Bodyweight Rear Lunge Twist

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
2. Clasp your hands together in front of your chest or extend your arms straight out at shoulder height.
3. Maintain a neutral spine with your shoulders pulled back and down.

How to do it

1. Step one foot back and lower your hips until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles, inhaling as you descend.
2. At the bottom of the lunge, exhale and rotate your torso slowly toward the side of your front leg.
3. Rotate back to the center, then push through your front heel to return to the starting standing position.
4. Repeat the movement by stepping back with the opposite leg, alternating sides for each repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep the front knee aligned over the ankle, preventing it from caving inward or drifting too far forward.
• Ensure the rotation occurs at the waist and mid-back rather than just moving the arms.
• Maintain an upright torso throughout the movement; avoid leaning forward as you twist.
• Keep your hips square to the front to isolate the rotation in the core.

Pro tips

• Squeeze the glute of the trailing leg at the bottom of the lunge to stabilize the pelvis during the rotation.
• Focus on 'wringing out' your midsection like a towel to maximize the mind-muscle connection with the obliques.

Make it harder

• Hold a light weight or medicine ball with arms extended to increase the rotational lever and core demand.
• Perform the twist during the descent of the lunge rather than pausing at the bottom to increase the balance challenge.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the bodyweight rear lunge twist work?

The bodyweight rear lunge twist primarily targets the abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the bodyweight rear lunge twist?

The bodyweight rear lunge twist requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the bodyweight rear lunge twist good for beginners?

The bodyweight rear lunge twist is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Balance BoardIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps
• Barbell Lunge TwistIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps
• Bosu Ball Step-Up High Knee Air TwistIntermediate · abs, calves, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps
• Elevated Lunge T Spine RotationIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps