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how to do lunges

Each lunge loads one leg at a time, so your glutes and quads work harder than in a squat at the same bodyweight, and any side-to-side difference shows up quickly. The short pause at the bottom removes the bounce and makes you own the position, which also trains the balance you need for stairs and walking downhill. Alternating legs suits beginners who are comfortable with squats and want the next step. If the wobble or your front knee bothers you, reverse lunges, stepping backward instead, are usually easier to control.

▶ watch lunges on the dedicated video page

primary musclesglutes, quads
also workshamstrings, hip flexors
levelbeginner
equipmentnone — bodyweight
typerep-based

how it’s done, step by step

  1. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
  2. Step your right foot forward into a lunge position, lowering your hips until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your left knee nearly touches the floor. Pause for a moment in this position.
  3. Push through your right heel to return to the starting position, then step your left foot forward into a lunge position, lowering your hips until your left thigh is parallel to the floor and your right knee nearly touches the floor. Pause for a moment in this position.
  4. Push through your left heel to return to the starting position. Alternate legs for the desired number of repetitions.

how much: Start with 3 sets of 8–10 reps, counting both legs, and lengthen the pause to two seconds before adding reps.

form tips from the wandelbar coaches

  • Take a long enough step that both knees bend to roughly right angles at the bottom.
  • Keep your front heel heavy and drive through it to push yourself back to standing.
  • Drop your back knee straight down toward the floor like an elevator, torso staying tall.

common mistakes

  • Stepping onto a tightrope with feet in one line — keep them hip-width apart, as if standing on train tracks.
  • Front heel lifting as you lower — lengthen your step and shift your weight back toward that heel.
  • Bouncing out of the bottom instead of pausing — hold one full second with your back knee hovering above the floor.

make it easier or harder

easier
Static split squats, keeping your feet planted in a staggered stance and simply lowering and rising, remove the stepping and most of the balance challenge.
harder
Bulgarian split squats, with your back foot resting on a couch or chair seat, shift even more of your weight onto the front leg.
lunges bottom position: front thigh parallel, back knee hovering just above the floor
lunges — correct starting position

similar bodyweight exercises

squats at the bottom: thighs parallel to the floor, arms reaching forward for balance squats wall sit hold: back flat against the wall, thighs parallel, knees over ankles wall sit jump squats in mid-air: legs fully extended, arms swung overhead jump squats curtsy lunges: back leg crossed behind front leg, both knees bent curtsy lunges reverse lunges at the bottom: back knee just above the floor, torso upright reverse lunges pulse squats low position: thighs near parallel, arms forward, chest lifted, heels flat pulse squats

never wonder what to train next

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