How to Do a Walking Lunge

Quads, glutes, balance · Bodyweight · By Coach Melo, ISSA Certified Personal Trainer

The walking lunge builds your quads and glutes and challenges your balance and coordination. It trains each leg on its own, which helps even out strength differences between sides.

Quick form cues

• Take a long step with the front knee over the ankle
• Drop the back knee toward the floor
• Torso tall, push through the front heel to step through

Suggested start: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg. Stop if anything hurts, and ask Coach Melo to adjust it for you.

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1Stand tall with your feet together and your hands on your hips.
2. 2Take a long step forward with one leg.
3. 3Lower your back knee toward the floor until your front thigh is about parallel to the floor, with your front knee over your ankle.
4. 4Push through your front heel and bring your back foot forward to step into the next lunge.
5. 5Keep your torso upright and alternate legs as you walk.

Common mistakes and fixes

• Taking steps that are too short

  Take a long enough step that your front shin stays close to vertical.

• Leaning the torso forward

  Keep your chest tall and your ribs stacked over your hips.

• Front knee collapsing inward

  Push your front knee out in line with your toes.

• Slamming the back knee into the floor

  Lower with control and hover just above the floor.

Make it easier

Do stationary lunges in place, or use a shorter range of motion and hold a support for balance.

Related exercises

• Goblet Squat
• Bodyweight Squat
• Glute Bridge
• All 27 exercises