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Legs · Bodyweight or dumbbells

How to do lunges

The lunge is the cheapest way to find out which leg is doing the work, and the fastest way to make the weak one catch up.

Muscles worked: Quadriceps, Glutes, Adductors

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How to do it

  1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, ribs down and a dumbbell in each hand if you are loading it.
  2. Step forward far enough that the front shin finishes close to vertical.
  3. Lower under control until the back knee is an inch off the floor.
  4. Drive through the whole front foot to stand, keeping the torso upright.
  5. Finish all reps on one leg or alternate, but keep the step length identical every time.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Taking a short step, which jams the front knee forward and loads the joint instead of the muscle.
  • Leaning the chest over the front thigh to make the rep easier.
  • Crashing the back knee into the floor rather than tapping it lightly.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Strength4 sets of 6–8 reps per leg with dumbbells
Size3 sets of 10–12 reps per leg, slow lowering
Conditioning3 rounds of 20 walking lunges

Swaps and alternatives

  • Reverse lunge — Kinder on the knees and easier to balance.
  • Split squat — No stepping, so you can load it heavier.
  • Walking lunge — Adds a conditioning cost to the same pattern.

Common questions

What people ask about lunges

This guide covers lunge form, how to do lunges correctly, lunge muscles worked, lunge sets and reps for muscle growth, bodyweight or dumbbells quadriceps exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

Training the same muscles from another angle? Start with the full exercise library or let the free workout plan generator slot lunges into a four-week block.

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