Exercise guide
Lunge With Twist
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
This compound movement combines a dynamic lunge with a core-focused rotation to build lower-body strength while improving balance and oblique engagement. It effectively challenges pelvic stability and thoracic mobility simultaneously.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
- Extend your arms straight out in front of your chest, or clasp your hands together.
- Maintain a neutral spine with your shoulders pulled back and down.
How to do it
- Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, inhaling as you descend.
- While holding the bottom of the lunge, exhale and slowly rotate your torso over your front leg.
- Inhale as you rotate back to the center with control.
- Push through your front heel to return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Form checklist
- Keep your front knee tracked directly over your ankle, not drifting inward or past your toes.
- Ensure the rotation comes from your waist and mid-back, not just your arms.
- Maintain an upright torso throughout the twist; do not lean forward or sideways.
- Keep your hips squared forward even as your upper body rotates.
Pro tips
- Focus on squeezing the glute of your trailing leg to stabilize your pelvis during the rotation.
- Imagine your spine is a central axis; rotate around it without shifting your weight off-center to maximize oblique recruitment.
Make it harder
- Hold a medicine ball or weight plate with arms extended to increase the rotational load.
- Perform the movement as a walking lunge to add a significant balance and coordination challenge.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the lunge with twist work?
- The lunge with 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 lunge with twist?
- The lunge with twist requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the lunge with twist good for beginners?
- The lunge with twist is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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- Fixed Feet Sit-Up StandIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps