleather, D. J., & Goodwin, J. E. (2017). The effect of weightlifting shoes on the kinetics and kinematics of the back squat. Journal of sports sciences, 35(5), 508–515. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1175652
Seiberl, W., Hahn, D., Power, G. A., Fletcher, J. R., & Siebert, T. (2021). Editorial: The Stretch-Shortening Cycle of Active Muscle and Muscle-Tendon Complex: What, Why and How It Increases Muscle Performance?. Frontiers in physiology, 12, 693141. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2021.693141
Schoenfeld, B. J., & Grgic, J. (2020). Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE open medicine, 8, 2050312120901559. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312120901559
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In the year 2021, International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Pro League member Darwin Uribe burst onto the scene when he won the 2021 Chicago Pro in the Classic Physique division. With an earned qualification to the 2021 Mr. Olympia, Uribe ended up forgoing the prestigious contest. The athlete would return the following year to win the 2022 Houston Tournament of Champions but decided not to compete in the Olympia again. With another competitive season now in full swing in 2023, the bodybuilder has made another tough decision.
On Feb. 21, 2023, Uribe revealed in an Instagram post that he would be withdrawing his place as a presumed Classic Physique competitor in the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). Rather than compete in the Mar. 2-5, 2023 contest in Columbus, OH, Uribe intends to first work through some undisclosed problems first.
While Uribe didn’t clarify exactly what compelled him to withdraw from the 2023 AC (and, by extension, the 2022 Olympia previously), he maintained it was something he couldn’t just gloss over and that it was partly out of his control.
” … I am grateful for get invited for the second time in my sixth Pro show in my short career as a professional,” Uribe wrote. “Unfortunately this is something that I won’t be able to finish … sadly I can’t push through this now and finish because there are always more red flags, and red flags indicate to you it’s time to stop.”
The athlete also clarified that he apparently considered withdrawing from the 2023 AC sometime around the 2022 Olympia but had already sent his application in for the contest. Nonetheless, it seems the bodybuilder will focus on his health and well-being for now.
“This time I am prioritizing myself, looking for myself, taking in my own decisions more than expectations or what people think or want from me as an athlete.”
To date, as a relatively newer Pro League member, Uribe has never competed in the Olympia. In the only AC appearance of his career in 2022, the athlete finished in eighth place in the Classic Physique Division. Two-time Classic Physique Olympia runner-up Terrence Ruffin won his second consecutive Classic Physique AC title at that edition of the competition.
It’s unclear what the future holds for Uribe as a bodybuilder. He seems to be understandably prioritizing himself rather than the sometimes demanding rigors of competition, nutrition, and training. For now, the bodybuilding community will have to wait and see what the athlete might have in store down the line.
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For now classes are 6pm and 640pm at 2840 Wildwood st in the Boise Cloggers studio.
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