How to Perform a Forward Lunge Variation

Welcome to Adjust This Movement, the ongoing series where you’ll discover everything you need to modify a standard exercise to meet your objectives, your physique, and your state of mind. Each article breaks down the process of executing a foundational fitness move, and then presents different adjustments based on your current level of fitness or energy, previous or existing injuries, or the specific muscles you want to focus on. So leave your pride at the entrance and ensure that every workout meets you where you are today.

Thanks to their ability to provide you with strong quadriceps and a powerful posterior, squats are often revered within the fitness community as the ultimate way to train your lower body. However, they are not the sole leg exercise worth incorporating into your workout routine. In fact, lunges can offer you the same benefits and more.

Specifically, lunges target the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles. Additionally, since they require you to move in and out of a staggered stance or hold that position, lunges also test your balance and stability, according to Phyllicia Bonanno, a SWEAT yoga instructor. Although lunges primarily focus on the lower body, they shouldn’t neglect your upper body. “Despite the main emphasis being on the lower body, you can still engage parts of your upper body simultaneously,” explains Bonanno. “Maintaining good posture is also crucial by keeping your shoulders pulled back and your core contracted.”

The forward lunge, which entails stepping one leg forward and descending into a lunge solely by using your bodyweight, serves as the fundamental movement pattern for a lunge. However, you can practice various lunge variations and adjust your workout to align with your own capabilities, goals, and energy level. Whether you are just embarking on your fitness journey or aiming to lower the intensity of your training session, you can select a lunge variation that is gentle on your body and enables you to focus on your technique while still building strength. Individuals experiencing knee discomfort can also replace the traditional exercise with a lunge variation that targets the same muscle groups without causing any unease. Irrespective of the rationale, there is no shame in adapting the exercise to suit your needs.

If you are prepared to add some variety to your workout, you have options as well. Certain lunge variations are more effective in engaging specific muscle groups, such as the glutes, inner thighs, and core, while others are designed to boost your heart rate and enhance mobility. Simply put, there is undoubtedly a lunge variation that suits your body and requirements the best.

Ready to put the foundational lower-body exercise to the test? Follow the instructions below to master the classic forward lunge. Then, observe as Bonanno demonstrates eight different lunge variations that she shared, which cater to all fitness levels and fitness objectives.

Step-by-Step Guide for Performing a Forward Lunge

A. Stand with feet close together and hands resting on hips.

B. Maintaining engaged core, tall chest, and aligned shoulders over hips, take a big step forward with right foot and lower down until right thigh is parallel to the ground and both knees create 90-degree angles.

C. Propel yourself up from the center of your right foot to rise out of the lunge, then bring right foot back beside left, returning to the starting position.

8 Varieties of Lunges

Once you have mastered the forward lunge, you may want to spice things up. Whether the traditional movement feels uncertain on your knees or you wish to target specific muscle groups, feel free to attempt a lunge variation that meets your individual requirements and objectives.

Here, you will discover lunge variations that can increase or decrease the intensity of the exercise, including a lunge variation that alleviates knee discomfort, lunge variations that target the glutes, core, and inner thighs, and lunge variations that enhance strength and flexibility. Regardless of your choice, continuously listen to your body as you complete your repetitions and switch to a different exercise if it doesn’t feel suitable. And if you are new to lunges, consider performing them on a cushioned mat to protect your knees if they come in contact with the floor, as recommended by Bonanno.

Lunge Variation to Decrease Intensity: Chair Lunge

This lunge variation is perfect for beginners and individuals aiming to enhance their balance, as it provides stability by holding onto a chair while executing the movement, according to Bonanno. “Perhaps you lack coordination or balance, and stepping forward into a lunge can sometimes be challenging,” she explains. “Therefore, placing your hands on the chair enables you to feel more grounded.”

A. Stand with feet close together and hands resting on the back of a chair in front of your body.

B. Maintaining engaged core, tall chest, and aligned shoulders over hips, take a big step backward with the right foot and lower down until the left thigh is parallel to the ground and both knees create 90-degree angles.

C. Propel yourself up from the middle of your foot and heel of your left foot to rise out of the lunge, then bring the right foot forward beside the left, returning to the starting position.

Lunge Variation to Increase Intensity: Plyometric Jump Lunge

When seeking to enhance strength and work up a sweat, consider trying the plyometric jump lunge. In this cardio-style lunge variation, you will forcefully push off the ground into a dynamic jump and softly land.

This particular exercise tests your equilibrium, your steadiness, and your power,” affirms Bonanno. To enhance the coordination hurdle, experiment with alternating legs mid-air so that upon landing, the opposite foot is positioned in front,” she suggests.

A. Stand with feet close together and hands resting on hips.

B. Keeping core engaged, chest upright, and shoulders aligned with hips, take a large step to the side with the right foot and lower down until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees form right angles.

C. Lower down 1 to 2 inches to generate momentum, then push through the feet and leap upward towards the ceiling. Land gently.

