High Lunge

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
2. Step one foot back about three to four feet, landing on the ball of the back foot with the heel lifted.
3. Ensure your front knee is stacked directly over your front ankle and your hips are squared forward.
4. Distribute your weight evenly between both feet, maintaining a wide enough stance for balance.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you reach your arms toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
2. Exhale and sink your hips lower toward the floor, keeping your back leg straight and your back knee lifted.
3. Hold the position for the prescribed time, maintaining a steady breathing rhythm and a tall spine.
4. Step the back foot forward to meet the front foot and repeat on the opposite side.

Form checklist

• Keep the front knee aligned with the second toe, avoiding internal collapse.
• Maintain a vertical torso; do not lean too far forward over the front thigh.
• Keep the back heel pressed back and high off the ground to engage the calf.
• Engage your glutes and pull your navel toward your spine to protect the lower back.

Pro tips

• Think about 'scissoring' your inner thighs toward each other to create a stable base and square the pelvis.
• If you feel a pinch in your lower back, slightly tuck your tailbone and put a micro-bend in the back knee.

Make it harder

• Add a torso twist toward the front leg to challenge your balance and engage the obliques.
• Lower the back knee until it hovers just an inch off the floor to increase the time under tension for the quads.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the high lunge work?

The high lunge primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, erector spinae, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the high lunge?

The high lunge requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the high lunge good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Mixed Grip DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell SnatchAdvanced · adductors, calves, deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and quadriceps