ATG Split Squat

strengthenhipadvancedRectus femoris (back leg, bent knee)

Content last reviewed: 2026-07-06

ATG Split Squat — start/setup and end/loaded positions — Left: start / setup position. Right: end / loaded position.

How to do it

Set up in a long lunge stance with the torso tall and arms forward for balance.
Keep the front foot flat with weight through the mid-foot.
Sink straight down, letting the front knee travel past the toes until the back thigh stretches.
Keep the back heel lifting and the low back neutral (no arching).
Drive back up through the front leg without rounding or arching.

Form cues

Front knee tracks forward past the toes — that's the point
Sink until you feel the back-thigh/hip-flexor stretch
Regress the depth if the front knee or hip pinches

Dosage

Frequency: 2–3×/week
Volume: 3 sets × 6–8 reps each leg
Tempo: controlled
Build depth gradually; keep it pain-free at the knee.

Muscles worked

rectus femoris — anatomical illustration — rectus femorisAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

iliopsoas — anatomical illustration — iliopsoasAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

gluteus maximus — anatomical illustration — gluteus maximusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Stretches: rectus femoris, iliopsoas

Strengthens: quadriceps, gluteus maximus

Target muscles

Rectus Femoris Iliopsoas Quadriceps Gluteus Maximus

One-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch (Supine, Knee to Chest)Standing Door-Frame Hip Flexor Stretch (Posterior Pelvic Tilt)Abdominal Trunk Curl PIR / PFS for the Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas & Rectus Femoris)PIR / PFS for the Hamstrings Thera-Band Kicks (Dynamic Reflexive Stabilization)