Muscles worked
What the lunge trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Stand tall. Feet about hip width apart, toes forward, weight spread across both feet. For bodyweight lunges, put your hands on your hips or let them hang at your sides.
- 02
Clear your space. Leave about a full stride of open floor in front of you so you can step out without shortening the step.
- 03
Barbell: rack it on your back. Set the bar in a squat rack at about armpit height, step under it, and rest it on your upper back the way you would for a back squat. Walk it out a couple of steps and stand with feet hip width, with a full stride of clear floor in front of you.
- 04
Sandbag: bear hug or shoulder. Hug the bag high against your chest with your arms wrapped around it, or rest it on one shoulder. On the shoulder, switch sides each set.
- 05
Brace. Take a breath into your belly, tighten your midsection, and look straight ahead before the first step.
Step by step
How to do the lunge
- 01
Step forward. Take a long step straight ahead with one leg, landing heel then whole foot, and keep your feet about hip width apart side to side, not on one line.
- 02
Lower. Bend both knees and drop your hips straight down, not forward. Your back heel lifts and your weight stays mostly on the front foot.
- 03
Bottom. Stop with your back knee just above the floor and both knees around 90 degrees. Your front knee stays over your foot, in line with your middle toes.
- 04
Push back. Drive through the whole front foot, heel included, and push yourself up and back to standing with your feet together.
- 05
Switch sides. Reset your balance, then lunge with the other leg. Alternate legs, or finish all reps on one side before switching. Do the same number on each leg.
Cues to say in your head
- Long step, hips down
- Knee over middle toes
- Chest tall
- Push the floor away
- Back knee just above floor
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Stepping too short
Take a longer step. A short stride pushes your front knee far past your toes and lifts your front heel. At the bottom your front shin should be close to vertical, with the knee over your midfoot or just ahead of it.
Feet on a tightrope
Keep your feet hip width apart side to side, like standing on two train tracks. Stepping in line with your back foot makes you wobble.
Front knee caving in
Push the knee out so it tracks over your middle toes. If it keeps caving, use less load or a shorter range until you can control it.
Leaning forward over the front leg
Keep your chest up and your shoulders over your hips. Lower your hips straight down instead of reaching forward.
Slamming the back knee into the floor
Lower under control and stop just above the floor. Touch lightly if you need a depth marker, never crash down.
Pushing off the back leg
Drive through your whole front foot, heel included. The back leg helps you balance; the front leg does the work.
Stay safe
Start with bodyweight until you can step, lower and return on each leg without wobbling. With bodyweight or a sandbag, if a rep stalls, set your back knee down gently, stand back up and reset; a sandbag can simply be set down or dropped in front of you. A barbell lunge has no safety bars to catch the bar, so take it from a rack, stop every set a rep or two short of failure, and for heavy sets have a spotter follow close behind you with hands near your hips or torso to help you up if a rep stalls. If you have no spotter, keep the load light enough that you never need one, or switch to a sandbag. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knee or hip, and see a qualified professional if it persists.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 | 5 to 8 each leg | 75–85% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 each leg | 60–75% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 each leg | 40–60% 1RM | 1 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
129–162lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 each leg reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. The most common range for lunges. Take sets close to failure while form stays clean; with a barbell, still leave a rep or two.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Lunge questions
What muscles do lunges work?
Lunges mainly work the quads and glutes of your front leg, with the adductors and hamstrings helping. Your calves, obliques and abs work to keep you balanced.
How far should I step forward in a lunge?
Step far enough that both knees reach about 90 degrees at the bottom with your front heel still down. For most people that is roughly two to three feet, a little longer if you are tall.
Should my knee go past my toes when I lunge?
A little forward travel of the front knee is normal and fine as long as your front heel stays down and the knee tracks in line with your toes. If your knee shoots far past your toes, take a longer step.
How do you do a barbell lunge?
Unrack the bar onto your upper back as for a back squat, walk out, then lunge forward and push back to standing exactly as in the bodyweight version. There are no safety bars to catch a missed rep, so leave a rep or two in reserve and use a spotter behind you for heavy sets.
What is a sandbag lunge?
It is a lunge done holding a sandbag hugged to your chest or resting on one shoulder. The shifting load makes your trunk and grip work harder, and you can drop the bag if a rep goes wrong.
Are lunges bad for your knees?
Not for most people. Lunges done with a long enough step, controlled depth and the knee tracking over the toes are a common part of knee friendly training. If they hurt, shorten the range or try a different single leg exercise and get the pain checked.
Train in Protocol
Log your lunge by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.