Forward Lunge
Forward lunges build your quads and glutes while improving balance. That carries over to everyday movement and stronger squats.
Muscles worked
§ 01 · MusclesHow to perform
§ 02 · Steps- 01
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, brace your core, and keep your hands relaxed at your sides or on your hips.
- 02
Take a long step forward and lower yourself under control until both knees are at about a 90-degree angle.
- 03
Keep your front knee aligned with your toes and your back knee off the floor, maintaining an upright torso without leaning forward.
- 04
Push through your entire front foot to return to the starting position, bring your foot back beside the other, and alternate sides according to the prescribed repetitions.
Beginner's guide
§ 03 · GuideForward lunges build your quads and glutes while improving balance. That carries over to everyday movement and stronger squats.
You should feel it in your quads and glutes. You should not feel it in your knee or lower back.
A common mistake is letting the front knee cave inward. Keep the knee tracking over your toes and drive up through the whole foot.
Lunge: variations and what they target
Lunges differ in which direction you step and where the load comes from. Stepping back is easier on the knees, and the walking version demands the most balance.
Forward LungeThe standard bodyweight version. You step forward and push back to the start. A good way to learn the movement.
Dumbbell Walking LungeThe walking lunge with dumbbells. You keep stepping forward without a pause, which raises the heart rate and loads the glutes and quads evenly.
Barbell LungeBar on the upper back. It can be loaded heaviest, but balance is more demanding.
Dumbbell Split SquatThe split squat, a stationary lunge. Your feet stay in place and you only move up and down. The easiest to control and load.
Bodyweight Rear LungeYou step backward. The knee takes less stress than when stepping forward, and many feel it more in the glute.
Sets and reps by goal
These are the numbers SisuLift uses when it programs this exercise. Sets come from the app's program templates and reps from the range inside which the app increases the weight.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Effort | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–4 | 4–6 | RPE 8–9 | 3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 8–12 | RPE 7–8 | 3 min |
| General fitness and fat loss | 3–4 | 8–12 | RPE 7–8 | 3 min |
RPE describes how hard a set is on a scale of 1–10. RPE 8 means you would still have about two reps left.
When every set reaches the top of the range, SisuLift raises the weight by one equipment step next time and the reps drop back to the bottom of the range. In a calorie deficit the range stays the same, because that is when you want to keep your loads.
Lunge in your program
The lunge fits a leg day after the squat or the leg press. The walking version also works at the end of a session when you want to raise your heart rate at the same time.
Do the same number of reps on both legs. In the walking version reps are usually counted per leg. SisuLift tracks each lunge variation's weights separately, so switching to reverse lunges does not mix up your history.
Frequently asked
What muscles do lunges work?
The quads and the gluteus maximus, with the hamstrings and adductors assisting. Because more weight is on one leg, the gluteus medius and core work to keep the knee and hip in line. A longer step emphasises the glutes, a shorter one the quads.
Forward or reverse lunge?
Stepping back is easier to control and lighter on the knees, because the front leg brakes less. Stepping forward requires more braking and loads the quads more. If your knees bother you when stepping forward, try the reverse lunge.
How long a step should you take in a lunge?
Long enough that at the bottom both knees are at roughly 90 degrees and your whole front foot stays on the floor. Too short lifts the heel and loads the knee, too long stretches the rear hip and makes balance harder.
Why do lunges hurt my knee?
The most common causes are too short a step, the knee caving inward and dropping down fast. Lengthen your step, guide the knee over your toes and lower under control. Also try the reverse lunge. If the pain continues even with less load, see a physiotherapist.
Lunge or Bulgarian split squat?
In the Bulgarian split squat the rear foot is on a bench, so the load is almost entirely on the front leg and the lift is harder for one leg. A regular lunge shares the load between both legs and builds more balance and rhythm. Either fits a leg session.
How to get started at the gym
§ 04 · SisuLiftForward Lunge is ready to go in the SisuLift exercise library. The app builds you a program, suggests starting weights and shows this same animation during your workout at the gym.
- ·A ready training program based on your goal
- ·Starting weight suggestions and automatic progression
- ·Set logging and rest timer at the gym
Use ChatGPT? Add SisuLift there and ask for a training program or an exercise guide right in the chat. Open SisuLift in ChatGPT
Tips
§ 05 · TipsKeep your weight over the midfoot and heel of your front foot, and don't let your knee collapse inward. Lower yourself slowly and keep your core braced throughout each repetition.
The forward lunge develops the quadriceps and balance without additional weights.
Forward Lunge: all variations (4)
More exercises: Quadriceps
§ 06 · Same muscles
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