How to do Forward Lunges

Back to Exercises

Difficulty: Medium

Impact Level: Normal

Target Body Parts: calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps

Instructions

Start standing up with your feet at hip width, and your hands on your hips so that you can feel that they stay level as you step forwards and back. Also, before you start make sure you have enough clear level floor space in front of you to be able to take a big step forwards.

Rise up on to your toes and balance yourself, then take a long step forwards with your right foot. As your front foot makes contact with the floor, bend at both knees to lower yourself down into the lunge position. At the bottom of your lunge, your knees should both be bent to approximately 90 degrees.

From the bottom position, push up and backwards using your front foot with enough energy so that you can step the front foot back to join side by side with the rear foot. As you return back to the start position try to stay up on your toes and balance without putting the heals down.

Repeat this whole step, knee bend and push back process with the other leg. Make sure you complete an even number of repetitions on each leg during the time for the exercise.

Watch out for your front heal lifting up off the floor, try to keep your heal down and push up out of your heal to return to the standing position. Avoid leaning forwards or backwards when lunging, aim to keep an upright spine.

How to make Forward Lunges easier

If you find the forward lunge to difficult to start with, try giving our Rear Lunge a try. It is very similar, except that you step back into a lunge and the return your back foot to be level with your front foot at the end of each repetion, which is easier.

How to make Forward Lunges more challenging

Once you have mastered Forward Lunges check out our Reverse V Lunges and Lunge Jumps to take it to the next level. If you have the space, you can also join your lunges together to make it a Walking Lunge.

Looking to add this exercise to your workouts?

Customize your workouts simply by adding or removing Sworkit exercises. Sign in or sign up to get started.

Try It Out