Reverse Lunge: Alternative for Knee Discomfort

A conventional forward lunge places significant pressure on the front knee, which can worsen any discomfort you may be experiencing. That’s why Bonanno suggests executing the reverse lunge if you have any knee problems. “You concentrate more on the glute muscles and grounding the foot moving backward rather than forward,” she explains, which reduces the strain on the front knee.

A. Stand with feet together and hands resting on hips.

B. Keeping core engaged, chest upright, and shoulders aligned with hips, take a large step backwards with the right foot and lower down until the left thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees form right angles.

C. Push through the middle of the foot and the heel of the left foot to rise out of the lunge, then bring the right foot forward next to the left, returning to the starting position.

Curtsy Lunge: Targeting the Glute Muscles

While this lunge variation stimulates the same muscles as the forward lunge, it especially focuses on the glutes, according to Bonanno. Specifically, the curtsy lunge activates the gluteus medius, a smaller glute muscle located on the side of the buttocks that aids in outward rotation of the hip.

A. Stand with feet close together, hands clasped in front of the chest.

B. Keeping the weight on the right foot and hips squared, take a long step backward with the left leg, crossing it behind the right leg.

C. Gradually bend the knees and lower down until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees are bent at approximately right angles.

D.Push through the right heel to rise out of the lunge and bring the left foot back next to the right, returning to the starting position.

Lateral Lunge: Targeting the Inner Thighs

In this lunge variation, you’ll step out to the side instead of moving forward or backward, allowing you to effectively target the hip adductors (also known as the inner thigh muscles), says Bonanno. “The side-to-side motion also stretches the hamstrings more,” she adds.

A. Stand with feet close together, hands clasped in front of the chest.

B. Take a big step to the right and immediately shift your hips back and bend your right knee to lower yourself into a lunge. Keep your left leg straight but not locked, with both feet facing forward.

C. Push through your right foot to straighten your right leg, bring your right foot next to your left, and return to the starting position.

Lunge Variation to Develop Strength: Dumbbell Lunge

To increase the challenge of a forward lunge without trying a completely different move, simply grab a pair of dumbbells, says Bonanno. Increasing the weight also increases the difficulty of the exercise, and strategically doing so, known as progressive overload training, will help you see improvements in your strength.

A. Stand with feet together and arms by your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand.

B. With your core engaged, chest upright, and shoulders aligned with your hips, take a large step forward with your left foot and lower yourself until your left thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.

C. Push through the middle of your left foot to rise from the lunge, then step your left foot back next to your right, returning to the starting position.

Lunge Variation to Target the Core: Medicine Ball Lunge

In each repetition of this lunge variation, you’ll twist your torso to the right or left while holding a weighted medicine ball, which challenges your obliques (which, by the way, are not the only muscles in your core), says Bonanno. “While you’re twisting, you’re also testing your balance and the stability of your core to stay grounded in the lunge,” she explains.

A. Stand with feet together and hold a medicine ball in front of your chest.

B. With your core engaged, chest upright, and shoulders aligned with your hips, take a large step forward with your left foot and lower yourself until your left thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees are bent at 90-degree angles.

C. While holding the lunge position, slowly rotate the torso to the left until the medicine ball aligns with the left hip, maintaining square hips throughout the movement.

D. Gradually rotate the torso back to the center, then push through the middle of the left foot to stand up from the lunge. Take a quick step with the left foot back next to the right foot, returning to the starting position.

Hip Mobility Variation: Around the World Lunge

This lunge variation combines four distinct movements – the forward lunge, sideways lunge, reverse lunge, and curtsy lunge – into one. “Once you have mastered each one separately, you can integrate all four together to achieve the full range of motion in your hips, which benefits your hip mobility,” says Bonanno.

A. Stand with feet close together and hands resting on the hips.

B. Maintaining an engaged core, tall chest, and shoulders aligned with the hips, take a large step forward with the left foot and lower down until the left thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees create 90-degree angles.

C. Push through the middle of the left foot to rise up from the lunge, then step the left foot back next to the right foot, returning to the starting position.

D. Take a large step towards the left and immediately move the hips back while bending the left knee to lower into a lunge. Keep the right leg straight but not locked, and ensure that both feet are facing forward.

E. Push through the left foot to straighten the left leg, step the left foot next to the right foot, and return to the starting position.

F. Maintaining an engaged core, tall chest, and shoulders aligned with the hips, take a large step backwards with the left foot and lower down until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees create 90-degree angles.

G. Push through the mid-foot and heel of the right foot to rise up from the lunge, then step the left foot forward next to the right foot, returning to the starting position.

H. With the weight in the right foot and hips squared, take a big step back with the left leg, crossing it behind the right leg.

I. Slowly bend the knees and lower down until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and both knees are bent at approximately 90-degree angles.

J. Push through the right heel to rise up from the lunge and bring the left foot back next to the right foot, returning to the starting position.

Photography and art: Jenna Brillhart

Model and fitness expert: Phyllicia Bonanno

Hair and makeup: Tee Chavez

Wardrobe: Aerie