The ATG
Split Squat.
Knees Over Toes.

What is the ATG Split Squat?

The ATG split squat is a deep front-foot-elevated split squat. The front foot sits on a 4–6 inch block or plate. The back leg trails behind, knee gently touching the floor at the bottom. The front knee travels forward, past the toes, until the front thigh sits below parallel. Then you drive up out of the bottom position.

What makes it different from a Bulgarian split squat isn't the depth — it's the intent. In an ATG split squat you actively want the knee to travel forward. The full-range demand is the whole point.

Why Knees Over Toes Bulletproofs the Knee

The knee is a hinge. Hinges get stronger through their full range and weaker in ranges they never see. Modern life keeps the knee in a narrow mid-range: sitting, walking on flat ground, avoiding stairs. Everything below 90 degrees of flexion, and everything past the toes, stops existing.

Loaded time in the exact ranges physio warns you off — deep flexion with the knee tracking forward — is how the joint gets its strength back. The tendon adapts. The quad thickens at the bottom position. Pain that "always shows up on stairs" tends to disappear because the position isn't foreign anymore.

In the ATG system this is a foundation lift. Every client with knee pain, jumper's knee, patellar tendinopathy, or a rebuilt ACL ends up here, at whatever range they can control today.

How to Do an ATG Split Squat (Beginner)

1. Place a 4–6 inch elevation (block, plates, or a short step) under your front foot.
2. Step your back leg roughly two feet behind you. Feet hip-width apart side to side, not on a tightrope.
3. Lower straight down, letting your front knee travel forward over your toes as your back knee approaches the floor.
4. Touch the back knee lightly to the floor. Front thigh should be below parallel to the ground.
5. Drive through the whole front foot to stand. That's one rep. Aim for 3 sets of 5 per leg to start.

If you can't reach the floor with the back knee, lower a range you can control and add a couple of degrees each session. Range is what you're training — never force it, always earn it.

Progression: Bodyweight to Loaded

• Phase 1 — Range: Assisted (holding a doorframe or TRX), 3 sets of 5 per leg, working the front knee further forward each week.
• Phase 2 — Bodyweight: Unassisted, 3 sets of 5, building to 3 sets of 10 over 4–6 weeks.
• Phase 3 — Load: Dumbbells at the sides, back to 3 sets of 5, rebuilding to 10.
• Phase 4 — Strength: Heavy dumbbells or a barbell in a safety squat position, 3 sets of 5–8 per leg, twice per week.

Common Mistakes

• Cutting the range. Half-depth ATG split squats are just split squats. The knee-forward, thigh-below-parallel position is what makes the exercise work.
• Rushing the descent. The bottom is where the adaptation happens. Two seconds down, pause, drive up.
• Loading before the range exists. If you can't reach the floor with your back knee, you don't need dumbbells yet. Own the range first.
• Skipping the back leg. Let the hip flexor lengthen. It's part of the exercise, and tight hip flexors are a common driver of the exact knee pain this fixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an ATG split squat?

The ATG split squat is a deep front-foot-elevated split squat where the front knee is allowed to travel well past the toes. The back knee lightly touches the floor and the front thigh drops below parallel. It builds full-range strength through the knee, quad, and hip flexor.

Is knees over toes actually safe?

Yes, when loaded progressively. The knee is designed to travel over the toes — that's how it worked before shoes and chairs. Avoiding that range is what makes it weak and painful. Load it slowly and it gets stronger, not weaker.

How many reps of ATG split squats should I do?

Start with 3 sets of 5 bodyweight reps per leg, adding one rep per session until you reach 3 sets of 10. Then load with dumbbells and rebuild the rep range from 5 back to 10.

How is this different from a Bulgarian split squat?

A Bulgarian split squat elevates the back foot to shift load onto the front leg. The ATG split squat elevates the front foot instead, letting the front knee travel further forward for full-range knee and hip flexor training. Both have a place — ATG splits are the rehab and knee-strength choice.

I have knee pain. Can I still do this?

In most cases yes, in a shortened range first. Start with a very small forward lean, only the depth you can control without pain, and build the range over weeks. If it hurts sharply, back off the range and check in with a coach.