Walking Lunges
Lunges taken as continuous steps forward: you step out, lower until your back knee nearly touches the floor, then bring the back leg through into the next step, training the quads and glutes.
Equipment
- Primary muscles
- Quads, Glutes
- Secondary
- Hamstrings
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
- Primary muscles
- Quads, Glutes
- Secondary
- Hamstrings
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
- Primary muscles
- Quads, Glutes
- Secondary
- Hamstrings
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
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Why do it
Walking lunges add a balance and coordination demand that stationary lunges lack, since you shift your weight forward with every step. They need open floor space, so they're often done down a hallway or across the gym, and they make a tough finisher for leg day. Bodyweight is plenty at first; dumbbells at your sides are the usual way to add load, and the barbell lets you go heavier but magnifies every wobble, so save it for when your steps are steady.
How to do it (Barbell)
Set a barbell across your upper back and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
Step forward and lower until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor and your back knee hovers just above it.
Push through the front heel and bring the back foot forward into the next step.
Continue alternating legs for the set. Keep the steps steady; the bar magnifies every wobble.
Stand upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides.
Step forward and lower until your back knee is just above the floor and your front thigh is roughly parallel to it.
Push through your front foot and bring your back leg through into the next step.
Keep walking, alternating legs. Stay tall through your torso; leaning forward turns it into a stride rather than a lunge.
Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips or at your sides.
Step forward and lower until your back knee is just above the floor and your front thigh is roughly parallel to it.
Push through your front foot and bring your back leg straight through into the next step.
Keep walking, alternating legs. Stay upright through your torso and take a step long enough that your front shin stays fairly vertical at the bottom.
Common mistakes
Steps too short
A short step pushes your front knee far forward and lifts your heel. Step long enough that your front shin stays fairly vertical at the bottom.
Walking on a tightrope
Placing each foot directly in front of the other makes you sway. Keep your feet about hip-width apart side to side as you walk.
Leaning forward to keep moving
Tipping your torso turns the lunge into a long stride and throws off your balance. Stay tall and lower straight down on each step.
Banging the back knee into the floor
Dropping fast into each step makes your knee hit the ground. Lower under control until it hovers just above it.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
