Bulgarian Split Squat (Dual Dumbbell Loading)

Total Reps: 11 Completed (Technical Failure on 12) | Estimated Load: Moderate (~10-12kg per hand)

1. Summary

Melissa, your capacity to maintain hip flexion torque under fatigue is excellent, and the glute bias here is evident. However, your cervical flexion (looking straight down at the rear foot) is encouraging a subtle thoracic rounding at the bottom of the eccentric phase. With your scoliosis history, we need to decouple that head position to maintain a stiffer, more neutral thoracic column under load.

2. Scores & Set Quality

| Metric | Score (1-10) | Notes |

| :--- | :---: | :--- |

| Overall Form | 8.5/10 | High-level execution, technical breakdown only at true failure. |

| Spinal Integrity | 7.5/10 | Cervical flexion is excessive; influences thoracic positioning. |

| Symmetry | 9/10 | Hips remain square; no visible pelvic rotation from this angle. |

| Tempo Control | 9/10 | Metronomic eccentric phase until the final 2 reps. |

| Range of Motion | 10/10 | Knee-to-ground contact (or near) consistent on every rep. |

Set Metrics:

RPE: 9.5 (Stopped at 1 RIR/Technical Failure)
Fatigue Pattern: Gradual_decline
Form Breakdown Rep: Rep 10 (Velocity loss + slight lumbar compensation)
Rep Classification: [1-9] Good, [10-11] Grind, [12] Failed

3. Rep-by-Rep Analysis

| :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--- |

| 1 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Clean opener. Setup is solid. |

| 2 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Consistent path. |

| 3 | 1.8s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Rhythm established. |

| 4 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Dumbbells drift slightly forward at bottom. |

| 5 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Good drive through the mid-foot. |

| 6 | 2.0s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Breathing looks timed well. |

| 7 | 2.1s | 1.0s | 10 | 9 | Still maintaining peak velocity. |

| 8 | 2.2s | 1.1s | 10 | 8 | Slight extension of eccentric duration (fatigue). |

| 9 | 2.2s | 1.2s | 10 | 8 | Visible effort increasing. |

| 10 | 2.3s | 1.5s | 10 | 7 | Velocity Loss. Sticking point visible. |

| 11 | 2.5s | 2.0s | 10 | 6 | Grind. Slight thoracic dumping. |

| 12 | N/A | Fail | N/A | N/A | Safe bail at the bottom. Good decision. |

4. Biomechanical Details

Joint Angles & Range

Knee: 135° Flexion at bottom. (Optimal: >120° for glute/quad stretch). Excellent anterior tracking without excessive shear.
Hip: ~100-110° Flexion. You are using a Hip-Dominant variation (torso angle ~45°).
Ankle: ~20° Dorsiflexion. Heel remains planted; mobility is sufficient.
Spine: Thoracic spine shows gradual flexion (rounding) as the set progresses, driven by the neck position. Lumbar appears stable but experiences high shear force due to the torso angle.

Asymmetries

Dominant Side: Right leg (Working).
Imbalances:
Upper Body: The dumbbells swing slightly anteriorly (forward) at the bottom of the rep. This creates a longer lever arm from the lumbar fulcrum, increasing erector spinae demand unnecessarily.

5. Scoliosis Analysis

Risk Level: Moderate

Curvature Flags:
Cervical-Thoracic Disconnect: You are looking almost vertically down at your back foot. In a scoliotic spine, this exaggerated cervical flexion often inhibits the thoracic extensors. This creates a "breaking point" at C7/T1, encouraging the upper back to round forward as fatigue sets in.
Shear Force: Your forward lean is significant. While this is great for glutes, if your curve has a lumbar component, the shear force here is high.
Adaptations:
Gaze Adjustment: Fix your gaze on a spot on the floor 2-3 meters ahead, not directly under/behind you. This promotes a "long spine" and better thoracic rigidity.

6. Actionable Feedback

🛑 MUST DO (Safety Critical)

[NEUTRALIZE] Fix your Cervical Alignment. Stop looking at your back foot. Imagine holding a tennis ball between your chin and collarbone—keep the neck neutral. This will help prevent the thoracic spine from collapsing under the load of the dumbbells as you fatigue.

🔧 PERFORMANCE (Technique Fixes)

[ENGAGE] Lat Tension/Dumbbell Path. The dumbbells are swinging slightly forward at the bottom. Retract your scapulae slightly and engage your lats to keep the dumbbells directly in line with your hips/center of mass. This reduces lumbar shear and keeps the tension on the leg.
[DRIVE] Intentional Ascent. On reps 10 and 11, the grind was significant. Focus on "pushing the floor away" rather than "standing up" to maintain glute recruitment through the sticking point.

💡 COULD DO (Optimization)

Contralateral Loading: Consider switching to a single dumbbell in the *left* hand (since the right leg is working). This creates an anti-rotational demand that is highly beneficial for scoliosis core stability and may allow you to maintain a slightly more upright torso to spare the lumbar spine.

7. Key Moments (Timestamps)

| Time | Severity | Event / Observation |